<p>I'm just curious as to whether or not being related to a professor at a college of choice and getting him to write you a reccomendation will do anything to my chances at getting into the college.</p>
<p>Good Idea Bad Idea?</p>
<p>Will it help and if so to what extent?</p>
<p>It's only a good idea to do this if you have studied under him/done research with him. If not, you're just dropping names, and the college won't like this. If he's an immediate relative (parent/grandparent), there is probably a place on the application to say this, and that would definitely benefit you. If he isn't, it won't make much of a difference at all.</p>
<p>hmm I thought it could come off in bad light like you tend to suggest. Although when I tell my friends about this they're always saying "oh then your in" or "you don't have to worry anymore". But I always thought there could be a downside.</p>
<p>Anyone else have an opinion?</p>
<p>Also can this potentially hurt my application? I mean can I at least give it a shot?</p>
<p>There's usually a place on the application where they ask if any of your relatives work at the school. This is enough. Unless you've actually done research with someone at the school (who happens to be related to you), then they're not going to take a rec from a relative very seriously, and may even look down on it.</p>
<p>Generally they don't want recs from relatives. they'll probably have a spot on the app asking about relatives, but if they don't, then you shouldn't worry about it.</p>