Is any legacy status sufficient?

[Anonymous]

One day when DC grows up and applies to college will DC have an advantage just because either I or DH went to said school? Or only if we donated money? If we need to donate money, then how much for how long prior to applications?

[Anonymous]

I would think this would depend on the individual school...? How desperate/ overrun they are at that particular time?

[Anonymous]

It does depend on the school. Some schools give legacy preference (although it's not going to overcome disastrous grades and SAT scores). Most are quite honest about it. If you don't know whether your school does, then just go on-line and look at the current application. If it asks the legacy question, then they probably do take it into account.

Just having attended is enough if it is a school that takes it into account. The school will be making tough decisions about lots of candidates, so it's not a get into school freee card. I think like any decision these committees make, they may look at your DC's application harder if you have been a steady OR large donor (not and, although both would help they like steady donors, too) or have done a lot of volunteering for the school. DC will get whatever the "basic" preference is, though, just by your having gone there.

For the entering class at my college this year, 11% of the class are legacy students. It's not a free pass, so it doesn't surprise me that the kids of people who went to the college are accomplished because going there probably helped make the parents accomplished, thereby helping them ensure accomplished kids.

[Anonymous]

P.S. 18:44 here agin. I forgot to mention that I read earlier this year that some schools are doing away with the legacy preference on the theory that it is "elitist", although I think some schools will always retain it. I'm hoping mine does!

[Anonymous]

I can tell you from experience: I am a daughter of a Yale grad who has never given a lot of money. I was in the top 25% (B+/A- average, 1350 SATs) at one of the top private schools in the country. Lot of extracurriculars. Didn't get in. I was one of about 20 kids in my class to apply. The only ones who got in played Squash. Same stats from a public school in the midwest and I probably would have gotten in. So the answer is, depends.

[Anonymous]

If you think about it, these schools could probably fill an entire class with legacies but they don't want to do that. It may help some. Think about the pressure you might put on your child to get into your old school. I've seen the effect of that kind of pressure on kids and it isn't pretty. I went to Princeton and when my DC raise the idea that he should go there too I told him that it was my school, but he would find his own school and there are many, many terrific colleges in this country to choose from.

[Anonymous]

To 19:39- I don't know any legacies anywhere that got into Yale with those stats in the last 20 years. Don't mean to be rude (my stats are similar to yours), just want to make the point that even a legacy needs at least a 3.7 unweighted, 1450-1500 to get into Yale undergrad.

[Anonymous]

Squash! I totally forgot about squash. all things being equal, you really do need your kids to play squash.

[Anonymous]

Really it is ice hockey if you want your kids to get into ivy league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 19:39- I don't know any legacies anywhere that got into Yale with those stats in the last 20 years. Don't mean to be rude (my stats are similar to yours), just want to make the point that even a legacy needs at least a 3.7 unweighted, 1450-1500 to get into Yale undergrad.

My understanding is that legacy status gives you a boost if they are deciding between otherwise qualified candidates. If your kid doesn't have the grades and SAT scores for admission, legacy status is not going to help. If we are talking about the Ivies or the most highly-ranked liberal arts schools and engineering schools, these places get way more applications from kids who meet the basic admissions criteria than they can possibly accept.

[Anonymous]

At highly competitive schools, I don't think it matters unless you are a long-time donor, and even then, as PP says, your child's record must be comparable to that of other accepted applicants.

[Anonymous]

Between her parents and stepparent, undergrad and grad school, my child is a legacy at three Ivies, Stanford, and G-Town, and I am raising her to understand that she must get accepted to any school on her own merits (atlthogh she has the obvious advantage of being raised by educated, involved parents who can afford to give her the primary/secondary education that will prepare her well for college). Even though my child stands to benefit from legacy status, I would gladly do away with that system of preferences, or at least steer her toward schools where she would have to compete on an even playing field. There's no school that's good enough to be worth denying my child the lesson to be learned from earning, trying, even failing, without piggybacking on mom's record.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a daughter of a Yale grad who has never given a lot of money. I was in the top 25% (B+/A- average, 1350 SATs) at one of the top private schools in the country.

If I understand this correctly, a top private school where the top 25% has 1350 SAT score?
From what I hear public schools are doing better than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a daughter of a Yale grad who has never given a lot of money. I was in the top 25% (B+/A- average, 1350 SATs) at one of the top private schools in the country.

If I understand this correctly, a top private school where the top 25% has 1350 SAT score?
From what I hear public schools are doing better than that.

SATs have changed. 1350 before 1994 is much better than a 1350 now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you from experience: I am a daughter of a Yale grad who has never given a lot of money. I was in the top 25% (B+/A- average, 1350 SATs) at one of the top private schools in the country. Lot of extracurriculars. Didn't get in. I was one of about 20 kids in my class to apply. The only ones who got in played Squash. Same stats from a public school in the midwest and I probably would have gotten in. So the answer is, depends.

No, kids with B+ averages from public schools in the midwest and respectable but not impressive test scores don't routinely get into Yale even if their parents are alums. (Unless, maybe, such kids are national Squash champions, LOL!)