<p>Ok, these questions I’m about to ask are all rather off-the-wall, but I find them to be important. They can also be specefic:</p>
<p>1.) I plan to apply to Vassar ED this fall. My father’s partner’s mother went to Vassar, and would gladly speak with me and write Vassar a reccommendation…Could I also use her name on the application as an alumni relation? She’s not biologically related to me, but she knows me well and likes me.</p>
<p>2.) So, I have this really crazy idea on how I could make my college applications seem that much more interesting and appealing, and perhaps gain me admission. I’m really into visual arts, so I thought it would be cool and interesting if I sort of…Drew on the application itself? I would draw various things in various mediums in blank spaces of the application. I wouldn’t make it so the application was ruined or so the art got in the way of what the admissions officer was reading. Really, all I would do is make the application more aesthetically pleasing I guess. I would do this on my Vassar and UChicago applications. I thought this would be especially cool on the UChicago “Uncommon Application” and would contribute creativity to my Vassar application…What do you think?</p>
<p>I would deeply appreciate your thoughts on the questions above</p>
<p>She is not a relative so isn’t an alum relation.</p>
<p>You aren’t applying to art school or to a PR or advertising program, so I think drawing on the app would be a mistake. If you have visual arts talent, submit a portfolio of your work or list awards that you’ve won or projects that you’ve created with your art (such as if you created a mural for a local homeless shelter). Drawing on your app would seem silly. There are better ways to display art talent.</p>
<p>its a big pet peeve of admissions counselors to draw on the official application. submit something supplementary if you want, but not on the actual form.</p>
<p>Because she’s not related to you, you won’t count as a legacy. However, that by no means means that she can’t write a letter of reccommendation… in fact, I highly suggest that you get her to do so because, although it’s not as much of a boost as a legacy, it can give you a boost. </p>
<p>And yes, the Yourspace part of the Vassar application is designed for someone like you who wishes to include a drawing in his/her application. I don’t know if UChicago has a similar space or not, but if it doesn’t, I’m sure they accept supplementary work (ie: send them in a drawing attached to the application as a separate page). I wouldn’t, however, reccommend that you draw on your UChicago application, however, unless you check with the admissions office and make sure that that’s something they’re fine with.</p>
<p>Regarding your potential Vassar rec writer, you should perhaps query her on what SHE thinks are the qualities that would make you a viable Vassar admit. Are there instances in your relationship with her where this has been demonstrated? With that kind of conversation, she’ll be able to soliify her opinions of you and you’ll be able to highlight those qualities in your personal statement as well. An acquaintance’s “I like her a lot, please consider her” rec isn’t going to mean much unless it’s backed up with anecdotes and examples. </p>
<p>If your father’s partner’s mother does not already know you, then I would not encourage you to use her recommendation. All it shows is that you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who graduated from Vassar. In that respect, we all know Kevin Bacon, if you get my point.</p>
<p>Thank you for all your opinions. I assure you, I know my father’s partner’s mother fairly well. She is similar to a second grandmother in certain respects, so I’m sure if I approached her about Vassar and had a more in depth conversation with her, she could write me solid recommendation.</p>
<p>Unless she’s a major donor to Vassar (and by major, I’m talking she’s built them a new library) or sits on Vassar’s board of Trustees, a supplemental recommendation from her won’t carry any more weight than one from your mailman.</p>
<p>There’s a saying in admissions offices: The thicker the file, the thicker the candidate. In other words, applicants who stuff their folders with extra recommendations and other materials that don’t add anything significant besides another person saying, “he’s a nice kid,” reek of applicant insecurity. And, sometimes that can be enough to convince the admissions committee that maybe there really is a good reason for the insecurity. </p>
<p>There ARE times when a supplemental recommendation can help. For instance, if you have major talent in art or music, a recommendation from an art or music teacher talking specifically about your talent and your efforts related to your art or music, might help add another dimension to your application. Another example might be a supplemental recommendation from a direct supervisor at a job or at a community organization where you’ve put in a major and sustained effort. But, just another recommendation saying “he’s a nice kid” doesn’t add to your application, and may even detract. At the very least, the more “extra” there is to read in your application, the less time admissions people will spend on the meat of your application: your essays, your teacher recommendations, your transcripts, your application.</p>
<p>Good rule of thumb if you are thinking about sending a supplemental recommendation: What exactly will the admissions committee learn about me from this recommendation that they (1) can’t learn elsewhere in my application and required recommendations and (2) is important enough that I want admissions people to take time away from the rest of my application to learn. Remember, in most cases, admissions will spend less than a half hour on your application, sometimes much less. Make every moment count. A letter from someone who is “like your grandmother” probably isn’t going to add much. Unless, as I said, your grandmother-figure is a major donor or sits on the board of trustees. :)</p>