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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?"

Lmao. I promise you, it’s not.

[Anonymous]

Why should it matter? (Serious question)

Do you think they should be impressed? Or feeling like you must be of incredible character? Or that you must have money? Obviously you're not obsessed with the place or they'd know about you by now.

Genuinely wondering what you expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should it matter? (Serious question)

Do you think they should be impressed? Or feeling like you must be of incredible character? Or that you must have money? Obviously you're not obsessed with the place or they'd know about you by now.

Genuinely wondering what you expect.

Not OP, but I think they are just thinking it could be seen as odd that it is not mentioned. Seems like a legit concern, but since the kid is applying ED, it doesn't seem like something overwhelmingly negative. Just possibly odd.

My advice-- leave it to your kid. If the kid honestly wants to include it because it honestly is part of the reason that they want to attend, it seems fine to mention it. I don't think it will seem pretentious because the interest is honestly backed up by the ED application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should it matter? (Serious question)

Do you think they should be impressed? Or feeling like you must be of incredible character? Or that you must have money? Obviously you're not obsessed with the place or they'd know about you by now.

Genuinely wondering what you expect.

Not OP, but I think they are just thinking it could be seen as odd that it is not mentioned. Seems like a legit concern, but since the kid is applying ED, it doesn't seem like something overwhelmingly negative. Just possibly odd.

My advice-- leave it to your kid. If the kid honestly wants to include it because it honestly is part of the reason that they want to attend, it seems fine to mention it. I don't think it will seem pretentious because the interest is honestly backed up by the ED application.

I think it is more odd to mention it, unless perhaps the kid did the historical and genealogical research on their own, learned something special about this relative, and wishes to discuss that in an essay.

[Anonymous]

This is something best done in person during your college visit. If you do it right, the admissions office will be amused and they will remember the name and look for the app. If you just put it in the app, it will be an annoyance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I am a descendant of the sister of Nikola Tesla's mother! My kids put nothing on their college application about that! Nor did I. I can probably even prove it.
Man, how dumb was I not to milk that connection! Or maybe they would have just sent me a pigeon instead of a rejection letter?

Which university did she found? That might have been worth mentioning since back then it would have been very unusual for a woman to be involved with the founding of a university. An essay about the example your ancestor set for being a strong woman might catch the eye of an admissions officer at that university.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if it's Vanderbilt?

I'm sure there must have been times when Vanderbilt received applications from kids with the last name Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would find a way to wryly address it.

"According to family lore, I am distantly related to John Harvard. But I'm trying to stay humble and apply the old-fashioned way."

Again, unless there is conclusive evidence that this person is a direct descendant, in which case you state it outright.
Sorry for insisting, but such situations do exist. I have documentation about my family line that goes back a thousand years, thanks to an enterprising great-grandfather who was a historian and genealogist.

First, even if the documentation is accurate, do you think that will buy you extra consideration in the admissions process?

Second, if you supplied that documentation, I'd be greatly concerned that the admissions committee would think you a giant d-bag (with some justification).

[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?!

That's not accurate, though.

[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?

Do you actually believe that the university would actively track all of the founder’s descendants?

[Anonymous]

We’ll be sure to get your facts right first! John Harvard didn’t found Harvard. The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony did in 1636. It was to be a training college for clergy. The Rev John HArvard was just an instructor

[Anonymous]

Better to claim Native American status. If further questions are asked, attribute it to family lore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better to claim Native American status. If further questions are asked, attribute it to family lore.

Native American status requires tribal ID# for consideration. So, no.

[Anonymous]

I would assume you had a lot of family history with the college and they would already know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Indeed.