Context:
I was placed in foster care for essentially the entirety of my freshman and sophomore years; for my sophomore year, I was placed in a town called Boys Town, Nebraska, which is a very well-known and heavily revered foster care program in the state. Before I left, the director of this multimillion dollar organization personally offered to write a recommendation letter for me, along with paying for all of my college expenses to any college I want and for any program I want (given that I am admitted, obviously). Even though he is a director, he spent a lot of time with me, was always extremely enthusiastic with me, and often pointed out my “intelligence.”
Question:
Would the aforesaid recommendation letter even be effective in college admissions? He is evidently not a teacher, but he does know me well. I’m just unsure if this letter would elicit a response of “who is this random director guy, I don’t care” or “wow, this is extremely profound” from college admission officers. Understandably, I can’t tell what would be in the letter, but I’m just curious if the author of the letter would make this letter worth it.
Thank you for your time.
I would go for it! You have a really unique story, and this letter could provide a great window into your experience. Plus, these recommendation letters are really about getting to know you better as a whole, and since this is someone who knows you pretty well and talks highly of you despite unfortunate circumstances, this could be a great opportunity. If nothing else, a positive letter isn't going to hurt anything.
Recommendations do not have to come from teachers, so this is perfectly acceptable.
Good luck.
In applications, there are 3 types of recommendation letters: from a guidance counselor, from a teacher, and from someone who is neither your counselor nor your teacher but knows you well. The director's letter fits in the 3rd category. It is totally worth it and can significantly increase your chances of admissions as it is something not many applicants submit.
The director would be an excellent choice for a reference! Most colleges will appreciate you submitting an application with one teacher recommendation and one mentor recommendation - this way, they will be able to see who you are both in the classroom and outside. Note that some colleges may only allow you to submit teacher recommendations, so make sure to double check each school's requirements. Hope this helps!
I would definitely go for it! Letters of recommendation don't have to be a teacher, but just someone who knows you and your work ethic really well. If you think he'd write good things about you, I would for sure ask him for a rec letter. I also think the fact that he is the director for a big organization and that he personally offered things to you says a lot, and would make a really unique recommendation, since he has good things to say about you despite some rough circumstances. Good luck!!
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