<p>So my father knows a bunch of big boosters to Notre Dame who are all alums. How much of a difference will it make if they write a letter or make a call to the admissions office on my behalf? Do you think that, along with my resume will get me in?</p>
<p>3.75 GPA Unwighted
10 AP Classes and other honors
Top 10% in class of about 1000
School is ranked #50 for all public in US News HS Rankings
Decent EC with 2 sports
SAT: 620 CR and 630 M</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I would say have a couple call or write a letter - but make sure it isn’t just a “I recommend XXX.” Make sure the boosters know about you are have had positive experiences that entail you so they can make a story out of it and not just a couple of seconds worth of meaningless banter back and forth. If they know nothing about you then it won’t help at all, but if they are able to relate a story about some positive attribute, then yes.</p>
<p>I may be the odd one out, but I think using that type of technique to get into ND does a disservice to all those who, on their own, earn the right to be there. My advice: submit the highest SAT/ACT you can (1250 just doesn’t do it); improve your UW GPA; write the most powerful, from the heart, essays; use recommendations from teachers/counselor that talk about your accomplishments and how you will add to the academic and social environment of ND.</p>
<p>^If he uses these boosters as an extra one or two recommendations, this is not a problem of ethics - just like if you have a teacher at school that is a contributing alum at ND.</p>
<p>I hear what you are saying. But a huge difference in my mind is that the teachers know you as a student and as an individual. The fact that they contribute to ND is a bonus. In all likelihood they will write a rec that addresses positive aspects of the student in a real setting. The way jcold describes the “boosters” is just a bunch of guys who donate who don’t have a clue who he is – just friends of his dad.</p>
<p>Probably the best way to make a difference is to actually write a handwritten letter expressing continued interest. At the end of the day I have a feeling that ND admissions sees a lot of inquiries from boosters and that only a select number of these recommendations actually generates any positive results. I would personally write a hand written letter to your admissions representative detailing your continued interest. I have a feeling that few admissions candidates actually do this in this day and age. Good luck.</p>