Husband doesn’t want to donate to my alma mater

[Anonymous]

I am an Ivy alum and started donating small amounts (like $250) when dc was 4. Every year increased amount. She applied ED, was deferred then accepted. Did my donations help? I can tell you she would never have gotten in if not legacy, only bc her yr at her school only legacies and URMs were accepted. All the legacy kids had parents who consistently donated (but no buildings named). Just anecdotal but fyi.

However, applicant MUST be competitive (3.9+, 1500+, etc.).

Also, I don't believe at all that admissions office is unaware of donating alums. Of course this could change in the next decade.

As a Brown alum, I can't imagine you can't donate from your own income sources. It can't hurt. It also leads to invites, opportunities for involvement and interesting events, which I have really enjoyed.

[Anonymous]

If you want to donate, then donate an amount you both can agree on. However, don’t expect your giving to move the needle too much, unless you will be a significant donor.

Also, a lot can change in the next 4 years.

[Anonymous]

You're confusing Development with Legacy.

- Development -

If you want to buy your way in, you need at least a 10M donation, AND a relationship with a Board member. Yes, that sort of relationship can be started and sustained by regular donations, BUT you need to make yourself known to the Development Office and signal your intent to donate large sums, and find a way to meet and foster a relationship with important people on the Board.

If you donate small change every year, you will remain entirely meaningless to the admissions officers and it's all going to be money down the drain.

- Legacy -

No one knows which Ivy League and assimilated will continue to give preference to alumni kids in the future, but right now, the mere fact that your child has a parent who attended this school at the undergrad level will give them a small boost, in the following scenario: all other factors being equal (grades, test scores, extra-curricular achievements, essays, etc), the one who gets in will be a legacy kid. Since there are more high-achieving kids than there are seats, this is not negligible.

Even if you donate ZERO, your child still gets that small consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

Legacy may be gone from Brown in the next 10 years. Give if you don't miss the money and love your institution. But don't count on legacy still being there in a decade. Things can change in a few years much less 10.

Just because Stanford is holding onto legacy, I don't think you can count on Brown doing so despite the unpopularity of it. Stanford has ridiculously wealthy alum (like dropping donations in the millions is chump change) so they make a boatload in alum donations. Not sure if Brown alums will put the same pressure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

Legacy may be gone from Brown in the next 10 years. Give if you don't miss the money and love your institution. But don't count on legacy still being there in a decade. Things can change in a few years much less 10.

Just because Stanford is holding onto legacy, I don't think you can count on Brown doing so despite the unpopularity of it. Stanford has ridiculously wealthy alum (like dropping donations in the millions is chump change) so they make a boatload in alum donations. Not sure if Brown alums will put the same pressure

Also, Amherst claims not to consider legacy but there is still a box to check on the application if you are one. I doubt there is zero consideration, or why include that info?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

OMG do you not read the news.

Your kid is 7 there will be no college by the time they get there.

You are wasting your money.

Team DH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an Ivy alum and started donating small amounts (like $250) when dc was 4. Every year increased amount. She applied ED, was deferred then accepted. Did my donations help? I can tell you she would never have gotten in if not legacy, only bc her yr at her school only legacies and URMs were accepted. All the legacy kids had parents who consistently donated (but no buildings named). Just anecdotal but fyi.

However, applicant MUST be competitive (3.9+, 1500+, etc.).

Also, I don't believe at all that admissions office is unaware of donating alums. Of course this could change in the next decade.

As a Brown alum, I can't imagine you can't donate from your own income sources. It can't hurt. It also leads to invites, opportunities for involvement and interesting events, which I have really enjoyed.

I’m gonna barf. But before I do I have to ask: how the hell do you know that “all” the legacy kids donated? Even if you’re talking just about your own school? How many kids are you talking about exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

for our ivy regular yearly donations tick the engaged-alumni box as does volunteering with the local alum group. plus donations help financial aid kids.

[Anonymous]

Spouse is an alum, we've given tens of thousands over the years (not quite $100,000 total), and spouse does applicant interviews. Our child (National Merit Scholar, 4.81 GPA, tons of ECs and leadership, Varsity sport, summer job starting at 15 with increased responsibility), received a WL that they never got off of. I considered it a courtesy WL offer, and told kids 2 and 3 not to bother applying. And no, we don't donate any more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an Ivy alum and started donating small amounts (like $250) when dc was 4. Every year increased amount. She applied ED, was deferred then accepted. Did my donations help? I can tell you she would never have gotten in if not legacy, only bc her yr at her school only legacies and URMs were accepted. All the legacy kids had parents who consistently donated (but no buildings named). Just anecdotal but fyi.

However, applicant MUST be competitive (3.9+, 1500+, etc.).

Also, I don't believe at all that admissions office is unaware of donating alums. Of course this could change in the next decade.

As a Brown alum, I can't imagine you can't donate from your own income sources. It can't hurt. It also leads to invites, opportunities for involvement and interesting events, which I have really enjoyed.

100% true at our ivy too. one kid ED there and got in, only another legacy and one urm got in that year. other kid did not ED anywhere but was top top everything and got in RD and other T10 but picked a different ivy for fit/program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

Legacy may be gone from Brown in the next 10 years. Give if you don't miss the money and love your institution. But don't count on legacy still being there in a decade. Things can change in a few years much less 10.

Just because Stanford is holding onto legacy, I don't think you can count on Brown doing so despite the unpopularity of it. Stanford has ridiculously wealthy alum (like dropping donations in the millions is chump change) so they make a boatload in alum donations. Not sure if Brown alums will put the same pressure

Also, Amherst claims not to consider legacy but there is still a box to check on the application if you are one. I doubt there is zero consideration, or why include that info?

it’s info tracking. similar to being asked for race

[Anonymous]

donation wont make a difference unless it is mid to high 7 figs. your husband is under no obligation to donate to brown nor is it likely to make a difference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Brown alum and DH went to Amherst. We are UMC and have a very bright 7 yo. DH’s alma mater has ended legacy admissions but mine hasn’t, and while I have given off and on in the past I was thinking it would make sense to make sure we’re making an annual donation to my school to help give DC a leg up in case he wants to apply someday. DH is dead set against this and thinks I am being ridiculous. I freely admit that I probably am, I just wouldn’t want to have not done something that could have helped DC. Thoughts?

You people are insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spouse is an alum, we've given tens of thousands over the years (not quite $100,000 total), and spouse does applicant interviews. Our child (National Merit Scholar, 4.81 GPA, tons of ECs and leadership, Varsity sport, summer job starting at 15 with increased responsibility), received a WL that they never got off of. I considered it a courtesy WL offer, and told kids 2 and 3 not to bother applying. And no, we don't donate any more

That tracks with what I've been seeing as an alumni interviewer. The legacy kids I've seen admitted have been URM, recruited athletes, have significant national/international awards, and/or have very prominent parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spouse is an alum, we've given tens of thousands over the years (not quite $100,000 total), and spouse does applicant interviews. Our child (National Merit Scholar, 4.81 GPA, tons of ECs and leadership, Varsity sport, summer job starting at 15 with increased responsibility), received a WL that they never got off of. I considered it a courtesy WL offer, and told kids 2 and 3 not to bother applying. And no, we don't donate any more

What school?