While most families navigating the churning waters of the elite college admissions process don’t boast connections to people who can influence a school’s decision-making, a select few families enjoy such ties that can make a difference. Of course, such connections aren’t necessary to achieve admission to America’s most selective institutions, as we at Ivy Coach help students whose families boast zero connections whatsoever earn admission in almost every instance.

The Impact of Personal Connections on College Admission

If approached wisely, the right connections can make a difference. So, let’s explore their role in the admissions process and how families who enjoy such relationships can best navigate the obstacle course.

What Kinds of Connections Can Help in Admissions?

The kinds of connections that can make a difference include major alumni donors to a school, members of the Board of Trustees, and top administrators.

When a significant donor to an institution puts in a good word for one candidate every few years, that candidate will likely get a boost. The same goes for a member of the Board of Trustees or a top administrator. Of course, it’s always person-dependent. If the donor, trustee, or administrator makes many such requests annually, their recommendations receive less weight. If they make the request in too demanding of a fashion, they may not get what they wish, and so on.

Years ago, we had a student applying to Duke University with extremely low grades. We didn’t think this particular applicant had a shot on god’s green earth of earning admission to the Durham, North Carolina-based institution. But we also suspected the parent had a card up their sleeve we didn’t know about. So, we helped the student craft the best application possible to Duke. After the student earned admission, we learned they were on Melinda Gates’ list. In that particular case, we believe the student’s inclusion on the list made all the difference.

What Kinds of Connections Don’t Help in Admissions?

The kind of connections that will not help your child’s case for admission — and will hurt their case — include securing recommendations from politicians, celebrities, and influential people with no ties to the school.

Do you think a letter from a former U.S. president will unlock the door? Please. Admissions officers at our nation’s top schools weren’t born yesterday. If the former president hasn’t had a direct, longstanding relationship with the student, what insight can be shared about the candidate? And these same admissions officers will know that the student’s parents are just trying to impress them. But it won’t impress them and, in fact, it will inspire them to root against the now less likable candidate.

How to Navigate the Use of Personal Networks in Admissions

Over the years, several parents have told us they’ve secured a recommendation from a trustee or major donor. But we caution them that simply getting a trustee or donor to agree to recommend a student isn’t always the magic pill that parents think it will be.

For instance, some years ago, a trustee at a top school vented that so many friends and acquaintances asked him to write letters of recommendation for applicants, letters he felt compelled to show these people to prove he did as he said, that he developed a shorthand with the admissions office. Hidden in plain sight within these letters were sentences that indicated the trustee did not wish to earmark a slot for the candidate in the incoming class, that his arm was essentially being forced to write the letter. Even the friend or acquaintance who subsequently read the letter would never have been able to decipher the code. Long story short, you just never know!

Ivy Coach’s Assistance Navigating Networks in Admissions

If you’re unsure how to navigate the use of connections in the elite college admissions process — and, no, you don’t need connections to secure a spot at our nation’s top schools — fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch to outline our go-forward college counseling services.