<p>In addition to the teacher recommendations, Williams offers the chance for applicants to submit a peer evalution. I know it is only a supplement and won't be looked badly upon if you don't submit one, but how beneficial is it to have a peer evalution? Also, does this have to be written by a "peer" (a student within your school or of high school age) or can it be written by an adult in your community who you know very well or even your boss?</p>
<p>I don't think adults are appropriate. My son used his sister, and she wrote an awesome recommenation. He did get in, but there probably wasn't too much cause & effect operating there.</p>
<p>Lots of people get in without peer evaluations. If you can get a good one, go for it, otherwise don't worry about it. I don't think adults are considered "peers".</p>
<p>I always thought that if you filled that out it was like trying too hard... maybe thats just me, though.</p>
<p>I think it is very beneficial if you get someone to write it who is very sincere. Don't get someone who will claim that you changed his/her life or are on the verge of discovering the cure of AIDS. </p>
<p>As cliched as it sounds, I think a sincere peer evaluation can only help. I did one and got in, but that may mean nothing lol</p>
<p>But what if I really did change someone's life?</p>
<p>i'm not planning to get a peer recommendation.. in addition to the usual three (2 teacher, 1 counsellor), would it be beneficial (or the other way round) if i were to hand in 2 extra recommendations (1 principal of high school, 1 from outside)?</p>
<p>I think it's to every applicant's benefit that Williams requests a peer recommendation. Pick a close friend who's a good writer, and they'll add much more to your application than the principal of your high school will, since the principal will probably repeat what the counselor and/or teachers have said.</p>
<p>Like Sambino, I had a peer rec when I got in. They ask for it because they want it. It's relatively easy to get a good one, so why not?</p>
<p>My son is a student at Williams. He had a peer recommendation from a girl who was a student at Williams at the time of his application. She said that she was happy to write one for him because there were things about him that made him a good match for Williams that wouldn't be reflected on his application or in teacher recs. We think that it helped support an application for admission that had some weaknesses.</p>
<p>Actually, Dartmouth asks for it; it' just optional at Williams. It was fun for my daughter to write things about her brother that adults wouldn't know. Although she alluded to his academic and intellectual accomplishments, she focussed her recommendation on his fun side stressing that he is a fun person to know, a good friend and someone she really enjoyed spending time with. I don't think this was a "Make or break" element of the application, but it did give the adcom a fuller picture of my son who might come across as a "goody goody" (old phrase I know, don't like brown noser, which he definitely isn't) if left to adults to describe.</p>
<p>I know everybody is saying that it isn't right to ask an adult to write a peer evaluation, but the person (adult) i have in mind is a fellow employee at the swim club I work at... if i would be able to have someone my age write a peer recommendation who works there, why would it suddenly be taboo if I had someone of an older age write it, even if they work there too?</p>
1 Like
<p>Last year's "Peer Evaluation" form on the Williams Admission website specifically mentioned "friend, classmate, teammate, sibling." Most of these would most likely be around the age of the applicant. As others here have stated, the Williams adcom is interested in getting another (younger) person's take on the applicant -- in addition to all of the other required (adult) "evaluations." If you feel strongly about sending in another adult recommendation, I think it would be best to ask the Williams Admission Office if they would view this as just an additional recommendation, or whether it could qualify as one from someone they would consider a true "peer." The Williams adcom are the only ones who can actually let you know if submitting an evaluation from an adult co-worker as a peer would be "taboo" or not.</p>
<p>The peer review is exactly what its name implies; from a peer. That's not an adult.
Request a review from a peer that respects you and you KNOW will do a great job of writing it.
Consider where your peer is applying to college, their credentials in High School and whether their writing quality will reflect positively on your application.
Review it if possible. If it's not adequate, don't sent it with your application package. A poorly written peer review will be a negative factor.</p>
<p>It won't be the deciding criteria of your application, only reinforce what is already there.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I got an early write and I didn't submit one. None of my high school friends were very academic, and I kept my applications very private.</p>
<p>The Admissions officer i spoke to said that an adult recommender is just fine for a peer recommendation... absolutely fine!!!!!</p>
<p>What they DON'T want is another letter from a TRADITIONAL recommender, like a boss, teacher, counselor, or coach. But if you want to include one from the old lady next door whose garbage you take out every Thursday...then perfect. </p>
<p>It's not the age that matters as much as the capacity in which they know you.</p>