Hello,
I have a teacher who received a PhD from Harvard University. If they write on my recommendation about how they feel I am qualified based on their own experiences, etc, do you think it would be a plus vs a recommendation from another teacher?
Thank you!
FWIW: Harvard asks for two recommendations from teachers who recently taught you in an academic subject because they want to hear what kind of a student you are in the classroom. Are you the kid who always has their hand raised ready to contribute to the classroom conversation? Or, are you the shy kid that knows the answer but must be called upon? Are you the classroom clown? Or, the know-it-all kid? Do you lead classroom discussions? Do your peers respect you as leader of those discussions? Do you fellow teachers respect and admire you? Does your writing go beyond the strictures of the assignment? How do you compare to your peers in terms of your writing ability? Your math ability, etc? Of all the students they have taught in their many years of teaching high school, how do you compare?
Can the PhD alum answer any of those questions? If no, then their recommendation will NOT be helpful to admissions, as it will just show you know someone who graduated with with PhD from Harvard.
@gibby I interpreted it that the alum is one on the OP’s teachers. If that is the case, then simply being a Harvard alum will not be a plus; the quality of the rec will matter much much more that the college the recommender attended.
^^ Thanks @skieurope. I agree; the quality of the rec is MORE important to Admissions than the person writing it.
@gibby I feel that if they mention how I’m a good fit for the school based on their own personal experiences however it would be more beneficial.
^^ @iwantsuccess: Let’s look at this another way. About 1,000 high school students enroll in Harvard Summer School classes with the intention of getting an ‘A’ in their college level class AND getting a Harvard professor to write them an additional letter of recommendation to the college. My guess is that about a third of those high school students (330 or so) actually succeed with their plan. However, Harvard does NOT take all 330 of those high school students who have an additional recommendation from their Harvard professor – maybe they take 10% of them (if that) – that’s true even when that professor mentions that the student is a good fit for the school based upon their own personal experience. Now, what makes your situation different (other than the fact that your PhD professor did NOT actually teach you in a college level class, which kind of makes your recommendation not as salient as those other kids from Harvard Summer School)?
Bottom line: Go ahead and ask the PhD, but their recommendation is NOT going to push you over the fence if the rest of your application isn’t already making an Admissions Office sit up and take notice.
How long ago did this teacher attend? If two teachers know you equally well and have equal opinions of you, and you can only have one of them write a letter, then yes, choose the one who attended Harvard. My kid had letters from Ivy grads and I am sure it didn’t hurt : )
@compmom that’s exactly what I meant, and exactly what I’ll do. Thank you so much 
Good luck!