Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 12:00     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
I find the "assuming they're qualified on their own merits' thing a thin argument.

Admissions Deans at T10 schools regularly say, most of our pool is qualified. Or, we could throw out the admitted class and reenroll a new class 3 times over and not drop in quality. Etc

So for every hooked kid - athlete, legacy, URM, etc - it's about the feather on the scale.

My kids are at a top feeder in NYC and every kid at Princeton and Dartmouth and Harvard this year and last were questbridge, legacy, URM, mega donor, celeb or athlete.

I can think of one at Yale who was just cracked, but others all hooked.

You really need to move away from HYP and Dartmouth if unhooked. Our counselors are pretty clear about this. Brown, Cornell, Penn, MIT, Stanford .. all more willing to take an unhooked.

Move down to ND (who love legacy), BC, Georgetown, Emory, Vandy, JHU . much easier .. you need to start considering the ED play around this level
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 11:57     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lee Coffin, Dean of Admissions for Dartmouth, says on his podcast The Admissions Beat that legacy is not a thumb on the scale, but is a "feather on the scale." So, basically, a tie breaker. I believe it's a tiebreaker at Princeton also, because they have said previously that legacy only "mattered" to a small number of kids (I think they said maybe 33 or something like that, don't quote me).

My legacy kid got into an Ivy where we donate small amounts, but was rejected to a lower tier college (DH's alma mater) where we donated zero, so I do think (from a data point of 1) that giving something - even if small - for at least a few years does matter.

Finally, my legacy kid wanted to shoot for HYPMS and was rejected early, but still got into my legacy school RD, so I don't think it's essential that they apply early, but that's what we were told by many people. I know someone who applied early to their parent's legacy school and got in early, but I think they sort of felt like they *had* to apply early there or would have "no chance" at it.


Stanford, my alma mater, also calls it a feather on the scale. When there are so many highly qualified applicants vying for so few spots, however, I’m sure that feather can feel like a thumb.


Hmm. The last four admits I know to Stanford were all legacies. But that is just my personal experience, of course.


That’s why I said it feels like a thumb. It is quite an advantage.


You are choosing to inflate the importance of legacy, even with AO's and alumni saying it really isn't that much of an advantage.
None of the Ivy legacies at my kid's school got in last year, FWIW, but you will probably discount that data point.
It's just not the "thing" people think it is.


+1 It just makes people feel better about their own kid's rejection to blame it on the legacies
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 11:52     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Any luck with Princeton?
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 11:52     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Show me ONE poster who said - "my kid didn't really have the stats to be considered for admission, but they got in anyway!" - you can't there are none. Every single admit had the stats to be considered on their own merit.

If unfair legacy admission was a thing, there would already have been a Supreme Court decision on the fairness of it.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 11:44     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lee Coffin, Dean of Admissions for Dartmouth, says on his podcast The Admissions Beat that legacy is not a thumb on the scale, but is a "feather on the scale." So, basically, a tie breaker. I believe it's a tiebreaker at Princeton also, because they have said previously that legacy only "mattered" to a small number of kids (I think they said maybe 33 or something like that, don't quote me).

My legacy kid got into an Ivy where we donate small amounts, but was rejected to a lower tier college (DH's alma mater) where we donated zero, so I do think (from a data point of 1) that giving something - even if small - for at least a few years does matter.

Finally, my legacy kid wanted to shoot for HYPMS and was rejected early, but still got into my legacy school RD, so I don't think it's essential that they apply early, but that's what we were told by many people. I know someone who applied early to their parent's legacy school and got in early, but I think they sort of felt like they *had* to apply early there or would have "no chance" at it.


Stanford, my alma mater, also calls it a feather on the scale. When there are so many highly qualified applicants vying for so few spots, however, I’m sure that feather can feel like a thumb.


Hmm. The last four admits I know to Stanford were all legacies. But that is just my personal experience, of course.


That’s why I said it feels like a thumb. It is quite an advantage.


You are choosing to inflate the importance of legacy, even with AO's and alumni saying it really isn't that much of an advantage.
None of the Ivy legacies at my kid's school got in last year, FWIW, but you will probably discount that data point.
It's just not the "thing" people think it is.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 10:56     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Personally, I have never seen anyone admitted to Harvard from our school had nothing national. Hard cores as IMO, JMO. Soft skills as Coca scholar. Not to mention many Phy/Bio/Chem national medalists. Even FGLI from our school had national instrument awards. But, no, I didn't know whether they were legacies or not.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 10:37     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lee Coffin, Dean of Admissions for Dartmouth, says on his podcast The Admissions Beat that legacy is not a thumb on the scale, but is a "feather on the scale." So, basically, a tie breaker. I believe it's a tiebreaker at Princeton also, because they have said previously that legacy only "mattered" to a small number of kids (I think they said maybe 33 or something like that, don't quote me).

My legacy kid got into an Ivy where we donate small amounts, but was rejected to a lower tier college (DH's alma mater) where we donated zero, so I do think (from a data point of 1) that giving something - even if small - for at least a few years does matter.

Finally, my legacy kid wanted to shoot for HYPMS and was rejected early, but still got into my legacy school RD, so I don't think it's essential that they apply early, but that's what we were told by many people. I know someone who applied early to their parent's legacy school and got in early, but I think they sort of felt like they *had* to apply early there or would have "no chance" at it.


Stanford, my alma mater, also calls it a feather on the scale. When there are so many highly qualified applicants vying for so few spots, however, I’m sure that feather can feel like a thumb.


Hmm. The last four admits I know to Stanford were all legacies. But that is just my personal experience, of course.


That’s why I said it feels like a thumb. It is quite an advantage.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 10:21     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?


We've learned this time that legacy didn't help DD. I can't say that it's because DD didn't have the stats or a competitive app given that she got into 4 ivies (3 of which are ivy pluses), Berkeley and Duke. Ironically (or maybe not so ironically), she didn't get into the legacy institution (was deferred, waitlisted and then eventually rejected).
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 10:14     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?


Harvard alum interviewer. Your CC is right, your DC would be better of ED at T20 as TO - better off not disclosing SAT at 75%. But list of T20s optional is rapidly dwindling.

DP. I think you are confusing 75th with 25th.


Yes DC’s SAT score is at 75th percentile of accepted students as per the CDS.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 09:56     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?


Harvard alum interviewer. Your CC is right, your DC would be better of ED at T20 as TO - better off not disclosing SAT at 75%. But list of T20s optional is rapidly dwindling.

DP. I think you are confusing 75th with 25th.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 09:56     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?

Harvard is just very tough, even for legacies. I know a valedictorian 4.0/1590 legacy who did not get in. It's complicated.

Your DC should apply ED or REA to their top choice and roll the dice. Visit the schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 09:46     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:Lee Coffin, Dean of Admissions for Dartmouth, says on his podcast The Admissions Beat that legacy is not a thumb on the scale, but is a "feather on the scale." So, basically, a tie breaker. I believe it's a tiebreaker at Princeton also, because they have said previously that legacy only "mattered" to a small number of kids (I think they said maybe 33 or something like that, don't quote me).

My legacy kid got into an Ivy where we donate small amounts, but was rejected to a lower tier college (DH's alma mater) where we donated zero, so I do think (from a data point of 1) that giving something - even if small - for at least a few years does matter.

Finally, my legacy kid wanted to shoot for HYPMS and was rejected early, but still got into my legacy school RD, so I don't think it's essential that they apply early, but that's what we were told by many people. I know someone who applied early to their parent's legacy school and got in early, but I think they sort of felt like they *had* to apply early there or would have "no chance" at it.


It always depends on who else is applying from the class. I have a double Ivy legacy family member who was one of the only kids applying from their feeder school this year ED/SCEA and they got in. This kid had top grades but extracurricularly was totally basic--nothing beyond their legacy status and things like JV soccer player and yearbook staffer. BUT they were coming from a feeder private and it would be an anomaly for this private to not send get a kid into this Ivy early. So between legacy status, totally qualified grades and the feeder school status they got in early.

Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 09:00     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?


Harvard alum interviewer. Your CC is right, your DC would be better of ED at T20 as TO - better off not disclosing SAT at 75%. But list of T20s optional is rapidly dwindling.


Np - isn’t 75% sat good (1580)? Why wouldn’t they disclose? Anyway, DD is double legacy at Harvard and similarly strong candidate but never got off waitlist last year. Accepted at multiple t20-30 and attending different ivy.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 08:28     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Anonymous wrote:Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?


Harvard alum interviewer. Your CC is right, your DC would be better of ED at T20 as TO - better off not disclosing SAT at 75%. But list of T20s optional is rapidly dwindling.
Anonymous
Post 06/14/2026 07:53     Subject: How does legacy admission really work?
Does the legacy come into play only for REA or ED? My DC would be a Harvard legacy applicant and we have donated regularly for many, many years but low dollar. DC is a very reasonable candidate with rigor, grades, SAT at the 75th percentile - ECs good but not national level. My guess, and college counselor’s, is that DC would be a strong ED at T20 but Harvard just because of legacy - eh?