And Now, a Word From Grandpapa

A’s grandfather, himself an MIT alumnus, asked if he could write a letter of recommendation for A*. We replied with a hearty, “no thank you.” Maybe it would help, but in all likelihood it would hurt. Besides, how lame is it to have your grandfather write a letter testifying to your precocious toilet training and efficient use of a sippy cup.

Sure, life would be a lot easier if all it took was a letter from an alum, ideally attached to an overly large check, to get junior into the school of his or her choice. But I said earlier that I genuinely do celebrate that admissions is
need-blind. And I celebrate that it is pedigree-blind as well. I take heart from the words in Marilee Jones’ (Dean of admissions at MIT) web blog: Things always work out in the end. He’ll wind up where he’s supposed to be, just like the rest of us.