<p>yes or no?</p>
<p>Is the alumni a big time donor?</p>
<p>If not, then it won't help.</p>
<p>some one in my family donated a library. should i get a reccomendation from that person? =p</p>
<p>Is the family connection obvious without that person writing a recommendation? A recommendation from a family member seems inappropriate--what would admissions expect a family member to say other than positive stuff? So, if this person is listed as a legacy (what Cornell considers a legacy, i.e. parent, grandparent, etc.), they will know that this person is a significant donor to the college and will consider that. If the person is not a "legacy" by Cornell's standards, then you could list that person as an alumni relative perhaps in the Additional Information section? Or, assuming this person knows you are applying to Cornell, they might have a sideline conversation with the development office. I'm sure that applicants with significant donor family connections are flagged just as legacies are.</p>