If you know someone "important" at a college...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you know someone in a very high position at your kid's ED school (think undergrad dean, President, CFO, COO, etc), would you ask them to write a letter of support or mention anything to them at all? We used to be friends but they moved away (far enough that we wouldn't visit otherwise and we aren't BFFs to visit just to see them). We now converse on social media and exchange holiday cards. I say we do nothing beyond just mentioning kid's interest causally and only if there is an opportunity. DH thinks we could ask for a letter of support or something more formal. That feels like too much to me, but maybe I'm wrong. (This is for a future year, not this year.)

No. Employees can't do that.

Board members and big donors can.

[Anonymous]

Only if it’s Vanderbilt. But if it is - go for it because it works!

[Anonymous]

Family member is long term board member of a popular college. Helped once and regretted it because parent misrepresented student’s record. Would never do again and resents being asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Family member is long term board member of a popular college. Helped once and regretted it because parent misrepresented student’s record. Would never do again and resents being asked.

Adding at least two families that don’t really know them ask each cycle.

If someone feels strongly about your relationship and wants to help, they would volunteer their help.

[Anonymous]

The details matter - which college, which position, how in the mix your kid is without help.

Fwiw, if it isn’t someone I am in contact with regularly, I wouldn’t help. Or, at least I usually don’t when asked (not at a college but work somewhere for which people ask me to help their kid all the time.)

[Anonymous]

I work at a university. The answer is "no." Not only is it inappropriate, but it's also unlikely to make a difference in the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's surprising that you don't know the answer to this question is clearly no.

It's surprising that you would offer such a simplistic response in such a condescending manner.

You're clearly not very bright. The question deserved a simple response delivered in a condescending manner. Because it was stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Knowing an staff or faculty member, no matter how high in rank, will not help imho. My husband was close enough to the general counsel of a T20 school where my son was applying that we were able to have lunch with her during my son's official tour. We never asked for her help because it would put her in an awkward position and she never offered. He ultimately got in, but he also had very strong stats and was coming out of a private feeder high school. We also had the help of a major donor of that school as well. You are better off knowing a major donor than an employee honestly.

As someone who has basically my whole family employed in academia, I wholeheartedly second this. Being friends with a professor at Princeton or a Dean at Cal Tech will not help you. They don’t know your kid, they know YOU, so they can’t write a meaningful letter of recommendation.

A donor on the other hand has development officers at their beck and call. They know exactly how much influence they can trade for their level of monetary contribution.

[Anonymous]

I think you can say to your friend "Larla has decided to apply to X University next year. It's her top choice. Do you have any advice for her on her application?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knowing an staff or faculty member, no matter how high in rank, will not help imho. My husband was close enough to the general counsel of a T20 school where my son was applying that we were able to have lunch with her during my son's official tour. We never asked for her help because it would put her in an awkward position and she never offered. He ultimately got in, but he also had very strong stats and was coming out of a private feeder high school. We also had the help of a major donor of that school as well. You are better off knowing a major donor than an employee honestly.

As someone who has basically my whole family employed in academia, I wholeheartedly second this. Being friends with a professor at Princeton or a Dean at Cal Tech will not help you. They don’t know your kid, they know YOU, so they can’t write a meaningful letter of recommendation.

A donor on the other hand has development officers at their beck and call. They know exactly how much influence they can trade for their level of monetary contribution.

Donors also aren’t interested in helping random strangers. If you are an acquaintance and are thinking about asking, assume there are many others thinking the same, because there are.

[Anonymous]

Board members are more influential that staff/faculty. And yes, letters from Board members can help a qualified applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knowing an staff or faculty member, no matter how high in rank, will not help imho. My husband was close enough to the general counsel of a T20 school where my son was applying that we were able to have lunch with her during my son's official tour. We never asked for her help because it would put her in an awkward position and she never offered. He ultimately got in, but he also had very strong stats and was coming out of a private feeder high school. We also had the help of a major donor of that school as well. You are better off knowing a major donor than an employee honestly.

As someone who has basically my whole family employed in academia, I wholeheartedly second this. Being friends with a professor at Princeton or a Dean at Cal Tech will not help you. They don’t know your kid, they know YOU, so they can’t write a meaningful letter of recommendation.

A donor on the other hand has development officers at their beck and call. They know exactly how much influence they can trade for their level of monetary contribution.

This is correct. We have a friend whose kids both got into Penn because friend worked at a hedgefund where founder was a major donor. The founder sent his kids to Harvard and was willing to write letters of support for our friend's kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knowing an staff or faculty member, no matter how high in rank, will not help imho. My husband was close enough to the general counsel of a T20 school where my son was applying that we were able to have lunch with her during my son's official tour. We never asked for her help because it would put her in an awkward position and she never offered. He ultimately got in, but he also had very strong stats and was coming out of a private feeder high school. We also had the help of a major donor of that school as well. You are better off knowing a major donor than an employee honestly.

As someone who has basically my whole family employed in academia, I wholeheartedly second this. Being friends with a professor at Princeton or a Dean at Cal Tech will not help you. They don’t know your kid, they know YOU, so they can’t write a meaningful letter of recommendation.

A donor on the other hand has development officers at their beck and call. They know exactly how much influence they can trade for their level of monetary contribution.

Or perhaps both kids got in because dad was successful in private equity.

This is correct. We have a friend whose kids both got into Penn because friend worked at a hedgefund where founder was a major donor. The founder sent his kids to Harvard and was willing to write letters of support for our friend's kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Board members are more influential that staff/faculty. And yes, letters from Board members can help a qualified applicant.

+1. Frankly, OP, I would pull any string that I have.

[Anonymous]

So cringe