This passed the Senate and now goes onto the House where it’s expected to pass. There’s no start date so I assume it goes into effect immediately after it’s signed by the governor. Broad bipartisan support.
Lots of schools are doing away with legacy. I don’t have a pony in the game but I can imagine it deeply affects some families where traditions are a big deal.
1 Like
I wonder if it impacts this admissions cycle for colleges like UVA.
Probably won’t affect this current year. I would like to see numbers from VA schools with percent legacies admitted. I know that all legacies don’t get in at UVa and WM. I think the common app asks for schools that your parents attended. Those questions will need to go away.
UVA already got rid of that question. There’s now an optional essay about connection to the university, which is intended to include more than parent/grandparent legacy (e.g., ancestors enslaved by the university).
No idea how that will stand up under the new legislation.
ETA: curious to see whether this is actually a no-brainer for Youngkin. He’s put a bunch of “traditionalists” on the UVa Board of Visitors, folks who very much value things like legacy. Although I suspect the legislature could override his veto if he goes that route. Maybe that’s a win-win for everyone, politically, lol.
1 Like
the questions about parents’ schools are on the main common app, too. If that isn’t removed, the info can still be seen by colleges.
My understanding is that colleges can block information they don’t want to see. For example, questions about race are still on the Common App, as well, but schools don’t see them. Schools that are test-blind don’t see scores, etc.
2 Likes
I wonder if that can be tracked to see if schools are or aren’t looking at it
Pretty sure the schools tell Common App what information they want to see, and the block happens on CA’s end.
1 Like
So is question about race. Colleges simply suppress what they don’t want AOs to consider, but generally speaking they still want the data.
Although all schools suppressed the “checkbox”, several still kept visibility on citizenship and/or parents birthplace.
In the article Youngkin says he’s all about merit, which might indicate how he’s leaning.
As for UVAs “personal or historic connection" there’s not much wiggle room if that connection is based on family. Here’s the bill’s language:
A. As used in this section, “legacy status” means the familial relationship of an individual applying for admission to an institution of higher education to an alumnus of such institution.
B. No public institution of higher education shall provide any manner of preferential treatment in the admissions decision to any student applicant on the basis of such student’s legacy status or such student’s familial relationship to any donor to such institution.
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.