<p>So my dad and I have been arguing about this, and I just want to settle this debate once and for all. I've sung in the church choir for seven years, and the organist/music director is an English Professor at Brown University. My dad believes that I should ask him to vouch for me during admissions, but I tell him that it won't make a difference. Brown doesn't even allow outside recommendations apart from teachers. And besides, I want to get into Brown on my own merit. What do you think? Would a professor vouching make a difference? I just want to prove my dad wrong.</p>
<p>You might ask your church organist/music director to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf, considering he has been directing you for 7 years and probably knows you quite well (and in a different sense than your teachers do). The fact that your music director happens to be a Brown professor would just be icing on the cake. Whether Brown sees value in his recommendation as a professor is probably unlikely but it may give the recommendation more merit. But I would not ask the man to “speak” to the admissions dept on your behalf as it may not be seen well on either side.</p>
<p>If he’s a actual part of your life in charge of an activity you have devoted a lot of time to then sure. You can ask. If he is willing and you think it’ll be positive contact the admissions office. They’ll tell you how to include a non-teacher recommendation. My daughter is including a director she’s worked with for 8 years. Not an alumni but has in depth knowledge of D’s theatre work which her school tea her’s wouldn’t really know much about.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is anything called ‘vouching’. Did you talk to this person and tell them you are applying to Brown? It would be interesting to get their take. I would look at it as an extra letter that supports your activity, if anything. So it would still be ‘you’ getting yourself into Brown. An extra letter doesn’t do it anymore than you would owe your teacher for writing a letter that gets you into Brown. One letter doesn’t do anything. Brown doesn’t really welcome extra letters. Only get it if the writer will think you are one of the best ever. An extra like this would be more welcome than an extra teacher rec since they do know you in a different light. See:</p>
<p>May I submit additional letters of recommendation?
In our experience, the required counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations provide all we need to make a thoughtful, informed admission decision. Because additional letters tend to echo the observations we already have in hand, we do not encourage you to seek out extra letters. If, however, someone has unique knowledge of certain strengths or accomplishments that would not be addressed in the required recommendations, you are welcome to have another person write on your behalf. Keep in mind that a stack of extra letters will almost never influence an admission officer in a positive way.</p>