I see what seems like a lot of posts from people strongly opposed to “legacy admissions” and I’m curious about this position. I agree that unqualified applicants should not be admitted to any schools. Do you assume that no legacy applicants are qualified for admission to the school their parent attended? That seems odd to me given how important parental expectations are for success in school and life.
Do you mean that no kids should be permitted to apply to the schools their parents attended? How would it even work, when the common app asks for parental information (and that appears to be the basis for first generation applicants)? And how is it different from school that look at demonstrated interest? Why should legacy kids’ interest in attending the school they are familiar with, have a personal/family connection to, and likely grew up knowing about, visiting, rooting for its sports teams, etc not be allowed to follow that interest? Genuinely curious, I promise. |
Not rocket science. Simply ignore legacy status, focus on merit 100%. Candidate deserves it? Gets in. Doesn't deserve it? Doesn't get in. Who your parents are should be irrelevant. |
The phrasing you chose, OP, makes it clear that you benefited from legacy admission to your alma mater.
It also suggests you are concerned whether your own child or grandchild will also benefit from the legacy admission boost. |
Of course they can apply. It just means that where their parents went to school is out of the equation. Many will still get accepted. |
Sure- I'm all for merit.
What I don't like is a Hopkins president (and others) seeing legacy as a spoiled kid. Not every kid that a parent attend a top 20 university comes from wealth, nor did their parents. Many have tons of student loan, were raised by single parents and worked multiple jobs in college...and now their own children are looked down for being legacies and they are lauding driving down the numbers of legacies. That's what I have a problem with. |
Look I get it - and you are right re: demonstrated interest, but first of all, even if you agree with legacy status, you can't let in all the legacies even those that are qualified because the more years that go by, the more legacies are created and you don't want an admission cohort of all legacies.
Plus, I'm opposed to legacy status because it's largely racist and is part of a systemic problem (let's let Ivy schools pick legacies--oops sorry we used to not accept blacks or jews or women so there are less of them to be legacies, just perpetuating the issues). But I don't think the legacies are not as qualfied, I just think they are getting picked in the lottery and fundamentally not sure that makes sense. |
No preference for legacy status. It’s not hard to understand, OP. |
I'm opposed to legacy playing a role in admissions, particularly for public schools. My child should get in (or not) based on their own merits, not mine from 30 years ago.
I think you're being deliberately obtuse when you ask if that means that a kid should not be able to apply to their parents' alma mater. Of course they can apply. It only means that it doesn't factor into the admissions decision at all. |
+1 No one said they shouldn't be allowed to apply, but they shouldn't get a boost for legacy. That's the ultimate opportunity hoarding. |
The application shouldn't ask for parent information. Admissions office should not be in any communication with the development office or board of trustees or anywhere else that they could get insight into parents who are graduates.
Whether my parent went to Yale or UVA or Podunk U really has zero relevance as to whether I am a good fit for that school and incoming class. |
For OP, it is because OP cannot fathom losing their privilege. |
It's a bit ironic the president would have an issue with it when they are an elite school that prides itself on gifted. Most regular families could not afford the school. We wouldn't even think to apply. |
Hard to believe this is a real question. Of course legacy kids can and should apply, they just shouldn't be given preferential treatment like they currently are. |
Whatever school OP attended needs to do better with critical thinking curriculum. |
If the parents aren’t privileged now I don’t get why they care about getting their kids into a supposedly elite institution that didn’t actually launch them well. |