<p>Hi I had a question. Well i am applying EA/ED to another school but i want to give my couselor/teachers the forms for all the schools i am applying to so they only have to do it once. If they decide to mail the letter before i turn in the application on common app will it be ok?</p>
<p>Bump......</p>
<p>Yes, because they make a temporary file for you until they get the other crap. :D</p>
<p>I have a quesion about recommendations from famous people. Most college books will tell you that they are unwise, but I was offered the advantage of a rec. by one of Harvard's most esteemed and philanthropic professors (he is on the nobel symposium, the guy is a genius) because he is a loose family friend. I wrote him a long letter about myself because I have never met him and we are having dinner at his home this weekend. However, I still have reservations, does everybody do this and Harvard will simply give me a once over and think I am grasping for straws, or is this a true advantage and I should take him up on the offer? I don't want to be offensive if this is a bad idea either, it's a dilemma!</p>
<p>useless really. this other guy in the old EA thread did research with TWO harvard scientists, was in RSI, and still got rejected.</p>
<p>proxyma, that doesn't mean that he didn't get in because his research/rsi weren't impressive. There are other factors to consider...</p>
<p>Iif your family really knows this guy, and you get to have a relationship that's more than just an "aquaintance" then it can't hurt.</p>
<p>I met with the recommender last night for breakfast and dinner (don't ask) and he seemed really cool about making the rec. what I want. He kept my application and three pieces of writing to construct something personal. It may not really up my chances but I figure it can't hurt now. I hope Im right.</p>
<p>IMO, here's what this rec will say to the very savvy and experienced people on the AdCom: "Take me for who I know, not who I am." Or "I chose to have my rec done by someone impressive, instead of someone impressed by me." Or "I'm trying to dupe you and I believe I'll get away with it."</p>
<p>Where's that at? Nowhere, except probably adios to you and Harvard.</p>
<p>All they have to do is call the rec guy and say,"When did you first meet this kid?" (A week ago) "How much time have you spent with him?" (Two hours) "Anyone lean on you to help this kid out?" (Uh, I'm old buddies with his uncle) "What personal knowledge do you have of his background?" (Personal knowledge you say? Uh, none really, just what he's told me)... </p>
<p>You get the idea. It would take about 90 seconds to rip him (and you) a new one.</p>
<p>Your initial instincts were right. You posted because this move didn't feel right to you. You were correct about that.</p>
<p>Pull the rec now is my advice, and get someone who really knows you and writes well to do it instead. And then maybe write an optional essay called: "Applying To Harvard: How I Almost Shot Myself In The Head."</p>
<p>your point is a really good one, exactly what I thought BUT since he offered to write the rec. and is genuinely interested in me I think Im gonna take it as it is. He has all my personal information, four essays that I have written about myself and told me he would "brag" about certain things which I could not fully express in my app. It seems like he is going to write a good rec., one that will bring more to the table, and even if the adcom doesn't like the fact he is a famous scientist, at least they'll know more about me</p>
<p>All from a guy who's known you about 20 minutes.</p>
<p>See, the information he's giving the AdCom is info anyone could give them, including someone who knows you well enough to write with authority. That it's coming from him--a person who doesn't know you--says "admit me because I'm connected," not "admit me based on the merits."</p>
<p>What you're perpetrating is a hustle. If you'll do that to get admitted, then you'll do that in the future, during and after college. </p>
<p>What do you think: does Harvard want to be connected with fast and loose or honest and solid?</p>
<p>you've got the wrong idea, I have formally met him for the first time this Sunday and we spent the day together at his home. I came over at 10:30 in the morning and left at 11:00 that night, I have known his wife for years and I think we got along quite well. He isn't a complete stranger, I've known he wanted to write a rec. for me since sophomore year when he first heard I was applying to Harvard. It's not like I just looked up some famous scientist and asked him to rec. me, I've heard horror stories about kids that do that and end up with crappy recommendations, I know for a fact mine will be personal and glowing. My initial concern was that he would not have the time to put in the effort on a good rec. and whether it was worth going through at all. My concerns were unfounded, he is great guy and even helped me fill out my application-- he WANTS me to get in.</p>
<p><< I have formally met him for the first time this Sunday...>></p>
<p>Res Ipsa Loquitur</p>
<p>yea yea, I was asking for advice not judgment. The fact that I just met him stands-- I said that in my first post, thus the disdain for rec. I'm getting the feeling that you guys are just trying to pick on me because you've heard famous rec are "bad". That isn't always the case, many a famous person has written a rec that got a kid into an elite school. That wasn't my intention however, Im a strong enough candidate without it, I only accepted because the guy offered. Who is going to turn down the guy who has been called "The most influential man in history on atomic particles and their applications". If you guys would have done any different-- well ********.</p>
<p>*guys (nix) I thought you were more than one person JoBob</p>
<p>I'm afraid that this is a very bad idea. Unless your recommender is appallingly clever, admissions committees will easily be able to tell that he hasn't really known you for a reasonable amount of time. If there isn't any personal commentary, or even a few anecdotes, his letter won't add anything to your application. Indeed, it will hurt once it becomes clear that you're cynically trying to use a family connection with whom you don't have any real relationship.</p>
<p>I'd be willing to say he's appallingly clever, he is probably one of the most brilliant people alive today, he teaches at Harvard for a reason, he's even been interviwed for The Great Figures of History series. FIrst off I know the recommendation will be personal because I he doesn't know me on any other level. This rec. isn't taking the place of teacher evaluations-- I've got two great ones, this is just a supplementry rec. written by a guy who WORKS at Harvard and assures me that it will behoove me to have him write it. Now I respect your opinions... but I respect his just a little more :)</p>
<p>I think its a good idea. I seriously doubt that it will hurt your application at all. I think that all it can do is help. Good luck!</p>
<p>Well... perhaps they'll give his letter the benefit of the doubt, since he's from Harvard. If he was a professor at any other school, this would be a terrible idea.</p>
<p>Randomperson wrote: "If there isn't any personal commentary, or even a few anecdotes, his letter won't add anything to your application. Indeed, it will hurt once it becomes clear that you're cynically trying to use a family connection with whom you don't have any real relationship."</p>
<p>That's exactly what I've been trying to say. The subtext of using this rec is, "here's info not about who I am, but about what I've done, the same info that could have been provided by many other non-famous, non-Harvard people, but which, through family connections, I've arranged to be presented by a man with whom I expect you to be impressed."</p>
<p>Or, "hey, look who I got to go to bat for me."</p>
<p>Or, "I expect you to be in awe of this man and substitute his last-minute judgment for your own."</p>
<p>i don't think the rec will make or break your application. Presumably you have great scores, recs from teachers, grades and ECs that put you within reach of Harvard. The extra rec won't make much, if any, difference at all.</p>