<p>Hello world,</p>
<p>My father is a graduated from Harvard Buisness School (HBS) in the 1980's, but im not sure on the exact year (around 1984-6). I am not yet in the slightest light close to graduating high school, but i was just wondering if i were to apply to Harvard undergrad school, would i have better chance of getting in? I'm not sure if it is a legacy since my father was a HBS graduate, not undergrad.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance...;)</p>
<p>No, you will not have any chance. Harvard does not consider legacies in their admission process. Better luck elsewhere.</p>
<p>Clearly the above statement is rubbish. I’m sure they’d take it into consideration one way or the other. I’m not really sure exactly how they look at legacies- but your father graduated from the University. Harvard is Harvard, so I’m sure it would boost your chances a bit as long as he wasn’t a total flunkie or drop out xD.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>You are stupid and uninformed. Harvard Legacy is not a factor in Harvard Admissions. Yale legacy is.</p>
<p>Harvard gives extra weight to Yale legacies because in accepting a Yale legacy they are essentially annihilating Yale’s elite, and further advancing the onslaught of Yale’s doom.</p>
<p>if he’s made contributions of a half-dozen figures, id say it will help. dad going to harvard doesn’t.</p>
<p>How much does he donate?</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to donate for it to be positive…</p>
<p>Having a relative, especially your father, attend Harvard graduate definitely can’t hurt you and might give you a second look or two.</p>
<p>The way donations/development work is NOT:</p>
<p>Adcom sees Harvard graduate legacy
Adcom consults the Harvard Donations Database
Adcom sees 10k in donations
Rejected</p>
<p>Development works by the COUR or the donations or whatever its called office submitting names to the admissions. That’s dealing with money.</p>
<p>One reason for legacy is the more you identify with the school the more likely you are to donate/contribute time or resources.</p>
<p>Well, I’m just saying to get a rough idea.</p>
<p>Any degree of legacy helps. </p>
<p>But, say, if your father used HBS to propel him to CEO-level and donates hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, you can probably have a slightly less amazing application and still get in.</p>
<p>But you still benefit.</p>
<p>Harvard could make another top ten university simply out of the first 1800 people who didn’t make the cut; there really isn’t much change from 250-5000 of applicants. So, if you have a legacy, you’re going to have that extra incentive for Harvard to accept you. But you still have to create an application that would give you at least a fair chance of getting in anyway. </p>
<p>To answer the OP’s question: yeah, you’re a legacy.</p>
<p>@Mal77 - As the child of a Yalie…HOW I WISH. :(</p>
<p>haha lol</p>
<p>Amadeuic is right to an extent too, amount of donation definitely gauges how helpful legacy is going to be development wise.</p>
<p>Lots of BS here! At Harvard, your parent must have been an undergrad there to get legacy status. If considerable money has been given to any part of the school, you become what’s known as a development candidate, which is far more powerful than being a typical legacy.</p>
<p>The fact is, legacies are accepted at about twice the rate of unhooked applicants. Not as good as a recruited athlete and almost as good as being a URM.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>I find it hard to believe that having a parent that went to HBS or HLS is not a benefit in any way. Maybe you aren’t classified as 100% “legacy”… but you have ties to the school.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, if you’re applying to the undergrad program, a grad school parent won’t get you much pull. That being said, they’re clearly not going to turn down a student whose family has donated a significant amount of money. It wouldn’t be worth ostracizing the relative and risking future donations.</p>
<p>Mal77: Stupid and uninformed? lololololol :)</p>
<p>Quoted from the Harvard Crimson:</p>
<p>"However small the boost to legacies is—and all indications are that it is considerably small—Harvard’s concession that it is a factor at all is significant. Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 has told The Crimson that a student’s legacy status is merely a “tip factor” in deciding whether or not to admit a student. Legacies tend to be some of Harvard’s most qualified applicants, and most will likely still gain admission under a policy that does not consider their parents’ Harvard diplomas. We do not expect a renunciation of legacy preference to significantly change the makeup of the next year’s incoming class; rather, it is the public renunciation itself that is an important statement. </p>
<p>Harvard, more than any other university, is positioned to take a principled stance, one grounded in the essential value of fairness, when it comes to its admissions policies. More often than not, Harvard is rewarded—in its reputation, finances, and otherwise—for being a leader in higher education. Its history has been one of an evolving meritocracy, and ridding itself of legacy preference will be another bold step in that direction. There will surely be short-term feelings of alienation by some members of the alumni community, but over the long run, we are convinced that alumni will give back to Harvard and will love Harvard more as an institution that acts on principle." </p>
<p>Ouch. They play a small role, but still it’s no guarantee in. This is obvious. Of course Harvard is going to be fair. But to say legacies have NOTHING to do with admissions is clearly and overstatement. You seem to be the ignorant one.</p>
<p>This comes up every year, and the answer is quite simple. Harvard makes clear that it defines legacy only as the son/daughter of an alum of the College. Parents who went to grad school at Harvard (e.g., HBS) do not make you a legacy. Here’s the faq from the admissions website:</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: frequently asked questions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/faq/admissions/app_pols/index.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/faq/admissions/app_pols/index.html)</p>
<p>Q: Are a student’s chances of admission enhanced if a relative has attended Harvard?</p>
<p>A: The application process is the same for all candidates. Among a group of similarly distinguished applicants, the daughters and sons of College alumni/ae may receive an additional look. </p>
<p>I’ve heard the dean of admissions talk on this subject - he personally reviews all legacy applications (legacy defined narrowly as above), and it is a “tip” factor, but the legacy applicants who are admitted are very impressive in their own right. More than two-thirds of legacy applicants are rejected.</p>
<p>So im getting mixed answers. That’s fine, because if and when I apply, I want to get in because Harvard wants me to go there, not because I’m a legacy. Also, I dont want to try and persuade my dad to donate money, just so it boosts my chance of getting accepted…like I said earlier, I want to get in on the based on the fact that im good enough.</p>
<p>If your parent went to a Harvard graduate school it’s going to be on your application. Adcoms are reading your application, and they make decisions based on what they read.</p>
<p>hmom5 is correct.</p>