Anonymous
12/30/2025 21:20
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
The Chetty et al paper looks at this question and finds that—despite having a 4-fold advantage over non-legacy applicants at the legacy institution—the legacy applicants have only slightly higher admissions rates at other institutions, implying that most of the difference at the legacy institution is due to legacy.
The Chetty research used data from more than 400 colleges and universities whereas this board is debating legacy for the Top 20 or so schools.
Here is an excerpt: Using data from more than 400 colleges and universities and about three and a half million undergraduate students per year, the two economists found that legacy and other elite school admissions practices significantly favor students from wealthy families and serve a gate-keeping function to positions of power and prestige in society.
Their findings on legacy are specific to the Ivy-Plus schools though (Ivies plus Duke, MIT, Stanford, and Chicago). But the paper looks at much more than just the legacy question. Section 3.3: Determinants of Admissions Rates at Ivy-Plus Colleges.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 21:11
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
The Chetty et al paper looks at this question and finds that—despite having a 4-fold advantage over non-legacy applicants at the legacy institution—the legacy applicants have only slightly higher admissions rates at other institutions, implying that most of the difference at the legacy institution is due to legacy.
That’s an interesting conclusion. Are they comparing all legacy applicants who applied at the legacy institution or just those who were accepted and then applied elsewhere? If the former how did they control for the fact that many of the legacies who were accepted early did not apply elsewhere so the pool of legacies applying to other schools didn’t have a four fold advantage - the reality would be much lower
Anonymous
12/30/2025 21:06
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
The Chetty et al paper looks at this question and finds that—despite having a 4-fold advantage over non-legacy applicants at the legacy institution—the legacy applicants have only slightly higher admissions rates at other institutions, implying that most of the difference at the legacy institution is due to legacy.
The Chetty research used data from more than 400 colleges and universities whereas this board is debating legacy for the Top 20 or so schools.
Here is an excerpt: Using data from more than 400 colleges and universities and about three and a half million undergraduate students per year, the two economists found that legacy and other elite school admissions practices significantly favor students from wealthy families and serve a gate-keeping function to positions of power and prestige in society.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:36
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
The Chetty et al paper looks at this question and finds that—despite having a 4-fold advantage over non-legacy applicants at the legacy institution—the legacy applicants have only slightly higher admissions rates at other institutions, implying that most of the difference at the legacy institution is due to legacy.
Remind me what years the Chetry data was from.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:34
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
The Chetty et al paper looks at this question and finds that—despite having a 4-fold advantage over non-legacy applicants at the legacy institution—the legacy applicants have only slightly higher admissions rates at other institutions, implying that most of the difference at the legacy institution is due to legacy.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:32
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
Legacy doesn't mean a guaranteed admit. Legacy does mean that the applicant is hooked, which is another way of saying the applicant is considered more favorably than those who lack a hook. Once you have the general stats for admission, would you rather be considered in the massive pile of applications where it is essentially a lottery OR would you rather be considered with a smaller pile of ones that are getting more time, a second look, more reasons for someone to champion your acceptance, etc?
The smaller pile, of course. I guess my point is that even in that smaller pile, it's competitive and not an easy admit. Lots of qualified legacies who are rejected and later end up at other HYPS.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:20
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
Legacy doesn't mean a guaranteed admit. Legacy does mean that the applicant is hooked, which is another way of saying the applicant is considered more favorably than those who lack a hook. Once you have the general stats for admission, would you rather be considered in the massive pile of applications where it is essentially a lottery OR would you rather be considered with a smaller pile of ones that are getting more time, a second look, more reasons for someone to champion your acceptance, etc?
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:16
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
If OP had these kinds of cross-admits, that would have come out on page one.
PP again. Another friend - daughter was devastated when she didn't get into Stanford REA. Both parents attended Stanford undergrad. She ended up at Harvard. I know multiple families like this. This family is VIP too.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:13
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
If OP had these kinds of cross-admits, that would have come out on page one.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:10
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Well, the legacies I know who were rejected were more than qualified. One example: friends who are double legacy at Harvard, all three kids are at Yale instead because they didn't get into Harvard. All the legacies I know rejected from their parents school ended up at an equally elite school - so yes, those kids were qualified for the legacy school. I just don't think it's as easy as as "oh, she got in because of legacy, or she didn't get in because they didn't donate."
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:09
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Can this thread just die already?
Is the troll(s) full yet??
Is the troll(s) full yet??
Anonymous
12/30/2025 20:08
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just be smart where you apply. If the legacy school fits everything you want in a school, then apply there early. That's a no brainer. But don't be delusional you'll get in based on legacy. All the kids in our friend circle/family circle with legacy to Top 5 have been rejected.
+1
Legacy gets the kid a second look. But the kid’s application - grades, test scores, essays, etc - are what get them in.
If you wouldn’t have gotten in but for your legacy status, legacy got you in.
So for all the qualified legacy applicants who don't get in, why didn't legacy get them in?
Because legacy is only a small bump. Remember the vast majority of qualified applicants get rejected, including 67% of qualified legacies and 99% of qualified non-legacies.
The difference between a 1% chance and 33% is not a small bump- it is a significant advantage.
+1. Those who don’t understand what an advantage legacy can be, have problems understanding basic math
And don't have a place at those institutions.
Anonymous
12/30/2025 19:57
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just be smart where you apply. If the legacy school fits everything you want in a school, then apply there early. That's a no brainer. But don't be delusional you'll get in based on legacy. All the kids in our friend circle/family circle with legacy to Top 5 have been rejected.
+1
Legacy gets the kid a second look. But the kid’s application - grades, test scores, essays, etc - are what get them in.
If you wouldn’t have gotten in but for your legacy status, legacy got you in.
So for all the qualified legacy applicants who don't get in, why didn't legacy get them in?
Because legacy is only a small bump. Remember the vast majority of qualified applicants get rejected, including 67% of qualified legacies and 99% of qualified non-legacies.
The difference between a 1% chance and 33% is not a small bump- it is a significant advantage.
+1. Those who don’t understand what an advantage legacy can be, have problems understanding basic math
Anonymous
12/30/2025 19:55
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just be smart where you apply. If the legacy school fits everything you want in a school, then apply there early. That's a no brainer. But don't be delusional you'll get in based on legacy. All the kids in our friend circle/family circle with legacy to Top 5 have been rejected.
+1
Legacy gets the kid a second look. But the kid’s application - grades, test scores, essays, etc - are what get them in.
If you wouldn’t have gotten in but for your legacy status, legacy got you in.
So for all the qualified legacy applicants who don't get in, why didn't legacy get them in?
My question, exactly.
Because if they only accepted legacies no one else would even bother applying and their ranking would drop- they need to accept the 1% unhooked kids to keep the game going by getting applications from 30,000 kids fighting for the 300 or so spots not already gone to athletes, legacies, first gen and donors. . .
Anonymous
12/30/2025 19:53
Subject: How to respond when kid gets into school and is Legacy
Anonymous wrote:
Your kid should reply that he is opposed to the legacy system. That is the only correct answer.
Problem is, the kid and family almost certainly aren't opposed to the legacy system. If they were, the easy answer would be for the child to say: "I refused to check the legacy box because I don't believe in legacy preference."