<p>I was wondering how powerful recommendations and references are. I am applying for Pre-med and both my parents are physicians. My father is a very prominent person in his hospital having acquaintances like the president of the hospital and many department heads. Do you think those would strengthen my application? Oh and by the way I am a junior and will be volunteering at his hospital for the whole summer.</p>
<p>i think recs from your teachers are more important, unless your father could slip in some money in the recs...</p>
<p>Adcoms want to hear from people who really know you, the quality of your work and how it compares to other students like you. The fact that the well-known Chief surgeon can state categorically that he/she saw you as a hard working volunteer -- is practically worthless to an adcom. Frankly this "name dropping" is rather transparent and would say to me: he's/she's trying to impress us -- what's being hidden?</p>
<p>Recommendations are of utmost importance -- that's why you want teachers who know you. You need recs that show the quality of your scholarship -- not character references. Not the local hospital bigwig-- they hold no weight whatsoever (unless you were a research assistant or some other real academic venture). Heck, your immediate volunteer supervisor's opinion is more important than the Hospital president -- think about it.</p>
<p>Think thru the 3 years you've been in HS and consider in whose class you've really been able to blossom. Speak w/the teacher and ask if he/she would feel comfortable writing a rec for you -- doesn't matter if you even got an A. Does that person really KNOW you? That's what counts to adcoms.</p>
<p>Talk to your GC about this too. GL to you.</p>