<p>Unfortunately, I am one more amongst the throngs of deferred students. Needless to say, I was quite upset by this decision. I cant imagine spending the next four years of my life anywhere else. I have a few ideas about how to supplement my application for the RD pool, but I do have one question... I'm a legacy, and my dad was really good friends with Jeff Immelt when he was at Dartmouth. For those of you who are uninformed, Jeff Immelt is the CEO of GE and gave the commencement speech at Dartmouth last year. I actually met Jeff for the first time at the Dartmouth homecomeming game in '96 for my dad's reunion. If the admission office was to receive a letter from Immelt that strongly supported my acceptance (and had anecdotes about my personality, strenths etc..) how much "pull" do you guys think it would have? Could it be the deciding factor of my application? Or would they just regard it as a lame attempt at gaining acceptance? Any experience or information on this topic would be greatly appreciated. GO BIG GREEN!</p>
<p>By the way these are some of my stats~
SAT:1450, ACT:33, SATII's: 1C:720, writ:750, lit:760, GPA:3.89unw, 4 AP's this year, 1 last year. Varsity lacrosse two years, JV captain soph., Varsity racquetball 3 years., Habitat for Humanity, D.A.R.E peer connection, TONS of outdoors experience, Young Republicans Secretary, All-school-service award and various other school related community service activities...</p>
<p>It may come back to bite you, because no one wants to feel as if their arm is being twisted (even if ever so gently) to take a student and hte Adcoms may resent the tactic. It is not like Jeff is going to deliver an ultimatum or all of the sudden going to not support Dartmouth if you don't get accepted.</p>
<p>If it makes you feel better, go right on ahead, but it has been my experience that a very personal letter from your school janior or the serving lady at the cafeteria would carry a lot more clout, and I am not being sarcastic. I mean it. The top schools get every important person under the sun advocating admissions for someone. Half the kids I know who are applying to reach schools know "someone". Many are related to "someone". It very rarely makes a difference. Adcoms can sense a mile away how seriously they have to take a rec from someone, and I doubt there would be any benefit to them if they admit someone that Jeff Immelt reccomends, unless it is Mr Immelt's son in the midst of negotitations between Mr. Immelt and Dartmouth.</p>
<p>The most powerful "in" is if someone from the school wants you for a specific talent, a reason he could back up, and if that someone has no relationship with you. A professor who thinks your research in the medieval cloisters is useful for his new book. A bio prof who is applying for a grant that includes info on your science fair project. Those could make a difference along with the well known coaches crew that send their wishlists to admissions.</p>
<p>how much "pull" do you guys think it would have? Could it be the deciding factor of my application?</p>
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<p>From the stuff I've read it depends ... your recommendations should be written by the people who can write the most compelling recommendation helping the school relly understand who you are and how you will add to the school's community. Whoever knows you the best to write such a compelling recommendation should be used ... if this person is also famous or has a special connection to the school, all the better. However, bypassing your unknown coach/teacher/instructor who knows you and will write a killer recommendation to have a "famous/important" person write a more generic recommendation is typically not recommended. So my answer to your questions is ... it depends ... if this guy knows you well enough to write a compelling recommendation about your academic or EC life from his personal experience .. then go fo it</p>
<p>"Dartmouth is actually the most conservative of all the Ivy Leagues."</p>
<p>Perhaps, but very few private schools have <em>administrations</em> that are conservative in the least, and the administration/adcom is what we're discussing.</p>