Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 07:20     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


That's not true at Harvard. The kids also need desirable ECs and leadership potential.


It's also not true at Princeton. No one knows why certain kids get in and others don't. We're a family with several Princeton grads - some of the kids did not get in (and had 1580+, A's + good ECs) and some got in (lower stats, but still good + exceptional ECs)


Were your kids asked if they are legacy during interview? or was that info already known by interviewer/ didn't matter for the interviewer (admissions had already reviewed application by that point)?
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 07:12     Subject: Princeton Legacy
HYP admissions officers have all said that at least 2/3rds of their applicants would be successful at their college. Some have said it's more like 80%.

They've also said we could throw away the entire pile of admitted students, enroll a whole new class from the leftover applications, and the class would be no worse.

So when people say that any hooked applicant whether alumni or athlete has to also be qualified .. yeah, but they are almost all qualified.

Alumni kid at Princeton helps quite a bit, although less than faculty kid or athlete at Princeton.
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 00:31     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


DD has a near perfect SAT on one early try, straight As from a strong school, and decent talent with awards, but the talent is in a very common area (music). Nobody is a predictable admit according to friends. I’m sure legacies have a slight edge but it’s not as big of a deal as people here make it out be. I have been surprised by the kids I’ve seen rejected, but of course, I didn’t get to read their applications. We’re currently visiting schools to figure out what DD likes, and I don’t think she should choose a school just because a parent went there. If it’s really the dream school, she’ll give scea a shot. If not, it’s fine.



My son went SCEA for Princeton aerospace engineering as a non-legacy but with faculty support. He waitlisted and deferred: a soft rejection. Is your DD’s instrument an unusual one that the band or orchestra could use
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 00:22     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


DD has a near perfect SAT on one early try, straight As from a strong school, and decent talent with awards, but the talent is in a very common area (music). Nobody is a predictable admit according to friends. I’m sure legacies have a slight edge but it’s not as big of a deal as people here make it out be. I have been surprised by the kids I’ve seen rejected, but of course, I didn’t get to read their applications. We’re currently visiting schools to figure out what DD likes, and I don’t think she should choose a school just because a parent went there. If it’s really the dream school, she’ll give scea a shot. If not, it’s fine.
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 00:12     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


That's not true at Harvard. The kids also need desirable ECs and leadership potential.


It's also not true at Princeton. No one knows why certain kids get in and others don't. We're a family with several Princeton grads - some of the kids did not get in (and had 1580+, A's + good ECs) and some got in (lower stats, but still good + exceptional ECs)


Princeton admissions has long been (for better and for worse) much like Willy Wonka’s golden tickets. It didn’t stop when Fred Hargadon retired.
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 00:06     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


That's not true at Harvard. The kids also need desirable ECs and leadership potential.


It's also not true at Princeton. No one knows why certain kids get in and others don't. We're a family with several Princeton grads - some of the kids did not get in (and had 1580+, A's + good ECs) and some got in (lower stats, but still good + exceptional ECs)
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:56     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


98% of legacy admits were 1400+

80% of legacy admits were 1500+

The admit rate is high (something like 30%), but that’s very misleading.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:56     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.


That's not true at Harvard. The kids also need desirable ECs and leadership potential.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:49     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.


In the past they asked: Will the kid graduate. If yes, admit. Now they ask, is the kid 1550+ and straight As at strong high school. If yes, admit. They don’t need to be exceptional in other ways.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:43     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Anonymous wrote:I just spoke yesterday with a Princeton grad whose so sons also attended. She said that you are correct about needing stellar scores to even make the legacy work but even that is no guarantee. I asked if you had to give 7 figures for a legacy to get into Harvard (my experience as a Harvard grad) and she said “no” - to the best of her knowledge big gifts weren’t required.


You are stating the obvious. Shouldn't it be "big gifts may/may not help".
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:43     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Princeton legacies have higher SAT scores and GPAs at Princeton than their non-legacy peers.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/07/princeton-legacy-senior-survey-frosh-survey-gpa-sat-act-career

My child is a legacy with very high scores and GPA, but we have been advised that the legacy status doesn't matter that much today, and she will select an SCEA or ED choice based on the school she actually favors.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:43     Subject: Princeton Legacy
If everyone at your school thinks you deserve to get into Princeton, and you apply ED, you probably will not get in. It’s just a statistical reality. If everyone in your school thinks you deserve to get into Princeton, you’re a legacy, and you apply ED…..you probably will get in.

The only questionable legacy admits there that I can recall were also athletic recruits
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:39     Subject: Princeton Legacy
I just spoke yesterday with a Princeton grad whose so sons also attended. She said that you are correct about needing stellar scores to even make the legacy work but even that is no guarantee. I asked if you had to give 7 figures for a legacy to get into Harvard (my experience as a Harvard grad) and she said “no” - to the best of her knowledge big gifts weren’t required.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:32     Subject: Princeton Legacy
When my dad applied to Princeton in the 1960s, a legacy would get in if they felt he was capable of graduating. Usually that meant the son went to a well known prep school, and the headmaster gave a thumbs up. When I applied in the ‘90s, it was honestly similar. Maybe replace “capable of graduating” with “on the curve.”

My sense is that today they expect legacy admits to be over 1500 with straight As at a top high school. The break they get is that they don’t need a compelling narrative.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 23:26     Subject: Princeton Legacy
Historically, legacy was a bigger tip at Princeton than many elite colleges. Does anyone have any evidence that things have changed? Really great legacy applicants getting rejected from DC area? Or, conversely, mediocre legacy applicants getting in.