<p>Both of my parents graduated from the University of Notre Dame: my dad was class of '76 and my mom was class of '77. I've heard that ND gives preferece to legacies, but how much will this help me in admission? I have a high GPA, 2080 SAT that will raise when I retake in October, and numerous awards/community service. I'm also really into music and play piano, guitar, and ukulele. My main question is how much does being a legacy aid in admission?</p>
<p>The legacy connection does not guarantee admission and thus, keep that in mind when completing and submitting the app. If I’m not mistaken, what it gives you is a second look by admissions, but not a guarantee of admission.</p>
<p>ND’s stated goal is for 25% of the class to be legacies (parent graduated from ND, other relatives do not count). They are upfront about this goal and have been coming in very close to 25% the past few years. Thus, approximately 500 legacies per year enrolling.</p>
<p>Ah… it is a double edged sword. A quarter of the class is held out, but ND expects great things from the progeny of their graduates. Perhaps for the 6 and 7 figure contributors some slack is given, but mere mortals must be competitive…it all counts.
DS1 is a legacy deferred from EA with stronger SATs, he was accepted RD, but it was by no means a slam dunk. It was all worth it, he is a sophomore and delighted to be at ND.</p>
<p>To the OP: I would trust the above posts to answer your question - I’ve been getting similar answers from other sources. </p>
<p>I just have a quick question: does being a double legacy provide any more of an advantage than “single” legacy does?</p>
<p>I can tell you that we are familiar with a case of a student applying with double legacy status (both Mom and Dad were ND grads, as well as a grandparent and had a sibling that was a current student). Not exactly sure of this student’s stats, but after the “second look”, was outright rejected a few years ago. I stand by my original post that you should not assume that legacy, double legacy or even triple legacy with a sibling in current attendance guarantees admission. It would be best to focus on the complete app and that legacy will offer minor enhancement to that app. Good Luck to you!!!</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the feedback!</p>
<p>Notre Dame has the highest percentage legacy “quota” or “goal” of any of its peer schools. On the one hand, it creates a wonderful “family” environment at ND; on the other, it is not unusual to find some not-so-qualified legacy admits in each freshman class (some rivaling the athletic admits in terms of their academic “unqualifications”); additionally, it also affects the student diversity as we have previously discussed (and not in a good way).</p>
<p>Notre Dame admits about 22% of general applicants, and about 40% of legacy applicants. Notre Dame may have a higher percentage of legacies in its student body than other selective colleges, but that is largely attributable to the sheer size of the legacy applicant pool, rather than the legacy admissions preference. Other selective schools, such as Princeton, admit legacy applicants at a rate more than FOUR times higher than other applicants. </p>
<p>[Top</a> Colleges Mum on Legacy Admissions - ABC News](<a href=“Top Colleges Mum on Legacy Admissions - ABC News”>Top Colleges Mum on Legacy Admissions - ABC News)</p>
<p>Thank you for the link to the interesting story on legacy admits. Any idea of the academic credential differential of legacy admits, athletic admits, minority admits, and “no-hook” admits at ND?</p>
<p>The higher differential admit rate at places like Princeton, Yale, Harvard, etc. is due to the fact that their applicant pools are significantly larger than ND’s, with overall acceptance rates hovering around 10% or less. The campus culture resulting from such a high percentage of legacy students at ND is both a very positive and very negative thing and is something that most other selective schools have tried to resist succumbing to (with consequences on alumni giving rates, etc.).</p>
<p>Any idea of the academic credential differential of legacy admits, athletic admits, minority admits, and “no-hook” admits at other T20 schools? I’m betting not much different than other T20. I’m also betting there are many schools whose athletes have a bigger adacemic credential differential than at ND.</p>
<p>Yes, there is data shared by institutions in this regard–a group of top schools came together in the 1970s (with additional schools being added to this group over time) that share such data with each other. This group, The Consortium on Financing Higher Education, consists of the following members:</p>
<p>Member Institutions</p>
<p>Amherst College
Barnard College
Brown University
Bryn Mawr College
Carleton College
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
MIT
Mount Holyoke College
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University
Smith College
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Trinity College
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rochester
Washington Univ. in St.Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Williams College
Yale University</p>
<p>You will notice Notre Dame’s absence. Why? Perhaps sharing their data is not in their interest? What, if anything, are they hiding?</p>
<p>“The higher differential admit rate at places like Princeton, Yale, Harvard, etc. is due to the fact that their applicant pools are significantly larger than ND’s, with overall acceptance rates hovering around 10% or less.”</p>
<p>Put it this way – Princeton and Notre Dame both admit about 40% of legacy applicants. For a Princeton applicant, that is a significantly larger thumb on the scale than for a Notre Dame applicant.<br>
What I find interesting is the relatively small numbers of legacies in the applicant pool at schools like Harvard and Princeton, as compared with Notre Dame.</p>
<p>Yes, but the academic qualifications of those Princeton legacies are still better than those of ND legacies AND they don’t represent as much of the entering freshman class (which is significantly larger at ND than at Princeton too). How about addressing the COFHE observation?</p>
<p>We don’t really know the relative strengths of legacy vs. nonlegacy admits to either Princeton or Notre Dame. Legacies make up a smaller fraction of the student body at Princeton than at Notre Dame because there are considerably fewer Princeton legacies in its applicant pool.<br>
Personally, I think that the higher percentage of legacies at Notre Dame is part of the reason that it’s such a special place. For many Notre Dame students, ND was their first choice, and they REALLY want to be here. That’s not the case at many other schools, in which a sizable number of students are “settling” for their second or third choice, having been dinged by HYPS and the other uber-selective schools.</p>
<p>Very true, and that does make ND special and different–it also makes it a much more homogeneous place. You can’t have it both ways–the argument that ND is diverse in the way its peer institutions are truly diverse is ridiculous. Regardless of the number of applicants and the number of legacies in the applicant pool, ND is COMMITTED to having a much larger percentage of its class be children of alumni–regardless of the number who apply. There is a philosophy behind this decision with implications that show in the ND community and experience–the school values FAMILY, SCHOOL PRIDE, ALUMNI SATISFACTION (all very positive things) over DIVERSITY (not that they don’t value or would ever admit to not valuing diversity)–but 20-25% of the class is a HUGE percentage which results in the unintended/unwanted side effect of a more homogeneous student body and student experience. Why you (and the other ND advocates who want the school to be considered truly top-tier) just don’t embrace this reality and stop trying to make or pretend that ND has it both ways, I’ll never know.</p>
<p>Hoyasax, you are piece of work. My guess is that your ‘sibling’ despises being at home for the summer or over the holidays to have to listen to you your ‘I am in a better situation’ than the rest of the world rants. I could defiantly continue to comment, but most of us in the ND forum try to keep it positive and usually don’t have to be ‘right’ all the time. I looked at the Georgetown forum and understand why you have to wonder around to other forums. Back in the day at 4:12 in the afternoon on a Friday when I was in school I would have been down at one of the local bars enjoying a few beers while diversifying with all my friends.</p>
<p>Actually, I’m not at Georgetown undergrad any longer–Hopkins med–I am new to CC (introduced to it by a med school classmate) and will look at the site between classes and when I’m on call, if you must know. I don’t really understand your comment about “wonder around to other forums,” but your inability to engage in a healthy discussion of a longstanding issue re: your alma mater further highlights my criticisms of your institution and its beloved students. My brother, however, is able to discuss with me the pros/cons of his college (ND) and is wise enough to get the hell out of South Bend to study abroad next semester–of course, he has to remain there this term to be part of the proud football tradition. Maybe I’ll see you at the Michigan game next week–I’ll be the one in the ND sweatshirt.</p>
<p>It’s obvious you dislike ND and you didn’t attend–why isn’t that enough for you? Most people don’t make it a habit to frequent the forums of other schools and be a ■■■■■. I find it interesting that every so often the ND forum seems to attract various posters such as you. They stay on a little while and accomplish nothing much other than stirring up trouble. Often a ND hater who has never even attended.</p>
<p>S turned down schools in New Haven and Durham. Oh yeah, they are such lovely places compared to South Bend. I guess he was picking a school on more than one attribute.</p>
<p>You keep saying ND is trying to “be like” some of the <em>higher ranked</em> universities. You have obviously never heard Fr. Jenkins speak on this issue. You are dead wrong.</p>
<p>Maybe you should go ahead and stick with wearing the Michigan sweatshirt…frankly I would have never thought a med student at such a dignified, diversified place would have time for such antics on cc.</p>