My son is a double legacy with a 1550 and a 4.0, plus strong extracurriculars. The REA was not a risk we were willing to take based on a lot of first hand experiences including actual stats of classmates kids over past few years. We decided to apply RD there this year while using ED1 (deferred), ED2 and EA at other schools and have already have some great T10 -20 options. From what we’ve seen, more than half of my classmates’ kids who applied REA or ED in past years, many with similar stats didn’t get in. One student with slightly lower scores was admitted but had a different kind of hook. The students who were accepted came through a mix of RD and EA, with no clear pattern.

Anonymous wrote:Would 1500 / 4.0uw / high rigor from strong public pass the bar for legacy SCEA? State-level awards, strong and somewhat unique arts/community/research ECs but nothing crazy special. Don’t want to waste an opportunity to ED elsewhere if no real chance.

1500 would be low - according to their most recent frosh survey, most legacy admits scored 1540+ with over 1/3 scoring 1560+

https://projects.dailyprincetonian.com/frosh-survey-2029/academics.html#testing

Anonymous wrote: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.

Exactly. I've noticed whenever there's a discussion about hooked applicants, there's always an assumption that hooked = unqualified. Not true. It's about getting your (qualified) applicant chosen from a vast sea of qualified applicants.

Anonymous wrote:Would 1500 / 4.0uw / high rigor from strong public pass the bar for legacy SCEA? State-level awards, strong and somewhat unique arts/community/research ECs but nothing crazy special. Don’t want to waste an opportunity to ED elsewhere if no real chance.

Yes, it would pass the bar, legacy or not legacy. But more importantly, does your DC fit what Princeton is looking for? Take a look at the supplemental essays. If you can craft a compelling app then go for it. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:I think sibling legacy is quite strong there. My older daughter got in, and her two younger siblings were subsequently admitted. One attended, the other did not. We are completely unhooked

Yes, Princeton is very big on families and tradition, which is great. But we do know many siblings that did not get in (and also know families where all siblings attended).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Princeton graduate. My understanding is that legacy status for Princeton matters only for Early Decision applications. And does matter for those.

I’m also a Princeton grad. And I’ve never heard anyone say that. Do you have a source you can cite for your “understanding.”

Not PP but I think a rule like this makes sense. I don’t oppose some legacy bump for entirely qualified kids who really want to go to the school — which they can show by applying ED or REA or whatever that school has. If they just want to see if they get in or are trophy hunting, no legacy bump.

I know a mom friend told me that one school is pretty explicit about this — maybe Vanderbilt? Or BC? Can’t recall.

I think sibling legacy is quite strong there. My older daughter got in, and her two younger siblings were subsequently admitted. One attended, the other did not. We are completely unhooked

Anonymous wrote:Would 1500 / 4.0uw / high rigor from strong public pass the bar for legacy SCEA? State-level awards, strong and somewhat unique arts/community/research ECs but nothing crazy special. Don’t want to waste an opportunity to ED elsewhere if no real chance.

There is no ED. SCEA is not binding.

Would 1500 / 4.0uw / high rigor from strong public pass the bar for legacy SCEA? State-level awards, strong and somewhat unique arts/community/research ECs but nothing crazy special. Don’t want to waste an opportunity to ED elsewhere if no real chance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1470 tho..

That's my point. You have to have the stats. If you pass that threshold, then maybe, legacy can give you a bump. But it won't make up for missing points on your GPA or SATs

It all depends. 1470 with a compelling application could get you in (think talent, international awards, etc), but then it wasn't really the legacy that got you in. Among three Princeton siblings and their network of friends from the 90s/2000s, none of the kids have been accepted so far (some double legacies, private school, full pay, etc.)

Anonymous wrote:1470 tho..

That's my point. You have to have the stats. If you pass that threshold, then maybe, legacy can give you a bump. But it won't make up for missing points on your GPA or SATs

Friend’s kid got in SCEA. She’s a URM legacy with high stats, but mid ECs, no awards etc from a well known private school (not in an overrepresented geographic area)

Anonymous wrote:

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)?

At least with respect to Harvard, interviewer does not know if kid is a legacy, the only hook they may be aware of is athletic recruit, and those kids rarely get an alumni interview.

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.

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.

If you filter out the athletes and questbridge and URM students I think those numbers shift dramatically.

Anonymous wrote:Alum here. With multiple
Other family members who were also alums.

DD applied last year and was rejected. 1470 and 4.35 W at competitive private. Higest rigor. Another double legacy with similar stats and rigor was also rejected. Three other kids with better stats got in.

Legacy isn't enough anymore. You need the grades and the SAT. And/or athletic recruit/FGLI.

Or Maybe if your granddad is friends with the President.... that might still work.

Even the "feeder" schools are no longer a guarantee.

Overall, I'm happy she's at a different school. I was miserable there. She's VERY happy at a different school.

Yes, because only 3% of students get accepted, being a legacy (unless you're extremely wealthy or child of a bold faced name, recruited athlete etc), isn't enough. That doesn't mean that being a legacy, and that legacy students don't have higher admittance rates than non-legacy students.