Is third generation legacy a thing?

[Anonymous]

DS is getting ready to apply to college and although he doesn't have any interest in DH's alma mater (and I went to a wc), he is applying to schools attend by 3/4 of his grandparents.
They are all competitive schools so obviously nobody would expect he would get in on it, but is there any significance of legacy with grandparents?
They have all remained donating and active alum for 45+ years but not like "Oh that building's named for my grandfather." I would imagine it means less than parental alums (to the extent that matters today), but what's it worth?

[Anonymous]

It depends on which schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on which schools

UChicago, Duke, and Wash U

[Anonymous]

So 1 grandparent went to each school, not 3 gparents at one college. I really don’t think that will provide much if any weight. Frankly I don’t think a parent having attended does either.

[Anonymous]

No it isn't.

[Anonymous]

What about if the grandparent was a professor? This isn't a super competitive school.

[Anonymous]

He's not really 3rd generation if his parents didn't go. My grandfather went to a school, my Dad went to that I went to... that might help a little but I doubt it so our child would be 4th generation.

[Anonymous]

We got extra scholarship $$ fir an uncle..

[Anonymous]

The app asks if the applicant's parents or siblings attend or graduated from the college.

[Anonymous]

Are any of them big donors? That really helps.

Past attendees are cross referenced in the donor database and flagged. Big donors = special consideration, just like with most things in life. Even moderate donors who had a relative applying still got a flag on the file. Alumni tend to be less generous when their offspring (especially grandkids) don't get into their alma maters.

[Anonymous]

NP - Does it help if both a grandparent and parent went there but are minor, though regular, donors?