Will the support of a MAJOR donor help my Yale application?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

I believe I have what it takes to get into Yale. I have a 98.3 GPA at a very rigorous private school, am in the running for salutatorian, 35 ACT, Class president x3, Student Body President, Editor in Chief of yearbook, mayor for the day, taken all APs I could at my highschool (8), National Merit Commended, and a few other things.

But its so hard to get in to Yale! Only two people from my high school have in the last few years, and one was a legacy. My dad can possibly help me get a major donor for Yale to write me a letter or reach out to the admissions office. Their family all went to Yale and has donated 100s of millions to the school. Lots of stuff named after them on campus. I’m not sure I would get a chance to meet with him face to face. He doesn’t know me personally, but I go to the same high school he did, and I’m sure he wants kids from my city in Yale as it is currently vastly underrepresented.

If I can get the donor’s support, would it help my chances or would it irk the admissions officers?

2

I don’t think it will help.

3

It wouldn’t hurt especially if the person writing the letter knows you and can speak about why you would be a positive addition to campus.

4

He said the donor doesn’t know him.

5

And does OP know what Yale says about preferred LoRs and supplementals?

How to you get a total stranger to write observations about you?? A tippy top doesnt need, “I know his dad.” I wonder why OP is asking.

6

I can imagine readers for whom it might diminish their impression of you. I wouldn’t do it.

7

Depends on the nature of the “support.” If the donor calls the development office, says that he really wants you in, and implicitly or explicitly ties his request to a substantial donation or pledge, it would likely help quite a bit.

On the other hand, if the nature of his support is “some guy I barely know has a kid I never met who wants to go to Yale.”

8

Nope. He can’t get a stranger into Yale. And he does not know this kid. Development reps are very skilled at saying, “No.”

And he has nothing to say about OP, of relevance. OP should have realized that.

But the larger shame here is that, had OP read the Yale info (or more carefully,) he’d have seen they do not want supplemental letters unless they relate directly to your own work. Eg, a strong internship.

9

The admissions office people are notoriously territorial. With the recent varsity blues scandal, even more so. There is a big firewall between admissions and development office. And the admissions people hate to be told who to admit.

And the development candidates often have a personal relationship with the donor (child, grandchild, etc). Being only an acquaintance probably won’t help much at all.

Now don’t get me wrong, a donor who has given $100MM will have the ear of many people in the development office.

10

Well, we know adcoms and Dev talk or they wouldn’t know the most generous donors whose kids are applying.

But this thread question is just off. Many major donors can’t even get nephews/nieces in. It’s crazy to think a stranger has pull for an unknown kid. Crazy to think Yale wouldn’t question this applicant’s thinking.

Not only does every piece in an app to a holistic tippy top matter, any “mistake” can be the one that does you in.

Sure Yale is tough to get admitted to. But the answer is to be on your game, the right game. Sorry to repeat, but OP should have seen Yale discourages supp letters. He should know what matters to them and have worked to refine his own case, not just stats and a string of titles.

And frankly, he should respond here.

11

Do it just for the engagement with the donor. Lots of other doors may open up throughout this process (jobs, alternate schools you didn’t know the donor is associated with or planning to be, private scholarship, etc).

12

Thanks for the help guys. Figured this was the place to look for answers and not Yale’s website. I assume any weight donors have is hidden as well as possible, and therefore Yale would not encourage donor letters on the website. I’m grinding on the application, and will probably withdrawal any attempts to get a donor to reach out to the admissions office.
Can anyone chance me for Yale SCEA? I recognize how difficult it is to predict admissions, but since I hardly ever see Yale admits in my school, I am not able to compare myself to other people. Thanks

13

Your objectives are in the competitive ballpark. It comes down to your LoR’s, essays and the actual quality of your EC’s. Leadership in student government is good to have, but it carries more weight with larger schools/student bodies, coupled with actual achievements and not just being an office holder of a popularity contest.