<p>Hey all, I'm an international applying for 2015, my counselors and peers have said that I'm a competitive applicant, but we all know that for Harvard, the odds for such applicants still aren't very good. So I'd like to ask an honest question. I'm not going to lie and say this is for my friend, or my sister, or my brother, or hide behind anyone else in asking. I really do look forward to any constructive feedback:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I was wondering whether it would help my application to get a recommendation from the Harvard Club President of my country. He's a family friend (an MBA grad, not an undergraduate one) that I have also worked with, and he would be delighted to extend us such a favor. Do Harvard Club Presidents hold sway in admissions?</p></li>
<li><p>Aside from the Harvard Club President, would significant alumni, family friends, be able to hold sway for the son/daughter of a friend? The alumni is also one of the Harvard interviewers in our corner of the world (if I get the alumni as my interviewer, does that help drastically?), has donated significantly, and is very closely associated with the school. His son/daughter's recent acceptance into Harvard is evidence of this. Can the alumni also hold sway for other people's children as well? Otherwise, how would his influence compare with that of the Harvard Club President?</p></li>
<li><p>Does any of this make any significant difference? Or would the only real push for someone like me who is not a legacy (both of my parents were educated in my home country) be if we knew someone in the admissions committee itself?</p></li>
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<p>I sincerely hope you guys don't mind me asking. It's an honest question from someone halfway across the world. Although if you do, I'd appreciate it if you instead just don't reply. Much thanks! - Malthus</p>
<p>I don’t think that any of this would help you. The only alum whose opinion they really care about will be your assigned interviewer. If by “significant” donations you mean millions, it’s possible that that person might carry a little bit of weight, but primarily with his own child, not other people’s.</p>
<p>Be careful about making generalizations like this. Many legacy applicants are rejected. I would assume that his son/daughter got in on their own merits.</p>
<p>they dont do much help. a harvard club president recommended me in lyrical terms, and i was put on the waitlist. and i didnt get in from it. he said, alumni interviews dont carry much weight and there was really nothing he could do. he told me he gave me the best recommendation he could give…</p>
<p>“His son/daughter’s recent acceptance into Harvard is evidence of this.”</p>
<p>A: don’t call it evidence, rather say, suggests this. </p>
<p>B: because he went to harvard, and raised his kids, he probably raised them in such a way so that they became good people/students, and they had all opportunities given to them. also they are alumni kids, which helps.</p>
<p>Recommendations from Harvard alumni, even very prominent ones, probably won’t make much difference unless the person knows you very well in a way that enables them to talk about talents or characteristics that make you a good fit for Harvard. If, for example, you worked for one of these alumns in their office or lab and they can attest to your intelligence and work ethic, that might be helpful. </p>
<p>But mostly, you need a strong record that you’ve developed on your own (grades, tests, essays, extracurricular achievements, etc.). Harvard cares a lot more about what you can contribute to a freshman class than who your family knows back home.</p>
<p>While it probably won’t end up making a crucial difference, my opinion is that it wouldn’t hurt. When I applied to Harvard, I did get a recommendation letter from someone high up in the Harvard alumni network.</p>
<p>Thanks for the range of replies guys. To be more specific then, I guess it could be said that I’d be a competitive Harvard applicant without this, and would have a shot, albeit not one to make acceptance very likely, as is the case with anyone else with a less than 7% acceptance rate.</p>
<p>Having said that, to touch upon what some of you guys have mentioned, would it be a nice touch, or a minor (yet still noticeable) factor that could spell the difference between, say, being waitlisted or accepted?</p>
<p>sometimes it could be the chronology of when the decisions are made. let’s say harvard has 4000 peeps they want to decide on if they should get after some shortlistings, and after doing 3500 decisions maybe 2000 are already accepted. the last 500 are screwed and most likely waitlisted…</p>
<p>I wouldn’t ask for these additional recommendations from “connections.” This type of support is not helpful. The only aumnus/a who counts is your interviewer or, if you are a legacy, your parent(s). </p>
<p>There is a saying: “The thicker the file, the thicker the applicant.”</p>