How much does "who you know" affect college admissions?

[SLCentral]

To get to the point, my grades are so-so (3.2 GPA, but with AP/Honors classes, multiple math classes per year, etc.), my SAT's are average (2000/2400, 1350/1600), but I maintain a job, and have for the past year. I'm entering Senior year in a month, and starting to look at colleges, and where I'll be applying. I'm looking to major in business/finance. I'm looking at a certain Ivy League school, as it has pretty much exactly what I'm looking for in every regard (campus life, majors offered, location, size, etc.) Obviously, this school is one of the most difficult to get accepted to in the country.

However, my dad is very good friends with one of the Deans of this school, and I have a interview set up with him, and an Admissions Dean, at the end of the month. Do knowing people at a University significantly help the chance of admissions, even if your grades aren't exactly what is normally considered required? Anyone go through something similar when applying for college?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[IAteYourMother]

It might depend which Ivy, but i suppose it can't hurt. Probably won't help too much if they don't like you

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
It might depend which Ivy, but i suppose it can't hurt. Probably won't help too much if they don't like you

I should mention that I'm extremely charismatic. Not trying to be cocky .

 

[mh47g]

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
It might depend which Ivy, but i suppose it can't hurt. Probably won't help too much if they don't like you

I should mention that I'm extremely charismatic. Not trying to be cocky .

3.2 GPA? You'll be lucky if the dean lets you under his desk.

 

[hypn0tik]

It definitely helps.

This is essentially how I got into my MASc program here. My undergrad. grades were mediocre at best but I had a prof. pulling for me with the graduate admissions office. Soon enough, they somehow found a way to get me in based on minimum requirement.

 

[txrandom]

GPA is very low and SAT is low for getting into an Ivy League. I hope your Dad is good friends with the guy.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: mh47g

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
It might depend which Ivy, but i suppose it can't hurt. Probably won't help too much if they don't like you

I should mention that I'm extremely charismatic. Not trying to be cocky .

3.2 GPA? You'll be lucky if the dean lets you under his desk.

This is at one of the most difficult high schools in the country, and also one that is rated to be in the top 3 in New Jersey. If I were at an average American high school, I feel that my GPA would be significantly higher, which is something that colleges do consider.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: SLCentral
my SAT's are average (2000/2600, 1350/1600)

You want to go to college and you don't even know what average means? :Q

Last I checked the average SAT score was in the range of 1000/1600. Did they dumb it down a lot?

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: SLCentral
my SAT's are average (2000/2600, 1350/1600)

You want to go to college and you don't even know what average means? :Q

Last I checked the average SAT score was in the range of 1000/1600. Did they dumb it down a lot?

I was referring to average for the college I'm looking at . For that school, I fit in the middle 50% for both math and verbal.

 

[tw1164]

Just have your dad make a sizable donation to the school

 

[faenix]

A 3.2 and a 2000? lol. Please don't shame my buds at Princeton who are actually smart and worked hard in high school to gain admission with your supposed little daddy connections.

 

[yankeesfan]

The high score for the SAT is 2400, not 2600.

 

[dds14u]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
The high score for the SAT is 2400, not 2600.

QFT!

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
The high score for the SAT is 2400, not 2600.

Typo corrected, thanks.

Originally posted by: faenix
A 3.2 and a 2000? lol. Please don't shame my buds at Princeton who are actually smart and worked hard in high school to gain admission with your supposed little daddy connections.

Way to troll .

 

[Accipiter22]

helps....

For ivy schools you have to understand that a lot of private schools have deals worked out, where say 25% of their graduating class that applies to harvard for instance will get in.

 

[IAteYourMother]

I hope you're an underrepresented minority.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Sounds like you're moderately intelligent from your SAT score, but you slack based on the GPA. You shouldn't expect to get in, unless your dad is really good "friends" with this guy.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Sounds like you're moderately intelligent from your SAT score, but you slack based on the GPA. You shouldn't expect to get in, unless your dad is really good "friends" with this guy.

I'm not going to lie; I didn't work to my full potential in high school, which is definitely part of the reason for my low GPA. However, keep in mind that throughout all of high school, I've taken honors classes, AP classes, and instead of taking easy elective classes which boost GPA's, I've taken two math classes per year.

Either way, it doesn't hurt to meet him and apply.

 

[Reel]

I hope you get in and tell all these supposed experts on college admissions to go fuck themselves. Good luck.

 

[Alienwho]

Have you ever heard the term, "It's not what you know, it's who you know" ? Those are the truest words ever spoken.

Now having said that, since your GPA and test scores aren't good enough to get in as a regular joe, the "who you know" is already paying off because you have a chance to meet the Dean because of your dad, so you're going to have to swoo him with your words and charm. You're going to have to show him that you understand your grades haven't been up to par, but now it's your senior year and you're ready to kick it into full motion. Ask him "what do I have to do in order to get admitted next year?". Show him you're willing to work, cut a deal and do what he says. Live up to your end of the bargain.

The only way this won't work is if either you or him are complete douchebags. In my experience most professors/deans are douchebags so good luck.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Sounds like you're moderately intelligent from your SAT score, but you slack based on the GPA. You shouldn't expect to get in, unless your dad is really good "friends" with this guy.

I'm not going to lie; I didn't work to my full potential in high school, which is definitely part of the reason for my low GPA. However, keep in mind that throughout all of high school, I've taken honors classes, AP classes, and instead of taking easy elective classes which boost GPA's, I've taken two math classes per year.

Either way, it doesn't hurt to meet him and apply.

But keep in mind, there are thousands of other kids who took all honors/AP classes in high school and got nearly perfect GPAs. You'll be competing with the best of the best and I don't think you have much of a chance, unless you have some specialty niche like filling a position in the band/athletics team that they need.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: faenix
A 3.2 and a 2000? lol. Please don't shame my buds at Princeton who are actually smart and worked hard in high school to gain admission with your supposed little daddy connections.

That's pretty stupid to speak on your friends' behalf about people you don't know.

Regardless, you'll soon find that the WORLD is about who you know and how much money you have. It's a steep uphill battle against the world unless you have a foot in the door with those two elements. This holds especially true in the business world.


OP: More importantly than wanting to get in to the school or making excuses for your mediocre performance, you have to know that once you are in you will be able to perform up to their standards. With college, getting in is the easy part. Ivy League schools don't reject people because they think they are better than them, they reject people because they don't want to have to turn down a better candidate than the guy who clearly can't hack it.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Sounds like you're moderately intelligent from your SAT score, but you slack based on the GPA. You shouldn't expect to get in, unless your dad is really good "friends" with this guy.

I'm not going to lie; I didn't work to my full potential in high school, which is definitely part of the reason for my low GPA. However, keep in mind that throughout all of high school, I've taken honors classes, AP classes, and instead of taking easy elective classes which boost GPA's, I've taken two math classes per year.

Either way, it doesn't hurt to meet him and apply.

the people who get in do that with the high GPA. I hope that 3.2 is at the very least unweighted.

 

[A5]

The fact that you're getting the meeting means you have a higher than average chance to get in. They would just reject your application straight off if your dad didn't get this meeting set up.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Connections at an ivy can be the deal breaker. As others have said, you more than likely wouldn't have made it past the first cut. Getting into an ivy (even truer for med school) can be a crapshoot, just depends what they're looking for that year.

It's good that you have a job, but you really should have more school activities/clubs & volunteer work to round you out.

If you can show that your gpa has been steadily going up since freshman/sophmore year...that's a plus, moreso if you continue the trend.