Princeton legacy admissions data reported

[Anonymous]

It is a very small percentage of their admitted class (2%)=30 kids
So the narrative that kids don't get in to Ivys because of high legacy rates is not really true.
Kids don't get in to the Ivys because

1. there is too much grade inflation at many high schools
2. test optional gave them the out if they weren't good "test takers" but now that has led to lower performing college freshmen (hence the reversal at MIT and others based on this data).
3. Top kids who can afford it do shotgun applications to 20-30 schools

https://www.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2024/03/ad-hoc-committee-undergraduate-admission-031424.pdf

[Anonymous]

I think 30% of Princeton is legacy; however, only about 30 kids get an actual legacy bump (i.e., a tiebreaker between them and another student).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a very small percentage of their admitted class (2%)=30 kids
So the narrative that kids don't get in to Ivys because of high legacy rates is not really true.
Kids don't get in to the Ivys because

1. there is too much grade inflation at many high schools
2. test optional gave them the out if they weren't good "test takers" but now that has led to lower performing college freshmen (hence the reversal at MIT and others based on this data).
3. Top kids who can afford it do shotgun applications to 20-30 schools

https://www.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2024/03/ad-hoc-committee-undergraduate-admission-031424.pdf

Not quite! Here’s the relevant quote from the report:

Of the alumni children who are admitted, the overwhelming majority are admitted regardless of the legacy preference and before any tie-
breaker is considered. On average, the preference benefits fewer than 30 students per year, or less than two percent of admitted students.

That’s very carefully worded. Only 30 legacy students benefit from a “tiebreaker” situation. They do not say how many legacy students are admitted each year. And as long as legacy status is visible to AOs, it can’t be unseen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 30% of Princeton is legacy; however, only about 30 kids get an actual legacy bump (i.e., a tiebreaker between them and another student).

+1. My family knows too many legacies personally in the current freshman class for the number to be anywhere near 30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think 30% of Princeton is legacy; however, only about 30 kids get an actual legacy bump (i.e., a tiebreaker between them and another student).

+1. My family knows too many legacies personally in the current freshman class for the number to be anywhere near 30.

OMG, it's not 30 percent. It's more like 10 percent.

[Anonymous]

30% of legacies who apply are admitted. Not bad.

[Anonymous]

I think the 30 kids is the number that Princeton says were underqualified.

There are far more legacies that were qualified (whatever that means to Princeton) that were picked over other equally qualified kids because of their legacy status.

[Anonymous]

think the 30 kids is the number that Princeton says were underqualified.

There are far more legacies that were qualified (whatever that means to Princeton) that were picked over other equally qualified kids because of their legacy status.

I agree with this. I think 30 kids who otherwise would never have been admitted get in solely due to legacy (I know two). I think there are MANY other legacies that benefit from a bump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the 30 kids is the number that Princeton says were underqualified.

There are far more legacies that were qualified (whatever that means to Princeton) that were picked over other equally qualified kids because of their legacy status.

It says pretty clearly the 30 students are chosen as a TIE BREAKER. Imagine two identical profiles of students from the same high school- one is chosen over the other due to legacy. This happens for about 30 students.

[Anonymous]

"In any given year, the vast majority (around 70
percent) of legacy applicants are denied admission." But "Princeton University admissions has an acceptance rate of 6% and an early acceptance rate of 15.5%." (https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/princeton-university-2627/applying) So the legacy admit rate is 2 to 5 times as high as the overall rate. They say that's almost entirely because those applicants are more qualified. Could be true, but there's no way to know. Even if the admissions office is not consciously trying to give a bump, they might treat them differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the 30 kids is the number that Princeton says were underqualified.

There are far more legacies that were qualified (whatever that means to Princeton) that were picked over other equally qualified kids because of their legacy status.

It says pretty clearly the 30 students are chosen as a TIE BREAKER. Imagine two identical profiles of students from the same high school- one is chosen over the other due to legacy. This happens for about 30 students.

It's pretty clear that's what it is - I think

[Anonymous]

I have a legacy kid who will apply to colleges and is interested in Princeton. Kid is "qualified" in that he has the grades and scores, but not in the super-amazing-top-.00001% sense "qualified." He would apply early if he had a real chance of getting in but I don't know if it makes sense to waste the slot. I wish this were more clear

[Anonymous]

I'm quite sure that all or almost all of those 30 (as well as the other legacy admits) are smart, engaged students who can do the work. But there are thousands of other smart, engaged kids who can do the work and are rejected.

[Anonymous]

30 percent of legacies who apply are admitted. That is amazing and ridiculous at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of legacies who apply are admitted. That is amazing and ridiculous at the same time.

You have no idea how much Princeton parents typically push their kids. Add in a lot of money, every advantage in the world. I think what I read actually had grades and scores of legacy kids much higher than the average applicant and accepteed student