Mixed feelings about legacy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem I have with OP's post is that she's all "aw shucks" about legacy when she's the first to say that the Ivies in question might not even be a good fit for her kid. And that means that she's willing to send her kid to a school that isn't even a fit only because of the name and because she thinks legacy status will get the kid in. And, to me at least, that's pathetic.

If, as she claims, he's qualified for a top school anyway, why not look for the right fit?

I am sorry I gave you this negative impression. To be clear, I do believe DC would be a good fit at either spouse’s or my alma maters. My concern is that somewhere else may be a *better* fit, yet ironically might be more difficult for DC to gain admittance there.

Then what the heck is your point or question, OP? Whether it's ok for your kid to apply to a college and click the legacy box? Just click the damn box on the Ivy application and also apply to the potentially better fit, and the kid can decide where to go once the acceptances/rejections come in. It's not an either/or proposition. Your kid is allowed to apply to more than one school you know.

By applying to one of our alma maters SCEA, DC would *not* be able to apply early to another school that may be a better fit. DC’s chances of being admitted to that other school would be lower without the early round advantage. On the other hand, if DC applies early to that other school, the chances of being admitted to one of our alma maters would be lowered significantly since the legacy bump counts most in the early round. The dilemma is whether DC should be more practical or less. Either way, all of us recognize how extremely difficult it is to get into any very selective university in this day and age.

PP here.

You and your family should make the choice that fits your family. If your moral/ethical stance is important to you, then don't take the preference. If just getting your DC into any good school (which includes your legacy school) then go ahead and take the benefits of the preference. How and why the preference works in your DC's case is interesting to kibbitz on, but at the end of the day, it's your decision.

I would be more practical. The system is bad, became worse in 2021 and will be just as bad or even worse in 2022. We're all just trying to get by.

[Anonymous]

The funny/screwed/ironic thing about this is that legacy status at one HYPS probably gives you an admissions advantage at the others. To prove that legacy admissions aren’t unfair, these schools often point to stats saying that they admit kids whose parents went to peer institutions at similar rates as they do the offspring of their own alumns. Which suggests they’re keeping score and it’s not just the already substantial cumulative advantages that kids from highly-educated disproportionately affluent families have in elite college admissions.

[Anonymous]

You need to be a consistent giver to get legacy status at most institutions.

[Anonymous]

I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

Because legacy kids are more likely to attend. Not disagreeing with you just attempting to answer your question. Not as bad as the full pay hook which is just rich kid privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

Because legacy kids are more likely to attend. Not disagreeing with you just attempting to answer your question. Not as bad as the full pay hook which is just rich kid privilege.

But what if you are Harvard and you have no problem with getting kids to attend? Their legacy bump is still huge. Or is that just legacies that donate $$$?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

1. You are right of course but
2. It ain't that big a bump, more of a push off the fence
3. Nothing about college admissions is "fair" nor should it be (besides "fair" being subjective).
4. Colleges know what they are doing and if they use it that's because it benefits them, and they should be allowed to
5. See #1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

Because legacy kids are more likely to attend. Not disagreeing with you just attempting to answer your question. Not as bad as the full pay hook which is just rich kid privilege.

But what if you are Harvard and you have no problem with getting kids to attend? Their legacy bump is still huge. Or is that just legacies that donate $$$?

It’s a good question and I don’t know the answer. There’s been research on this. Legacy is a massive bump, equivalent to a couple hundred SAT points, if memory serves (though it rarely does these days).

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me sick to my stomach.

Signed,
A first gen graduate

[Anonymous]

I would encourage the application. D did not want our legacy. It was an excellent fit for her, she ended up selecting a similar school but not legacy. I could kick myself everyday for not pushing it harder because it would have been a much better fit for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sick to my stomach.

Signed,
A first gen graduate

You might want to get a grip, drama queen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

Because legacy kids are more likely to attend. Not disagreeing with you just attempting to answer your question. Not as bad as the full pay hook which is just rich kid privilege.

But what if you are Harvard and you have no problem with getting kids to attend? Their legacy bump is still huge. Or is that just legacies that donate $$$?

It’s a good question and I don’t know the answer. There’s been research on this. Legacy is a massive bump, equivalent to a couple hundred SAT points, if memory serves (though it rarely does these days).

My guess, and I'm speculating here, is that the idea of legacy bump keeps alumni involved and giving. Even if it cannot be traced directly to dollars donated (i.e., some alums who are not donors will get their kids in and some fairly big donors will not), just the idea that their kids might have a better chance come admissions time probably lifts alum donations as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

1. You are right of course but
2. It ain't that big a bump, more of a push off the fence
3. Nothing about college admissions is "fair" nor should it be (besides "fair" being subjective).
4. Colleges know what they are doing and if they use it that's because it benefits them, and they should be allowed to
5. See #1

This. And yet, as a double HYP grad, I would be thrilled and not at all ashamed if it helped my kids get into one of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I despise legacy more than just about any other hook. Why should your kid get a bump for your college choice? It's bullshit. It's unfair. And deep down, you know it.

(And Ftr, my kid isn't even in HS yet. So no dog in this fight. Yet.)

How do you feel about first gen applicants? Their bump is going to affect your kid A LOT more.

[Anonymous]

You are missing the point entirely. I got in on my own, with no ones help. How will DC feel? Will they always wonder if they really deserved it, being there? Especially when they get there.