targeted or untargeted LOR that compares me to a Chicago stu Forum

[jabberwocky_phlegm]

One of my letter-writers has taught a student who got a great scholarship at a top school--let's say it's Chicago. I'm confident that my letter-writer thinks I am a better student than the guy with the scholarship, so I'm asking him to consider putting a bit in the letter where he compares me to that student.

My question is: Should that be a part of a targeted letter to Chicago, or would HYS_CN adcomms like to see me compared to a Chicago student too?

edit: I can see how an in-depth comparison would be a terrible idea, but I'm aiming for something more along the lines of, "hey, this guy's a good deal better than some of my students who have gone on to top programs like Chicago."

[OfThriceandTen]

I'm confident that my letter-writer thinks I am a better student than the guy with the scholarship, so I'm asking him to consider putting a bit in the letter where he compares me to that student.

This is a terrible idea. Under no circumstances should you do this.

[justonemoregame]

I like how you phrase the Q as: is this a good idea here or an even better idea over here?

[jabberwocky_phlegm]

Yale's AskAsha blog actually highlights a letter that does this. She says it's one of the best letters she's ever seen:

"[Student A] and [Student B], both of whom I taught, are currently at Yale Law School. [Applicant] is better than both of them put together."

http://203admissions.commons.yale.edu/c ... /ask-asha/

[Cicero76]

Yale's AskAsha blog actually highlights a letter that does this. She says it's one of the best letters she's ever seen:

"[Student A] and [Student B], both of whom I taught, are currently at Yale Law School. [Applicant] is better than both of them put together."

http://203admissions.commons.yale.edu/c ... /ask-asha/

I'm also at Yale, and I'm about 75% sure that one of my LORs said I was far better than a student my UG sent to YLS the year before, because I happen to know my professor particularly disliked that student and said something along the lines of me being a way better candidate than that kid. (Whether it was true, I have no idea. Prof might have just had a grudge against that kid).

TLDR: No, I don't think it's a terrible idea for that to be in a letter. Asking for it to be, however, might be awkward.

[jabberwocky_phlegm]

Thanks Cicero!

Did your professor send a targeted letter to Yale?

Yeah, now that I'm re-reading my post, it does sound pretty awkward. I think I'll try a more general approach and just say something like: The pool of people I'm being compared to are the applicants to some great law programs, so if you have taught some people who have been admitted to these programs, and you can compare me favorably to that pool, then that comparison would boost my application. (by a feather on the scale! Maybe even TWO feathers!)

[Ti Malice]

Also at YLS, and I know for certain that at least one of my recommenders made exactly this sort of comparison in his LOR. As Asha's post shows, it's a positive. But I didn't have to ask him to do it, which would have been pretty awkward.

[Cicero76]

Thanks Cicero!

Did your professor send a targeted letter to Yale?

Yeah, now that I'm re-reading my post, it does sound pretty awkward. I think I'll try a more general approach and just say something like: The pool of people I'm being compared to are the applicants to some great law programs, so if you have taught some people who have been admitted to these programs, and you can compare me favorably to that pool, then that comparison would boost my application. (by a feather on the scale! Maybe even TWO feathers!)

Yes he did. I actually printed out that Asha post about the best letters she's seen and included it in the packet I gave him when I asked for the letter, along with my resume and a personal letter from me explaining what I needed and saying thanks. Each of my recommenders wrote me 3 letters: one Yale, one Harvard, and one untargeted. That said, I don't think targeted is per se necessary, and probably only makes any difference at Yale and then only if there's some kind of connection (taught a student who went there or taught there a couple of years or something like that).

[jabberwocky_phlegm]

Thanks, that's really good info.