Here is my video response to the question.
Alumni recommendations do matter a lot, but are not substitutes for academic and leadership recommendations. The admission team take the alumni’s view seriously for three major reasons. First, alumni have the greatest incentive to see the reputation of its college remain strong. Your college education become an important of your intellectual ability in the real world. Second, alumni have the best perspective of what it takes to be successful at the college. If an alumnus says that I think that this person has what it take to excel here, it is hard for anyone to really dispute that. Third, alumni are another objective view on your capabilities that help complete the picture of who you are.
Alumni recommendation do matter a lot. The admission team take the alumni’s view seriously for three major reasons. First, alumni have the greatest incentive to see the reputation of its college remain strong. Your college education become an important of your intellectual ability in the real world. Second, alumni have the best perspective of what it takes to be successful at the college. If an alumnus says that I think that this person has what it take to excel here, it is hard for anyone to really dispute that. Third, alumni are another objective view on your capabilities that help complete the picture of who you are.
if you have a strong alumni to speak highly of you for admissions, you can help yourself for better position and higher possibility of acceptence. do not waste your time by asking anyone just becuase he or she qualify as alumini.
Alumni recommendations don’t matter more than other recommendations — just by virtue of coming from alumni. It’s the substance of the recommendation that counts much more. Therefore, it’s really important for the recommender (no matter WHO they are) to KNOW you well so that he/she can write a letter that is meaningful and possibly — helpful.
If you have had an interview with an alumni, their impressions of you matter quite a bit. Otherwise, recommendations always depend on how well the writer knows their subject. If a prominent alumni truly knows you well and writes a thorough well thought out letter, it would be helpful. How much more helpful than anybody else who knows you well would depend on just how prominent an alum we are talking about.
Recommendations and interviews with alumni are not considered very important in the admissions process. Colleges want academic (or music, art, talent) teachers to give you strong recommendations. Of course, if the alum knows you well and is active in alumni actitivies at the college, the letter won’t hurt!
It all depends who the alums are, like a past president of ex-director of admissions. It’s not what you know, but who you know – never forget that!
It all depends who the alums are, like a past president or ex-director of admissions. It’s not what you know, but who you know – never forget that!
I think the answer varies, but I think that alum interviews matter very little today.
Unless an alum can write about your strengths in the classroom, his recommendation really doesn’t mean that much. Admission professionals look to recommendations to confirm information already presented in the academic profile and to see if there is something in the academic record they are missing, positive or negative. Alumni friends can’t generally talk about a student’s performance as a student, so they are viewed as no more than character references. While it’s nice that someone has positive things to say about your personality, it won’t help significantly. Colleges assume every applicant is hard working and motivated. Having a friend say that doesn’t really add anything.
Each school will have it’s own policy regarding alumni involvement in the application process. For some institutions alums will serve as interviewers when a student can’t make it to campus. Whether the alumni serve in an evaluative or informative capacity will again depend on the college’s instructions. Written letters of recommendation are generally expected to be from your high school teachers, guidance counselor and occasionally a coach. To pad your file with too many supporting documents can become cumbersome for the admissions office.
Never get a recommendation from someone who does not know you. Why would an admissions officer want to hear from a stranger about your abilities or personal character. However, if your recommender happens to be from one of the universities you are applying to, I often suggest that they include a personal note along the lines of “As a graduate of x University I know that a student such as…can succeed in an environment that celebrates…” Essentially they are personalizing your recommendation to the university in question.
Alumni recommendations, in and of themselves, are of minimal value. The school wants to know about you and the alumni connection is more about them. Admittedly, if they are an influential alum, a big giver or a member of the Board, it may be given greater consideration, but the true value of any recommendation lies in the way it gives the school a fuller picture of the applicant as the school seeks to assemble another piece of their community.
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