Reply to Harvard freshman survey insights for class of 2028

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][size=9] [/size][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Interesting that legacy kids actually had higher scores than non-legacy kids. [/quote]

nothing that 20 hours of private tutoring doesn't account for[/quote]

My son is a legacy. 36 ACT, top of class at highly competitive private, national awards in two areas, nice person with solid friendships and does a lot of community service out of interest and care.  People are already pretty explicitly stating that, if he gets in, it’s because he’s a legacy.  I just remind him that, if the worst thing about his college process is that people attribute his admission to legacy, he should be thankful and move on performing well and ignore anyone who is saying it to be insulting while also recognizing that legacy in fact does help.

Just to say not all legacies have extra tutoring (he took ACT once, no tutoring).  [/quote]

It sounds like he's a great kid who doesn't need legacy to get into a competitive school.

Wouldn't it better if he felt like he earned it, instead of being burdened with the feeling that he only got in because his mom went there?

I suspect a lot of bright kids would prefer to feel confident they got in on their own merits. "Legacy" is a loser hook and that's going to bother them as they go forward in life - unless they're shallow and status obsessed and don't have a lot of self worth. I really think legacy is more of a burden for smart kids. It's a psychological hit. [/quote]

If he gets in, he did earn it, look at his stats.  [/quote]

But not really, because so many rejected applicants have the same or better stats. [/quote]

Your jealousy is showing.[/quote]

DP. I don't think it's jealousy. If everyone has 1550s & 4.6s and one of those 1550 4.6s gets chosen out of a pool of 1550 4.6s that's not because they worked hard for that 1550 and 4.6. Maybe it's what got them into the race but it's not what got them to the finish line.[/quote]

DP. I don’t get the grudge against a very qualified applicant getting admitted. 
[/quote]

Because he relied on an unearned legacy hook.[/quote]

What do you mean “relied” on? I mean I know there is still consideration given among admissible candidates, but the stats looked like they would have been admissible to other T5s. And they were above most other students (at least test-wise).

[/quote]

If you support legacy admissions, you clearly do not support using tests alone.  All the other kids had to make themselves appealing with time consuming competitive ECs while the legacy has a test score.  Perhaps the legacy was also a world champion squash player but they still checked the legacy box and so they relief on the legacy boost to get in.[/quote]

It looks like the legacy kid mentioned above had worked on time consuming ECs and had top grades - it’s not like you know you’ll get in when you are in 9th grade and so just coast until you get to check a box. And so point was that assuming they were as qualified grade and EC-wise, it looks like the average test scores of legacies is higher on average. If they want to stop legacy, fine. But many will likely still get in, or will get in somewhere else in T10.

[/quote]

Yes any will still get in.  Many won't[/quote]

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