I would like some advice regarding a situation involving connections.

[afreaknamedpete]

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I apologize because this is going to be a WOT, but I have a situation that I, frankly, have absolutely no idea how to approach.

Well my parent works at a local University, one that I currently attend and one whose medical school I have applied to. Right now I am on the waitlist for that school. Although I was obviously disappointed, I had more resigned myself to the realization that I would be very unlikely to get off the waitlist. What happened, just today, is that my parent forwarded me an email from a member of the admissions committee, who has been my parent's boss, mentor and later colleague for over a decade.

I have found out today that, without my knowledge, he has advocated twice already for me. He gave what essentially came down to a brief recommendation on my behalf and ask that my application be reconsidered via an email to the Dean of Admissions. The Dean responded that, given that the interview cycle is not even over, they aren't looking into waitlist movement yet, but invited that if I had any questions to contact said Dean directly.

I have really conflicted feelings over this. I have heard that connections will give you courtesy interviews and, well, I am half thinking that maybe the whole reason I got an interview was because of this - maybe the whole reason I got into undergraduate. At this point half of me feels a little sad, and the other half wants to take this opportunity. I'd feel guilty, but at the same time I think I would be stupid not to.

Through my parent, this family friend has strongly suggested I contact the Dean in order to establish some form of connection - both verbally to my parent and suggested in the email itself. Frankly, I have no idea what question I should be asking, or even how to approach this.

Thank you for reading this far, and I'm asking for thoughts and advice, since I'm not even sure where to start with this.

 

[addictedbeauty]

Question for you: Do you have any question on your mind as you read this?

If no then relax.
If yes then ask away.

Don't make things too complicated for yourself especially when they are not meant to be from the start!

 

[StoicJosher]

At the end of it all, nobody is going to care how you got in if you got in. But if it is too much of a personal issue.....

Personally, if I had another acceptance, I wouldn't do it because I have too much of an ego.

 

[CCLCMer]

Question for you: Do you have any question on your mind as you read this?

If no then relax.
If yes then ask away.

Don't make things too complicated for yourself especially when they are not meant to be from the start!

This.

craps, if you have questions, then ask them. If you don't, then leave the dean alone. He has enough to do without neurotic pre-meds bothering him for no reason. In the meantime, just chill. Enjoy your Christmas break. Hang out with friends and family and do nothing. If I didn't have to work, that's what I'd be doing. Working over the holidays sucks. So enjoy your time off while you still can, and if you can't enjoy it for yourself, then enjoy it for me and all the other poor SOBs who don't get the holidays off. OK?

 

[UVAbme2009]

In life, ride connections as far as you can. Write an LOI to the Dean if this is the school you want to be at. But don't ever bring up any connections you have.

 

[IlDestriero]

There have been some recent threads about this. This is how real connections work. They work for you behind your back, without your involvement, often without you ever knowing about it at all. Nearly all of the medical school faculty that I work with that have college age children have sent at least one child to this most competitive private university. Coincidentally, we get a very large tuition reimbursement for undergraduate study there.
It's a perk of being on the faculty. If they're remotely competitive, they should get into the university. The graduate programs probably give you much less consideration, depending on your parents academic rank and the school you're applying to. I would not be very upset if my child was a marginal applicant and didn't get into the law or business school, or even the medical school. I would be quite annoyed if he/she was an average applicant for the med school and was not accepted. Though having said that, many of the faculty's children have attended the university for graduate degrees. Who can say one way or the other if their parents tenure and faculty status was a significant factor in the decision. Though my money would be on yes.
Your parent jumped the gun emailing the Dean this early. Wait a few months, until all the offers are made, and then send an update letter. Reiterate your interest in attending x university, and make no mention of your parent's faculty status. Are they faculty? If not your probably SOL. There's a big difference between a faculty member and an employee, though some schools offer tuition benefits to employee's children as well. (not mine)
Good luck.
(And don't let your pride get the best of you. It's not about how you get an opportunity, but what you do with it.)