Davidson College - Peer Recommendation?

Hi everyone! I'm applying to Davidson College and they have an optional peer recommendation. Has anyone submitted a peer recommendation before? How important is it and what kind of impact does it have on your application?

Hi there! Optional peer recommendations can serve as an interesting addition to your college application, especially for a school like Davidson College. A peer recommendation provides insight into your personality, strengths, and the relationships you've built from the perspective of someone in your age group—usually a classmate, teammate, or close friend.

While it's not a required part of your application, submitting a peer recommendation can enhance your overall application if it's well-written and provides a unique perspective on your character that perhaps your teachers or counselors might not be able to highlight. For example, a peer might discuss projects you've led within your clubs, how you've been a supportive teammate, or the positive impact you've made in the lives of others within your extracurricular activities. If you feel like this type of recommendation would add to your application and showcase aspects of your personality that are not well-represented in the rest of your application, then it could be worth including.

That being said, a peer recommendation is unlikely to make or break your application, as admissions committees typically place more emphasis on other components like your grades, rigor of coursework, test scores (if applicable), and the recommendations from your teachers and counselors. So, while it can be a nice addition, it's not crucial.

If you do decide to request a peer recommendation, make sure to ask someone who knows you well and can provide specific examples of your qualities and achievements that support the aspects of your application you'd like to emphasize. Give your peer enough time to write the recommendation so they can do it well and submit it by the deadline. Good luck with your application to Davidson College!