<p>I'm applying to MIT. My friend, who has slightly worse stats than I do, is also applying, but he's getting a supplemental recommendation from an MIT alumnus and large donor. Will this give him an edge over me in the admissions process?</p>
<p>Ha!</p>
<p>I'll let Ben Jones give the definitive answer on this one, but my personal guess would be "no way." MIT doesn't generally give admissions advantages for monetary reasons -- legacy applicants, for example, are not at an advantage over candidates who don't have MIT grad parents. </p>
<p>I would further hope that the said rec writer knows your friend well, because token recommendations from congresspersons/presidents/donors are not going to help one bit unless they say something genuine and unique about the applicant.</p>
<p>Actually, they can hurt seriously. They signal that the person thought they needed the help from a big name who didn't know them very well. Tell your friend to study game theory ;-)</p>
<p>[But I should note I am not the Ben alluded to above -- that's Ben J. The definitive word shall come from him.]</p>
<p>That would help at some schools (AHEM the Ivies) but not at MIT. And with a nod to BenG above, Caltech is similarly difficult to impress. If your friend gets in, it will be because he's qualified - and if you don't, it won't be because anyone else bought your rightful spot in the class.</p>
<p>Of course, your interpretation of slightly worse stats may be viewed as indistinguishable by the admissions officers, and any differences in admissions outcomes may be due to other factors, rather than a few points of gpa or SAT.</p>
<p>At the margins, I can see it as a strategy, perhaps not sucessful. For someone,not like your friend, who is well below the standard, why in God's name would such a person want to matriculate at Caltech or MIT? They are tough enough for those who are well qualified.</p>
<p>Obviously if you ask Ben Jones he's not going to tell you that people can "buy their way in" to MIT. No admissions staff would want that image. There might be some very marginal influence if the reviewer was the president of MIT, but not an admissions officer.</p>
<p>As my boss always says, "there's only one way to get into MIT, and that's the hard way." :-)</p>