<p>A family friend of mine who is an alumni, friend of the dean of undergrad admissions and has made sizable donations, to the point where they have a building named for them, wrote me a glowing letter of recommendation, will that help me at all or are those pretty much disregarded by admissions?</p>
<p>It may help. Being the son of a big-time donor is one thing. Being the son of a friend of a friend that knows a dean…</p>
<p>Remember the six degrees of separation and realize that you’re not nearly alone in your proximity to that Dean. That being said, your faculty recs will be the most important.</p>
<p>I’m sure it will vary somewhat by the school and the relationship of the donor to the school currently. As well as how much the person knows you.</p>
<p>I don’t think such a rec will substitute for strong prof recs… but it might.</p>
<p>well it’s in addition to a really good professor rec, I’m just wondering it would help distinguish me a bit</p>
<p>i definitely think so… america is run on money and contacts so yea probably :p</p>
<p>im sure it will help, even better if your friend, the donating guy, calls up the dean and tell him that youre applying, so that he’ll keep an eye out 
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<p>i cant say for sure, but i definitely think so good luck!</p>