A descendant of the university's founder...do you say something or do they already know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, if it even mattered, that relationship should have paid off even before you (your DC) having to tell the admissions officer of it.

OP here. You've kinda nailed how we are feeling. We don't live in the city where the university is and neither parent attended. We are not in any way part of the fabric of the school unlike how we are active members in our own college alumni associations. So we don't really have any connection other than this interesting factoid. So, rather than it being like a Kennedy applying to the Kennedy School of Government (no explanation necessary, everyone knows), it is more akin to having the last name Carnegie (but not the money). An unusual enough name that maybe an admissions officer at CMU would raise an eyebrow and do enough research to see that, hey, yes, this kid is related to our founder and, well, why didn't you say so? Trying to figure out how to navigate those waters.

Either you want to use it as a hook or you don't. If you don't no need to worry about it, the admissions officer won't care or possibly notice if you are a distant relative of Carnegie and certainly won't see it as an oversight if you didn't mention it. If you do want to use it as a hook then hopefully the school has a why CMU question, or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a space on the application form to list of any of your family members were alumni. Put it there.

Of course! Can you tell we are college app newbies?!

[Anonymous]

Ultimate legacy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if you were otherwise a nobody but your last name was Harvard, Penn, or Jefferson and you were a descendant of that John Harvard, William Penn or Thomas Jefferson. Do you acknowledge in your application? Do you assume they know? If you don't say something and they do know, is that weird?

What a sad question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a space on the application form to list of any of your family members were alumni. Put it there.

Of course! Can you tell we are college app newbies?!

I think that varies by school. Some will ask if a sibling or parent attended, others will ask about any family member, and others won't ask.

[Anonymous]

I would acknowledge there is interest because of the connection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op back. It is not one of the three I used as examples. It is completely verifiable without much effort. DC has a 4.0 UW GPA and 35 ACT, etc, etc. Interest in the university is genuine and academic in nature, unrelated to being a descendant. The university will be DC's ED choice. DC's first thought was to not acknowledge but is that weird?

The weirdest thing is that you haven't had any contact with the school prior to this. Almost everyone I know who is a descendant has had contact through their own activities or that of their parents and grandparents. The school reached out and the descendants have been supporters through financial contributions and attendance at events. I think it is hard to prove sustained interest as a descendant if you haven't maintained contact with the school.

[Anonymous]

Unless you are related to Brigham Young, in which case, there is a whole other slate of issues the Mormans would want of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are true descendant, perhaps you can work it into one of your essays and make it a reason why it's this uni and not any other. But you also need sufficiently high scores and grades.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are true descendant, perhaps you can work it into one of your essays and make it a reason why it's this uni and not any other. But you also need sufficiently high scores and grades.

This. It's a terrific answer to "Why Harvard?"

[Anonymous]

I know someone who did let a school know that they were a descendant of a founder and, unfortunately, it did not help at all. They were in the same situation where it was a few generations back and they had had minimal contact with the school.

[Anonymous]

Check if the founder had set up a professorship or fund for students. If yes, bring up the connection.

[Anonymous]

White privilege on steroids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White privilege on steroids?

+1. Basically, you're hoping for "blood right" admission into the university, which is pretty disgusting. The university itself is not important to your family, since you aren't alum. You don't live nearby. And it seems like you really have very little connection to the institution aside from genetic ties. Your child seems like a strong candidate. I would allow her to mention it during an interview, but not in the application. The principle you are playing with here is the same as eugenics--we share the same genes, so we are superior candidates.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is any kind of hook.

If you could trace your ancestry to a slave who built the college you'd have a better chance, actually.