Appropriateness of recommendations letter from alumni

Hi,

I am considering applying to B School next year.

I particularly have my sights set on HBS.

I have one question. A notable alumni from my undergraduate institution (top 10 LAC) runs a popular meetup in NYC, where I live. We do not know each other personally but we do have that connection. He is an HBS alumni.

I won't know him closely and neither will I have worked with him but I will have made a strong impression on him before applying. I am wondering if it is OK to ask someone for a recommendation letter just on these bases.

Assume that I have close colleagues and friends also vouching for me for two other letters.

Thank you.

 

You should start getting to know him right now, as in yesterday. No one that you don't previously know is going to write you a LOR after only meeting two times.

 

It's not really worth that much, if anything. If you had worked for an HBS alum, then yes, I'd say get a recommendation from him, but you shouldn't waste one of your recommendations just because some guy went to HBS if he has not overseen your work. And it wouldn't really impress HBS anyhow. If however you were to WORK for the guy helping doing organizational stuff for the meeting, then he becomes a possibility.

 

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