Legacy not counting as much?

45_Percenter
Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:00:03 +0000

^ I’ll give you the address where you can send the royalty check. ;)

In terms of what the OP’s friend’s counselor told her about Penn admitting fewer legacies this year, the counselor may be basing that conclusion on the Penn alumni office having closed down its legacy admissions counseling service with the following statement:



As the selective admissions process continues to be increasingly competitive and sensitive, Penn has decided that it is best for alumni families to learn directly from the Admissions Office about the University and its selection process.

As of Friday, December 23, 2011, Alumni Relations will be closing the Penn Alumni Admissions Resource Center and will no longer be conducting Alumni Advising Sessions. Please visit the Undergraduate Admissions website to view information about your visit to Penn.

Alumni and their families are encouraged to attend signature events on campus during Homecoming and Alumni Weekend for legacy specific information; attend regional alumni club events with dedicated admissions speakers, and also attend regional admissions recruitment events. Legacy applicants can correspond directly with their regional admissions representative listed by geographic region on the admissions website: [Penn Admissions: Regional Admissions Officers](http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/current/regional.php).



[PAARC Info](http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/)

I haven’t heard that the admissions office admitted fewer legacies this year, but I DID hear earlier this school year–directly from the mouth of Penn President Amy Gutmann at an alumni gathering–that Penn is still strongly committed to its legacy admissions policy; BUT, she emphasized, only during the early decision round.

As the OP pointed out, siblings who go or went to Penn do not technically qualify an applicant as a legacy, but mentioning them in the “Why Penn” essay can certainly help to demonstrate the applicant’s familiarity with Penn and with what it means to be a Penn student.