How much does legacy help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still matters at some schools but definitely getting to be less and less.

We had a strong legacy candidate (stronger on paper than you describe) denied at Hopkins

Hopkins doesn’t give a legacy preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stats is not everything. There are two additional components that are important: essays and recommendations. High stats kids got rejected every year due to weak essays or weak recommendations. Lower stats kids got in over higher stats because of strong essays and recommendations. Rather than worrying about legacy, I would work on the things you can control.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still matters at some schools but definitely getting to be less and less.

We had a strong legacy candidate (stronger on paper than you describe) denied at Hopkins

Hopkins doesn’t give a legacy preference.

Thus one point to add: If OP is worrying about legacy competition, DC can apply to schools that don't have legacy preference, CalTech, Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Georgia Tech. There must be more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think legacy matters at Harvard

just to be clear: legacy is undergrad only. no bump if you went to YLS or HBS

sibling and grandparent undergrad legacy matters more to Harvard than parent grad legacy.

first it's parent undergrad
then sibling/granparent
no bump at all for grad


I also think Princeton and yale care about CURRENT sibling in the college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

Interesting. Approx how many kids is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

Same. I know 4 kids at Cornell. All legacy.

[Anonymous]

Michigan doesn’t consider legacy, but it sure seems to be a boost at our DMV school.

[Anonymous]

Neither of my kids got into Brown as legacies. They each got into other similarly competitive schools… And they both were ED to Brown! Luckily it all worked out …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

Same. I know 4 kids at Cornell. All legacy.

IRL, I know several legacy kids from class of 25 who will be attending. Since this anonymous, I was hoping here to get a bigger picture of admitted vs deferred/rejected. Parents don’t post on IG when their kids get rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think legacy matters at Harvard

just to be clear: legacy is undergrad only. no bump if you went to YLS or HBS

I also think Princeton and yale care about CURRENT sibling in the college.

very little feedback or discussion about sibling boost on DCUM, and never highlighted by schools

from what i’ve heard anecdotally as a counselor, for the T25 the only schools where this provides a meaningful bump are Princeton, Duke, Cornell and Vanderbilt - with the latter two significantly helping - like go directly into a different pile for review type help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

Same. A kid at our kids' school got into and attends Cornell. Her GPA was not the best (~top 25% of mid-sized public school), SAT score below 1400 (went TO) and had no stand-out ECs. She got deferred ED and then accepted RD. Did not get into state flagship, BU, BC or NYU and was looking at the next lower level of state schools. The legacy helped a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

IDK but I went to one of these schools, and the admits these days are just out of this world. We alums are always commenting on how we wouldn't stand a chance ourselves these days...

My kids didn't actually end up applying, so I can't say personally. But I do see a lot of comments in my alum group from alums whose kids didn't get in... and a few who did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neither of my kids got into Brown as legacies. They each got into other similarly competitive schools… And they both were ED to Brown! Luckily it all worked out …

I know several legacies at Brown now - the younger one was obviously a legacy and a sibling. I believe both were ED. And I know another Brown legacy who I believe got in regular decision off the wait list - they were all set to go to their very good flagship state university - not sure if they applied ED or not.

Someone mentioned Michigan above. Do they give any legacy bump? Parent? Grandparent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is “high stats” from a strong private school (stats fall within the 25-75th percentile for top colleges). DC is also a legacy at one of said ridiculously selective colleges (think, HYPS).

But…DC has very average ECs. Their not going to be an athletic recruit, nor will they have national recognition in anything (excluding possibly NMSF). It’s obviously too late to have put a violin in their hand at age 3, and DC will never write a novel.

If you were in the same boat, can you give your honest take on how much legacy status helped? We are not a “development case,” but have donated modest amounts since college graduation.

It could help for others to respond to you if you can include your kid's high stats/#s here to understand what exactly high stats are since "many" kids are "high stats"

OP here: school does not rank, but told by outside counselor that their GPA puts my child in the top 5% of class (over 3.9 GPA UW). Highest rigor and advanced in one subject. Don’t want to write more because it might be clear who my kid is. SAT is 1550+.

Basically, my kid is doing everything they can to stand out at school. They just do not have objectively impressive ECs.

Legacy is not your competition. As others have pointed out, other hooks at your school are your competition. Does your school have many URM, FG, LI ? Athletes?

The question you asked is very general. Your kid is only evaluated in the context of your school. Does your school send kids without impressive ECs to colleges? The majority of private schools do with great results, but the question is does your school do?

So DC does have another “hook” according to this criteria, and I believe that my kid will stand out in the context of the school. They just won’t win the EC arms race.

Thanks for responses. This is helpful. Obviously my kid will apply broadly and try to work on their squash skills over the next year. (I wish I were kidding).

Your kid is the same as mine (even down to the squash). If it is a boy, squash is useless unless they are a true superstar - look at the rosters - half the boy squash players are international. My kid started playing squash and everyone said "oh, that will get him into a great school" - the secret is out - it is useless unless you are truly, truly elite (again, particularly for boys - many more domestic girl spots).

That being said, based on what you have said, I would not give up hope. The vast majority of kids at HYPS have a hook, be it an XC, minority, poor, etc. But they do hold some spots for really smart, well-rounded but not pointy kids, and being a legacy could help them to stand out in this group.

This is another case of you having hurt your kid by doing too well. If you had gone to a really good but not TT school like Emory or even possibly Cornell, your kid would be guaranteed to get in as a legacy with that profile. But by going to the top of the top, it might not be possible. Again, my kid is the same - spouse and I are too credentialed for our own good and though we have been consistently donating and helping out, it is not nearly enough.

Anyone have any insights about Cornell legacy ED applicants for class of 25? I only know one side of the story - the legacy kids who were admitted and are attending. I don’t have a feel for the legacy kids who applied and were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.

My kid has great, but not perfect stats, and mediocre ECs. Debating if they should waste an ED. Scoir data is mixed and doesn’t indicate legacy status.

Every single legacy kid I know of at Cornell who applied ED was accepted. And they are very honest that legacy is only a boost in ED.

Same. I know 4 kids at Cornell. All legacy.

Princeton- every single kid I know is:

Legacy, recruited athlete or ROTC. Period.

Zero unhooked.