Legacy Factor

[Prestige]

Would a cousin be considered as a legacy? If yes, would it have an impact on admissions? What type of relation would have the most impact on admissions? Is a legacy more impactable if alumni is a major monetary donor?

Wow – that’s a lot of questions. Anyway, I’ve been wondering about the legacy factor for quite a while now and wanted to know the facts. Thank you very much.

[thumper1]

<p>The legacy tip is usually for immediate family…parents and sometimes grandparents. At some places siblings count as well. I don’t think cousins do. In fact, on the applications I’ve seen the question is very specific “Did either of your parents graduate from Blank U?”</p>

[jdevalle]

<p>— Legacies do have impact on admissions however, most colleges do not consider cousins legacies, only parents, grandparents and siblings… I would suppose parents have the most influence… and yes, the more money donated, the better the legacy :)</p>

[jrpar]

<p>I don’t think cousin counts as legacy anywhere.</p>

<p>Every school is different (you would need to check each school’s website or ask), but generally it is parent, sometimes grandparent. Sometimes just undergrad degrees; other schools a grad degree will count too.</p>

<p>I think how involved the parent has been as an alum can count. And if there’s significant $$ involved, that would have an impact as well - the development office is going to be interested in that application.</p>

<p>Unless there’s enough $$ involved to build a building though, in most cases legacy status will help but won’t make up for a otherwise deficient application. Many schools note that the stats of legacy applicants are actually above their norm.</p>

[richs73cas]

<p>

The 3,657undergraduate students (freshmen and transfer students) who entered the University in the fall of 2004 included 491 who are known to be the children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of alumni.

Fifth Cornell generation: 1
Great-grandchildren: 22
Both great-grandchildren and grandchildren: 11
Both children and great-grandchildren: 10</p>

<p>One Cornellian Parent: 204
Two Cornellian Parents: 98
Grandparents Only: 59
Three Cornell Generations: 67
Four Cornell Generations: 19</p>

<p>

The information for the following lists was compiled during the admissions process from data provided
by the descendents of alumni who apply for admission as undergraduates, are admitted, and then
matriculate at the University. No such list is ever considered to be complete, so additions and corrections to the
lists are welcome. Please contact Cornell Alumni Magazine with any revisions.

Link to Cornell Alumni Magazine list of legacies who entered in Fall of 2004
<a href=“http://cornell-magazine.cornell.edu/Currentissue/pdfs/JA05Legacies.pdf[/url]”>http://cornell-magazine.cornell.edu/Currentissue/pdfs/JA05Legacies.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[Cre8tive1]

<p>Do you think a double legacy, both parents, would have any impact at Stanford?</p>

[WealthOfInformation]

<p>Legacy varies everywhere as most schools have different definitions. Legacy tends to be a tie-breaker in most cases and legacies who apply to their parents alma maters should be in the 25th-75th %ile.
Generally, all things being equal - legacies will win out which is similar to the waitlist.</p>

[Prestige]

<p>Thanks everyone. Thanks for clarifying the facts.</p>

[richs73cas]

<p>Cre8tive1:</p>

<p>If you scores are competitive, it might be a tip factor.</p>

<p>Link to Profile of Students entering Fall 2005
<a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/extras/1_2a6_profile.html[/url]”>http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/extras/1_2a6_profile.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>From Stanford University Admissions FAQ web page

Is there any special preference given to children of Stanford alumni?
Children and stepchildren of parent(s) who have earned either an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree from Stanford are considered “legacies” in our application process. The definition does not extend to an applicant whose grandparents, siblings, or other relatives earned Stanford degrees. No students are ever admitted simply because they are a legacy applicant, but that connection may give them a slight advantage over a similarly competitive non-legacy applicant.

Link to FAQ Page: <a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_8_faqs.html#chances[/url]”>http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_8_faqs.html#chances&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[richs73cas]

<p>Quote from “Why Yale Favors its Own” article in Yale Alumni magazine. November/December 2004
Yale University President Rick Levin '74PhD was interviewed by Kathrin Lassila '81, a daughter of two Yale PhDs</p>

<p>

Y: About 14 percent of last year’s entering freshmen were children or grandchildren of alumni of the college, graduate school, or professional schools. The admissions rate for legacies is about 30 percent – three times the rate for non-legacies.</p>

<p>L: It’s important to understand that being a legacy does not guarantee admission to Yale College. But the pool of legacy applicants is substantially stronger than the average of the rest of the pool. The grades and test scores of the legacies we admit are higher than the average of the rest of the admitted class, and the legacies that matriculate achieve higher grades at Yale than non-legacy students with the same high school grades and test scores.

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_11/q_a.html[/url]”>http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_11/q_a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;