<p>My son has been interning for the office of a local political figure. He has not worked directly with the politician, but the politician does know who he is and wants to help him get into college. What has been suggested is that my son's supervisor writes the recommendation but has the politician sign off on it.</p>
<p>Many have said that college admissions officers will view submitting this letter as using a big name to try and get into college and that submitting it will end up backfiring. Others have said that having a letter of rec from a well-known and highly respected person would have heavy weight and importance in the eyes of an admissions officer. </p>
<p>Unless the person in question is well acquainted with your son, the letter will add no more texture than those from his teachers. On top of that, having a politician sign a recommendation letter written by someone else is unethical.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don’t think the name matters as much as how well they know each other. If the politician really knows your son well and can, most importantly, offer a deep, UNIQUE perspective on him, then by all means, it’s a good rec. But, if the pol. doesn’t know him well and directly, I don’t know how much insight he’ll be able to give. good luck!</p>
<p>IMO It would probably be better to get a letter from the supervisor who can honestly state that she has direct knowledge of the type/quality of work he did as an intern and the strength of his personal traits. </p>
<p>I have friends who worked on their governor’s reelection campaign (knocking on doors, etc) because they were told that if they did and the governor won the election, they would receive letters of recommendation from the governor. I never really understood that, but as they’re both in college and don’t seem overly resentful of having been chased by German shepherds and sprayed by lawn sprinklers, I guess it basically worked out for them…</p>
<p>“Others have said that having a letter of rec from a well-known and highly respected person would have heavy weight and importance in the eyes of an admissions officer.”</p>