<p>How much would it help to get a supplemental rec from a famous alumn who has donated a building for an ivy league school? The person has probably never written a reccomendation of this type before, and undoubtedly the adcoms will know who he is. How much will it help my admissions chances?</p>
<p>It can't hurt to send it unless the college/university has blatantly said it does not want any sort of recommendations. </p>
<p>You might as well send it. It honestly couldn't hurt.</p>
<p>well obviously it won't hurt, and I am sending it. But I want to know if it could offset weaknesses, and can it be viewed as a hook. This is a person the university GREATLY respects, and even holds his works in their possession. Wouldn't they find it a little hard to reject me as they wouldn't want to potentially upset this man?</p>
<p>Well, it's not exactly like being a legacy. I wouldn't see it as a means of offsetting weakness but rather supplementing your strengths. </p>
<p>If you have a 2.0 GPA, SAT score of 1000, and no AP/IB classes, you're not going to get into Yale. Ever. However, if you're just a LITTLE BIT BELOW average and you have the recommendation, Yale might think, "Hmmm. This guy thinks highly of him; I guess we should too." </p>
<p>Even though you have someone on your side, it's not going to greatly offset weakness. A hook, maybe, but I wouldn't see it as "the end all of end all."</p>
<p>If that person can write about you as a person (about your character), I would say it can't hurt you.</p>
<p>It will make a strong application stronger, but will not make a weak applicant acceptable. Harvard denies kids with 4.0s and Olympic medals (this has happened), they're not going to be pushed into admitting anyone by anybody.</p>
<p>I think the reccomendation will be about character. I don't look at it as the university being "pushed" into accepting me. Its just that if one of their most succesful alumni reccomends someone, they would be hard-pressed to reject him, no?</p>
<p>Here's how it can work AGAINST you: unless this person is a close friend and can correctly comment on your academic potential/social/work ethic, it's nothing more than a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" scenario that many schools, although conscious not to offend patrons, are looking to get beyond. It's tacky unless you're a descendant or he is intimately able to comment on the items I listed above.</p>
<p>If you were a child or grandchild, your patron would have already worked through his relationship with the school's development (fundraising) department and you'd already know you likelihood of admittance. Since he hasn't crossed that line to call in that level of favor, it will be easy for them to consider you only on your merits and afford no extra consideration. Why? Because if you're rejected due to the competitive nature of the process, they figure your patron won't be that upset at all. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you however. I understand your situation. Good luck at this school and all the others you're applying.</p>