<p>Say, hypothetically, that a parent attended a prestigious university (may even have obtained multiple degrees there), but has donated fitfully and in small amounts since graduation as student loan repayments come first and take 20+ years. I understand the child would be a legacy in definitional terms, but in real life, would the university view the child as a legacy worth giving an edge in admissions to?</p>
<p>The child would be a legacy, but not a “development” admit (that’s reserved for big-bucks donor parents). So that’s a slight boost, but nothing off-the-charts. </p>
<p>Often legacy advantage is more about enticing you to give in the future than it is about rewarding your past giving, or at least that’s my understanding.</p>
<p>You may want to check the website for the college regarding what it calls a legacy. Many only consider undergraduate (not post-graduate) degrees and only to certain levels of relationship, i.e. parents, but not grandparents. Some colleges, UPenn specifically, give a big boost to legacies but only if they apply ED.</p>