@joy12345 It doesn’t hurt but it may only help if the alum has significant juice with Midd. Lots of people track down alums for letters so for the most part average alum X is not going to make a difference. But if you happen to find someone that has been on their alumni boards or trustees or whatever, and who knows you personally or met with you personally, that could help if you’re on the bubble.
@joy12345 I’d still pick Bates for a collaborative, laid back environment. You could not go wrong at either three.
One I know who got rejected, had an elite HS education with top ECs such as medical research in addition to normal school sports, club sports and school clubs, volunteering summers in Africa with needy kids in her future major and BOTH parents are active Bowdoin alumni. She was rejected ED1 from Bowdoin but ended up at a higher ranked university. Really the acceptances are ivy like. Apply to Bowdoin ED1 if your heart is set on it.
Honestly, if one doesn’t stand out to you as a favorite, maybe you shouldn’t apply ED. It sounds like you are applying ED to game the odds and once athletes and legacies are removed, the odds for an ED applicant aren’t as high as the ED acceptance rate would make one assume.
@doschicos is spot on.