<p>I heard a few people on CC say that it wasn't wise to get outside recommendations because it makes you look desperate. I have a job in local government and a prominent politician can write me a recommendation (since he was also my boss, it's not just a recommendation because I know him, but he has insights into my work ethic and the like). Should I get the recommendation, or does it do more harm than good by making me look desperate?</p>
<p>I think it’s better. You still need teacher recs, but I think having one outside rec is a really good idea if you’ve got a great one. Provides another point of view, especially since most teacher recs are just C&P from the ones they’ve used in the past.</p>
<p>I would think that a recommendation like that can only help you. My cousin worked in Michelle Obama’s office a few years ago and got a recommendation from her…needless to say, she was quite happy with her college acceptances!</p>
<p>My child called admissions to ask about that and they encouraged him to send the additional recommendation since it further demonstrated his commitment and work in a particular field - the field he planned to study at Cornell.</p>
<p>My daughter did an internship summer going into Junior year in HS. at U of Penn. She was under the guidance of a PHD student and she wasn’t sure if the letter that she asked the Dept. Of Bio chair (who hired her) would be personal and help her in admisssions since she really never saw him much. </p>
<p>What she did was asked this person to send it to her guidance counselor in HS for her personal and confidential college file. This way her HS guidance counselor was able to read it and determine whether it made sense or not to send it as an add’l letter of reference since you really don’t want to send anything into admissions unless it is going to help you. </p>
<p>He read it (of course my daughter was unable to since they are confidential) and then sent it in along with his rec, since he thought it was very good.</p>
<p>That’s a good strategy, Kim705. A friend of mine did science research on SIDS at Columbia with a Columbia professor, and she was deferred ED and ultimately rejected :/</p>
<p>Is an outside recommendation put on the same form as the teacher evaluation? Or what?</p>
<p>BTW, my daughter applied ED to CAS and was accepted. to the post above, her guidance counselor said that he referenced the letter on his rec and then attached the letter to his rec and it was sent together.</p>
<p>Is an outside recommendation put on the same form as the teacher evaluation? Or what?</p>
<p>@RileyJohn: not sure. ask your GC.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the input! I think I’ll follow Kim’s advice, it sounds like a good approach.</p>
<p>I’m slightly nervous about these college apps, but very excited too. I’ve waited a long time for this, haha. :D</p>