High-level rec letters

Colleges & Universities Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>My dad is friends with the president of the Skolkovo School of Business, in Russia, which partners with MIT. He wants to get a rec letter from this guy, because he thinks that it’ll increase my chances at MIT.</p>

<p>I’ve told him not to do it. I don’t think it’s not going to do much, as I’ve already got 3 rec letters, and a fairly large supplemental essay, and decisions are made by a committee, not by MIT’s president. I’ve read that all he can do in cases of legacy is appeal to the committee, but he can’t force a decision. I also thought that sending a fourth letter would make me look desperate, and despite MIT being my first choice, I feel like such a rec, even if helpful gives an unfair advantage. I don’t want to be admitted knowing that it wasn’t all my effort, and just some fancy rec, nor would I want someone else having the same leg over me.</p>

<p>Thoughts on the situation?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>It’s a cut throat world.
If you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying hard enough.
Get the rec.</p>

3

<p>I think that admissions officers have stated that you should really only get recommendations from people that actually know you (and well at that).</p>

<p>From what I’ve gathered, it seems like a recommendation from President Obama wouldn’t even help unless you actually know him in an academic sense.</p>

<p>This seems especially true at MIT where connections really don’t have influence at all in admissions.</p>

4

<p>What your recommendations say matters immeasurably more than who signs them.</p>

<p>If the president of the Skolkovo School of Business in Russia can say something concrete and detailed about your ability to succeed at and contribute to MIT, then his letter will be a useful addition to your file. But if the head of a Russian business school knows you as well as I’m guessing he does, getting a letter from him would waste your dad’s time, as well as the time of the president of the Skolkovo School of Business and the admissions officer in Cambridge who’s going to read your file.</p>

<p>For help deciding whether a letter from this man in Russia will be useful to MIT, see this link: <a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs[/url]”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>

5

<p>

</p>

<p>This will also increase your chances! :D</p>

6

<p>What Sikorsky said.</p>

7

<p>I agree with Piper and Sikorsky – the rec is only useful if the writer knows you well in an academic/personal context and can strongly recommend you on that basis, which is to say that the rec is only useful if you deserve it. And if you deserve it, it won’t give you an unfair advantage. </p>

<p>But the point is that the letter has to be about you, not about the writer. If the letter says, in effect, “I’m the president of the Skolkovo School of Business, and you should admit AstroPhy on that basis,” it will not be helpful to your case.</p>

8

<p>It has to do with your dad’s ego.
He wants to be part of your success in getting into MIT.
I’d say “No thanks, Dad. I want to get into MIT on my own.”</p>

9

<p>@Batllo Nice - those were pretty much my thoughts.</p>

<p>Thank you all for the advice!</p>

10

<p>Your instincts were right from the beginning on this one.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>

11

<p>AstroPhy, You are correct to decline a letter of recommendation from someone who doesn’t know you. It probably raises more questions than anything and therefore may actually hurt your application.</p>

<p>Stick to people who know you and can put you, personally, in good light about your character and acheivements.</p>