A thought on Legacies

Applying to College
1

<p>I was just wondering something about legacies and just how helpful they can be in the college admissions game.</p>

<p>Take Bill. His Dad is a graduate from Swarthmore College and has contributed very small amounts of money to the college.</p>

<p>Then there's Sara. Her father is also a graduate from Swarthmore College, but has contributed great amounts of money to the school.</p>

<p>Assuming both Bill and Sara apply to Swarthmore, mentioning their legacies in their application, and both Bill and Sara have had very similar academic achievements and the like, who do you think would get in?</p>

<p>I'm just wondering because I'm applying to Grinnell, and my dad is a Grinnell alum. yet he jokes with me that he has not given Grinnell alot of money?</p>

<p>Would this tarnish my legacy status in any way? Do colleges grant legacy students admission dependent on the donations their parents have given to the college?</p>

2

<p>You'll get a boost regardless because you are a legacy. But Sara would probably have more of an edge if the 'great amounts' are actually large.</p>

3

<p>Part of the reason colleges like legacies is because they tend to be more familiar with the "feel" of the college - its philosophy and the character of its students - and they generally have a higher yield. So any legacy will have an advantage. Of course you'll have more of an advantage if your parent(s) donate, or have the potential to donate, huge sums of money - like, enough for new buildings and such. But that's a tiny, tiny portion of legacy applicants. There's not really a distinction between someone whose parent donates a couple hundred and someone whose parent donates a couple thousand.</p>

4

<p>Ok, thanks!</p>