I would find a way to casually mention that your kid is applying to the school. I would ask for a letter of support that is cringey. If they want to help they will pick up on the casual mention and action something or offer that they could action something. But I would only do this if your kid is fully qualified to be admitted as in has the grades the scores the rigor etc.

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.

I think it's the employment piece that makes it a no. If they're a board member then go for it. Ask away--why not?! People do this all the time.

But board members are not employed by the university. Employees are and I think this makes it uncomfortable all around.

It's been a while, but when we were in grad school in a top school (and already had a kid) one of our good friends had an uncle who eventually ended up in a very high position in the administration there.

Years later our kid applied to the school as a viable but clearly borderline candidate and we mentioned it to our old friends. They called their uncle, who literally walked down the hall to the admissions office and pulled their file and put a note in it.

Admitted.

No go!

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

No. You have a passing relationship and they can't write a heartfelt, knowledgeable letter of rec for your kid. They will probably say no, or worse, write something tepid that will not be helpful. Instead focus on ensuring his grades are up, you hire SAT prep tutors, start with ec's in 9th and develop them to meaningful levels - all the standard areas of focus.

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.

Anonymous wrote:Letters of recommendation should come only from people who know the applicant well enough to knowledgably comment on their abilities. It doesn't sound like that person does.

You could ask for information or an introduction. "Billy is interested in 6th century Persian literature. Do you know if there's anyone he could talk to about opportunities for studying in that area?"

Will probably result in a referral to St. John's College.

Letters of recommendation should come only from people who know the applicant well enough to knowledgably comment on their abilities. It doesn't sound like that person does.

You could ask for information or an introduction. "Billy is interested in 6th century Persian literature. Do you know if there's anyone he could talk to about opportunities for studying in that area?"

Unlikely that one employed by a school would write a letter of rec for a student applying to that school. Inappropriate pressure.

No.

Start nursing that relationship now.

Hahahahaha

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.)