I've seen this this cycle, but not with political VIPS, etc. Has to be people with money. And usually a trustee with a track record of big giving.

Looking for insight on letters from board members in RD. Have heard mixed reviews - sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. At some schools it may also backfire? Is that true?

Does anyone have updated information? Can you name the school?

Anonymous wrote:Looks like it’s still working at Brown

https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/05/corporation-donors-recommendation-admission-brown-university

Well at least they are transparent. I mean it’s a whole process with staff to host the donor dinners.

Surprised this isn’t getting picked up by other media? Really detailed reporting.

Anonymous wrote:Looks like it’s still working at Brown

https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/05/corporation-donors-recommendation-admission-brown-university

This is a ton of detail. Wow

Yep University of MD Medical school

A Father in Law made a call for his new DIL, when she had not gotten in previously or to other med schools.

Yep it happens.

Someone offered this to my DC to attend W&M

Looks like it’s still working at Brown

https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/05/corporation-donors-recommendation-admission-brown-university

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes sense that influential donors and board members would be able to help kids get admitted. I have a job where I spend time with rich people. These folks don't have as many of these chits as you may think (esp. for non-family members). Usually these kids have a great applications, and it goes without saying that your kid has to go if a board member/donor is supporting their application.

-1 don’t kid yourself.

Op. I personally witnessed this pitch 30 years ago. School UVA. Member of university board and northern Virginia economic development member who tripped over himself telling an influential business member how he could secure Larlo’s admission to ‘the university.’ Mentioned each board member had limited number of ‘slots.’ He would gladly use one for Larlo.

This is how the world works.

A). didnt happen. citation and name please
B) thirty years ago? the world of college admissions changes every year! Look at how legacy is going away. Legacy treatment is now outlawed in Virginia
C) I serve on multiple boards. a good board mber doesnot ask for perks

How’d this turn out this cycle?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hearing of multiple situations where applicants got board /influential donors’ (named buildings) letters to submit in “support of their application”.
Both public and private colleges & universities.

In the cases of OOS flagships, it’s worked at Mich/Wisc/UT/UVA this year - all OOS and all applicants I personally know (or my kid knows).

Also, know of kids who got similar board “letters of support” at Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale and Barnard this year. All ED/EA/REA kids - all admitted.
Yes, we are at a private school. Small classes = Kids talk.

Is this practice really that common? Does everyone mine their network to get this done? Does this happen every year or only this one bc it’s so unpredictable ?? Does it work for RD too or only EA/ED etc…

Counselors please weigh in as well.

You are such a busy body gossip. There is no way you know all of this personally unless you are gathering it through gossip. No one announces these things to all.

Also want to say people don’t go around announcing “hey I got a letter!” So I call BS on your post. These things are kept under the radar for so many reasons.

Anonymous wrote:Hearing of multiple situations where applicants got board /influential donors’ (named buildings) letters to submit in “support of their application”.
Both public and private colleges & universities.

In the cases of OOS flagships, it’s worked at Mich/Wisc/UT/UVA this year - all OOS and all applicants I personally know (or my kid knows).

Also, know of kids who got similar board “letters of support” at Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale and Barnard this year. All ED/EA/REA kids - all admitted.
Yes, we are at a private school. Small classes = Kids talk.

Is this practice really that common? Does everyone mine their network to get this done? Does this happen every year or only this one bc it’s so unpredictable ?? Does it work for RD too or only EA/ED etc…

Counselors please weigh in as well.

You are such a busy body gossip. There is no way you know all of this personally unless you are gathering it through gossip. No one announces these things to all.

Anonymous wrote:Joe Biden sent letters, and kid got rejected everywhere.

https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/biden-wrote-college-rec-for-son-of-chinese-exec-tied-to-hunter/#

The letters are meaningless. If they mattered, it would fill the whole school with friends of elite.

I agree with this.
-my kids go to 2 different Big3 schools. My senior has classmates (several) who are strong students whose parents are VIPs at different Ivies and yet the kids are waitlisted at these schools. The parents are grads and do things like sit on present-day committees at their respective Ivy, teach at the Ivy, give enough to an fund something like an academic program, etc. If they can't get their own kid in with ease, their word is not getting another person's kid in.
-there are many general VIPs at these high schools. Household names. People who know people. They can't get their kids in to Ivies. I've watched it play out several years. If the VIP's kids aren't top students, they don't get in to top schools.
-there are a lot of board members and various VIPs at the Ivies. If they all had a pull with admissions and used it on every friend and colleague and business acquaintance's kid there would be no spots left.

I think they get the application read. They don’t get you in, but it gets you past the rep who may not have passed the app along. We got several letters. DC did get accepted to one (so far) that was a reach. Kid had a great interview, great essays, app etc. so they’re qualified to be there, but it was definitely a reach and I do believe the letter garnered attention.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes sense that influential donors and board members would be able to help kids get admitted. I have a job where I spend time with rich people. These folks don't have as many of these chits as you may think (esp. for non-family members). Usually these kids have a great applications, and it goes without saying that your kid has to go if a board member/donor is supporting their application.

-1 don’t kid yourself.

Op. I personally witnessed this pitch 30 years ago. School UVA. Member of university board and northern Virginia economic development member who tripped over himself telling an influential business member how he could secure Larlo’s admission to ‘the university.’ Mentioned each board member had limited number of ‘slots.’ He would gladly use one for Larlo.

This is how the world works.

That's a salesman lying about his influence to make a sale.

Joe Biden sent letters, and kid got rejected everywhere.

https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/biden-wrote-college-rec-for-son-of-chinese-exec-tied-to-hunter/#

The letters are meaningless. If they mattered, it would fill the whole school with friends of elite.