<p>Lots of good information here already. </p>
<p>I’ll just clarify/add one thing: Applying as a legacy may not make you stand out so very much, at Swarthmore. They’ll certainly take note, but it’s worth bearing in mind that usually, they are taking note of a lot of other legacies alongside you. </p>
<p>Nineteen legacies matriculated in the OP’s sibling’s class. To take one example, that’s just short of the number of international students (22); you can compare that figure to other breakdowns of that class here: [An</a> “Onward Spirit”: A Brief History of Swarthmore College](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/news/history/2006.html]An”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/news/history/2006.html). Included in those 19 are double legacies (old-school Quaker Matchbox style), double-double legacies (two generations of Quaker Matchbox), and more than a handful of multigenerational legacies of one sort or another (aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc.). I don’t know how many legacies did not make it into that class, nor do I know how many were admitted and didn’t matriculate. I <em>do</em> know that all of those who did join that class were - as has already been suggested - absolutely admittable by any Swarthmore standard, even without their legacy status.</p>
<p>In short, the most valuable thing legacy does for you, much as interesteddad said, is potentially provide you with a depth of knowledge and understanding of Swat that can help you see and express why you are a good fit. And if that leads to a standout “Why Swarthmore?” essay, then you’ve used your legacy advantage well.</p>