<p>I unfortunately have scored a 1970 on the SAT V=690 M=670 W=610. I know my scores aren’t going to make me competitive for Harvard in any way, shape, or form. I do however have a hook. My uncle teaches at Harvard and has been teaching for many years. I’m taking the ACT 10/22 and the SAT II on 11/05 and might possibly take the SAT again if time permits(not really wanting to take it a 4th time).</p>
<p>My extra-curricular acitvities I believe are very competitive with leadership(captain of my dive team for 2 years), community service(countless hours), and politics(worked on the Obama campaign in 2008 and spent over 200 hours at the Democratic party headquarters during freshman year). I’m also National Merit Commended(probably doesn’t matter but why not include it) and I am in the top 5% of my school in Florida which is ultra competitive.</p>
<p>My questions is really quite simple. Could my uncle who is a well known/respected professor give me an edge to get in by writing a strong letter to someone in charge or by pulling some strings. Please don’t tell me mean things or insult my intelligence. I know my scores, I know my odds, and I know there are people more qualified than me. </p>
<p>I’m applying regular decision(I don’t know if that matters).</p>
<p>Sometimes, the children of university employee’s receive preferential treatment for admissions – but I’ve never heard of a niece or nephew receiving the same treatment. Unless your uncle can write that your academic abilities are far superior to any other high school student he has known, I’m not sure a letter from him will be of much help.</p>
<p>I’d guess that his letter would probably give you an edge if the admissions office thinks you’re competitive anyway. But his guess is probably better than mine, so why don’t you ask him what he thinks?</p>
<p>I will be asking him, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t wasting his time before I asked. I also would hate for him to write a nice letter and then have no possible chance of getting in so I decided to ask and see what other people think.</p>
<p>Your uncle’s appeal won’t help. Faculty children can sometimes get a nod because the Uni wants to curry good will among profs or potential incoming profs. Your relationship to him won’t be direct enough. Can you do some test prepping and retake? Below 2000 is a practical mill stone around your neck. Your uncle’s appeal won’t do much to lift that, I’m afraid.</p>