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Just how much can they affect AD Cons?
Can they make a big difference?
(Excluding athletics)

By Foreignboy (Foreignboy) on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Probably, if they really wanted to.

By Stanfordrulez (Stanfordrulez) on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 01:06 am: Edit

Nope.
I remember hearing about a friend of mine who knew the Head of the Comp Sci deptmnt at Stanford-- he emailed him and asked him to put in a personal word for his application... The guy replied back saying that the different departments have NO say whatsoever in the admissions department-- they CANNOT influence the decision of the adcoms. That said and done, I do believe that if someone really wanted to, it could influence the decision.
So...
I dunno.

By Stanfordrulez (Stanfordrulez) on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 01:07 am: Edit

Lol...
I love the way you say "AD CONS"!!!

By Ishan (Ishan) on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 01:53 am: Edit

Well one could always have one of the optional/additional recommendations filled by the person. I think it would definitely help.

By Voigtrob (Voigtrob) on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 01:59 am: Edit

I think it would only help if the person really knew you well. Say, was a family friend... or you had had an internship with him/her... or something like that. In that case, if the person wrote a letter detailing your relationship and how they thought you would be an asset to the school, I don't see how it could not work for you. However if you just say send them an e-mail one time and you talk a bit and they say, 'Hey, I like you, kid,' then their opinion of you probably wouldn't make any difference whatsoever.

By Warriorlax22 (Warriorlax22) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 02:48 am: Edit

except for athletics, that is...

By Jamimom (Jamimom) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 06:25 pm: Edit

It depends on the college and it depends on the department head. Some have close relationships with adcoms, have no idea where the admissions office is located and don't care. That said, it is a powerful hook to have a department head or prof at a school want you academically; if for instance you had done some research that attracted his attention or had written a paper he liked enough to let admissions know. Also department heads with disciplines that are dwindling in enrollment tend to keep admissions apprised of their existance and remind them to keep an eye peeled for the endangered species such as classics majors and physicists.
As for letter of recs where a department head or prof is a friend of the family or has a personal rather than academic interest in you, well, it generally would not count very much unless that individual is a powerful person in the university committee. Even then, if you are not up to par, adcoms have been known to stand firm under that kind of pressure. Most admissions officers welcome feedback from the profs about the ACADEMIC qualities of the applicant but they are wary of "connections" type reps. Those can hurt a applicant.

By Imac7477 (Imac7477) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 09:25 pm: Edit

I think Jamimom is right...Personal connections shouldn't bear much weight unless you are applying to Princeton and Professor Toni Morrison is a family friend.

By Notgollum (Notgollum) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 11:09 pm: Edit

Removed by author's request.
Moderator Trinity

By Warriorlax22 (Warriorlax22) on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 05:38 pm: Edit

is that an example or what's really happening? just curious...