<p>I was deferred ea from my top choice school. I family member who is a judge and former state representative wants to speak to the school on my behalf. He already called and spoke with the dean who was cooperative and wants to see my application. I am nervous that this is not ok and may hurt me…any thoughts???</p>
<p>I don’t think it’ll do anything–if you got deferred, you got deferred. A lot of upset parents call the schools and try to convince the admissions offices to accept their rejected children, but all you can really say is that that’s the way it goes.</p>
<p>You’re kidding yourself if you think its going to change things. I mean, sure, the dean will look over your app; look it over, that it, with an eye to explaining to your family member why his staff made the right decision. Admission offices are very familiar with people who think they have “pull” trying to change decisions; they handle them very gently because they don’t want to ruffle feathers with supporters and donors. Handling gently does not mean changing the decision, however. If your family member really had enough pull to get you in you wouldn’t be posting here; you’d be celebrating the words of the dean to your family member that says “we’ll be taking ‘wren’ in the regular round”.</p>
<p>I mean I don’t even know you or the school and I can almost predict what the dean will say. “We had a surge of applicants this year, some very strong kids. We filled the EA slots, but ‘wrell’ has a solid application and I’ll make sure it gets a careful look when we make the decisions for the RD round.”</p>
<p>unless “speaking on your behalf” means “donating a building” I think it’ll just get a gentle “we stand by our decision”</p>
<p>write a letter and hope for the best</p>
<p>I think it would have been better to have a teacher, principal, or guidance counselor make the call.</p>
<p>It might actually reflect negatively, unless your family member’s name is immediately familiar to the dean.</p>
<p>it might backfire. some adcoms hate it when ppl pull strings and connections. be very careful.</p>
<p>Like eisenhower said, if the dean does not actually know who your family member is, I don’t think it will matter.</p>