<p>I am a non-VA resident (New Mexico) but have family in VA. I have relatives that are close to a Virginia senator (I forgot whether it was Warner or Allen) and said they could get a rec letter from him. Will this actually help my chances?
I would like to go to UVA’s SEAS Engineering School</p>
<p>stats:
9 APs (Physics, Calc AB & BC, Literature, Language,Statistics…)
3.9 gpa uw
1400 SAT
31 ACT
waiting for SATII (Physics,Math IIC,and US History) results…
Top 1% rank in HS (800 in class)
Great recs from teachers (“best student…”)
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist
Awarded (one of 8 for all of New Mexico) summer internship at the federal government’s Sandia National Research Labs
lots of volunteer hours at nursing home
Teach a Sunday school class at Church and play piano for them
Certified Referee for AYSO (volunteer) 2yrs+
Attended Presidential Classroom leadership conference last summer
HS sports Track, soccer
play guitar & piano</p>
<p>Chances? (white male)</p>
<p>Also, at the international science fair, I was awarded a $105,000 full tuition scholarship to Drexel. Can I use this as a barganing chip for financial aid at UVA, and what would be the best way to approach them?</p>
<p>UVA’s SEAS Engineering School? i think u have a great chance w/o senator’s rec</p>
<p>however, plz do submit 2 teachers’ recs AND the senator’s rec for extra safety. damn, do u really know the senator? coz if he doesnt know you as a “person”, it’s useless.</p>
<p>You have a pretty good chance as it is. The grades and rank are good, as is your location. Will you apply ED? Is UVa your absolute top choice? If it is, and you don’t apply ED, let them know in an extra letter or essay. Apply to the e-school will definitely help; the acceptance rate there is around 60%, versus low 30’s in the college.</p>
<p>BTW, I don’t think the rec from the senator will help. How could the admissions people logically allow a letter from a man you don’t know to influence your admission? It’s not like he’s a longtime family friend or you worked for him one summer or something like that.</p>
<p>I am certain that I would meet him before he wrote the letter; my realitves would introduce me. Even if he hasn’t “known me as a person” for a long time, I’m sure some “life” qualities would be mentioned in the rec due to the fact that its a personal connection.</p>
<p>Also, I am pretty sure I could get a rec out of my congresswoman and possibly my senator ( I have met both of them before) But would that mean anything in VA?</p>
<p>a rec from a senator, congressman, mayor, etc should be like any other recommendation. You should only use it if the author knows you personally just like you should only use a teacher that knows you very well. Getting into UVa is different from getting into the military academies – the admin committee is looking for recommendations of people that know the ‘true you’.</p>
<p>I’d say instead of asking from a rec from a VA senator, I would ask your supervisor at your internship or your supervisor at the nursing home to write a recommendation. It’s more personal and they could actually say valid things that the admin committee doesn’t already know, thus strengthening your app.</p>
<p>That being said, I did use a political recommendation with my application. I had VA Lt. Gov Kaine write me a recommendation for my colleges – but I also worked in his office for 6 months as the primary intern and knew him well. I think UVa did like the recommendation, though maybe not because it came from Tim, but instead because it showed my dedication to the internship.</p>
<p>I agree with k_jo, cavalier 302, and ThomYork about the letter.</p>
<p>Meaning that recommendations are best when the person knows you very well. Sure it is a Senator, but the letter will seem somewhat generic with your name on the top. Get someone else who is closer and has known you for some time now.</p>
<p>Now getting in to UVA:
I would say you have a good chance of getting in, considering your (SATs, GPA, class Rank). Remember to write good essay and you will do fine in the admissions process.</p>
<p>BTW: Since you do want to do Engineering why UVA??? I mean you could be applying to schools with better Engineering Programs and be competitive in the admissions process???</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. It makes since that a more “personal” rec would be better. As for why I’m interested in UVA, I love the (Southern) area, plus I have family nearby. Most of the UVA kids I’ve met are absolutely obsessed with the school, which is a good sign. I would also like a well rounded education and would not, for example, like to attend CalTech (IF I could get in), which is too specialized, in my opinion. UVA isn’t my only interest; I’m also applying to Duke, Vanderbilt (mom’s alma mater), and possibly Columibia. I also plan to fufill all premed reqs because I hope to become a radiologist. The reason I want a EE degree is (in addition to personal interest) to get a firm undergrad degree in case a medical career doesn’t work out.
Thanks again for all the advice.</p>