<p>Legacy status is important at Swarthmore, as it is at every small liberal arts college.</p>
<p>You still have to be a solid, viable applicant on your own merits. Here’s the reality. Most applicants to Swarthmore are solid, viable applicants. So, the deal is: how do you standout from all the other solid, viable applicants?</p>
<p>Legacy is a great way of standing out. In effect, legacy reverses the dynamics of the decision. For most solid, viable applicants, the admissions office has to find a reason to accept you. For a legacy, they have to find a reason to not accept you, because they know they might have some explaining to do to an angry alum. Legacy status turns a good application into a likely shot and an excellent application into a sure bet. In today’s competitive admissions environment, the one thing it won’t usually do is turn a weak application into an acceptance letter (unless your family name is on campus buildings).</p>
<p>Plus, a saavy legacy has a potential advantage in being able to really learn about the school, thus preparing a more targeted, effective application. Winning applications at Swarthmore usually feature specifics about the match between the applicants talents and interests and what makes Swarthmore tick. You have a built-in advantage in learning about the school from your mother and your brother.</p>