<p>It's not just the most selective colleges that court alumni. I came across this article about Sewanee:</p>
<p>
[quote]
When Legacies Are a College's Lifeblood</p>
<p>To attract better applicants, many institutions are doing more to court the children of alumni</p>
<p>By ELIZABETH F. FARRELL</p>
<p>Every other summer, Sewanee: the University of the South invites a handful of prospective students to take an exclusive tour of its campus and surroundings, in Tennessee. Forget routine visits to dormitories and dining halls; this excursion includes scenic hikes, caving expeditions, and a chance to ring the bells in the historic Breslin Tower, a 120-year-old campus landmark.</p>
<p>This special treatment is reserved for "legacy" students. Sewanee, like many other small private colleges, aggressively recruits prospective students whose parents, grandparents, siblings, or even aunts or uncles graduated from the institution. "Like any good Southerner, we're pretty liberal about who we call kin," says David Lesesne, dean of admission at Sewanee.
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<p>As for intellectual atmosphere, here are some facts posted on the Sewanee website:
[quote]
Since its founding, the College of Arts and Sciences at the University has graduated 25 Rhodes Scholars—a record that is unmatched by all but a handful of institutions—, 34 Watson Fellows, and 26 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars, while the institution’s School of Theology has added to its alumni ranks countless bishops, including three of the last four presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church.
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</p>
<p>
[quote]
Middle 50% Ranges, Class of 2010</p>
<pre><code>* SAT Combined: 1170-1320
* ACT: 25-30
* Mean High School GPA: 3.4 (academic core calculation)
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