How much would this help me to get into NU?

Colleges & Universities Northwestern University
1

<p>So my uncle is a semi-famous transplant surgeon/tenured professor/researcher at Northwestern Feinberg. Recently (kinda) he was named a Fowler McCormick professor in surgery which is the highest honor the med school can award its faculty. He is also like a national leader in a bunch of things and basically he is really smart and a faculty member at Northwestern. If he were to write me a rec when I apply how much of a benefit (if at all) would that be for my application? Thanks.</p>

<p>Here is a couple articles on the guy (even though I doubt you want to read them).</p>

<p>[Dixon</a> Kaufman Named Fowler McCormick Professor In Surgery](<a href=“http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2008/09/kaufmanchair.html]Dixon”>Dixon Kaufman Named Fowler McCormick Professor In Surgery: Northwestern University News)</p>

<p>[The</a> Investiture of Dixon Kaufman, MD, PhD as the Fowler McCormick Professor](<a href=“http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/giving/noteworthy/KaufmanInvestiture.html]The”>http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/giving/noteworthy/KaufmanInvestiture.html)</p>

2

<p>Family of faculty is tricky. I know, though, that the Grandson of a Nobel Laureate former professor at Columbia (who was a faculty regent) who had recently passed away did NOT get in to Columbia as a B student. So, it can’t hurt, certainly, but there’s definitely no guarantee. More likely to “push you over the edge” than make up for an otherwise insufficient portfolio.</p>

3

<p>You haven’t told us anything about you that would help us evaluate whether you are a competitive applicant. If you are, it would also be helpful to know where NU falls on your list.
If you are qualified and competitive, then a mere “rec” is not the ideal; a real push is. If the guy has got juice at NU, would he use it - not write a “rec,” but really use it - to get you in?
These are the questions that need to be answered.<br>
Since you told us so little, I would agree with Arbiter (as I usually do).</p>

4

<p>Well right now I am a rising Junior so things will still change but currently I would consider myself a competitive applicant after reading through the results threads of recent years and NU is definitly pretty high on my list right now.</p>

5

<p>Again, it can’t hurt. Though generally, the med-school staff has a lot less interaction and thus sway with the UG admissions office.</p>

6

<p>Ok, thanks.</p>

7

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<p>Honestly it won’t help really.
First off, I highly doubt he has ever taught you in a course so he won’t know how you are as a student and I don’t think you have lived with him for a prolong period of time so he probably doesn’t know all of your personality (I could be wrong).
Secondly, colleges only formally evaluate the teacher’s rec and counselors rec. Why? Because not everyone has a family member that is a faculty, alumni, or anything else that has ties to the school. Also because only these people have really known your academic capabilities.
Thirdly, he’s an med school faculty he would have little contact with undergrad admissions.</p>

8

<p>As arbiter says - it would probably tip the decision in your favor but it wouldn’t help if you stats aren’t what they should be.</p>