<p>I'm wondering if this would help anyone's chances at getting into Harvard. </p>
<p>I found out that an ancestor of a peer attended Harvard in the 18th century, was somewhat of a U.S. historical figure, and was an original trustee for another top university.</p>
<p>Would having this kind of legacy improve one's chances at admission to a top school?</p>
<p>It would make an incredibly interesting essay topic, which could definitely help admission. I doubt one could count it as a legacy though.</p>
<p>The reason legacy helps is 1) intelligence (which has been disproven) and 2) money. It’s not because you’re randomly related.</p>
<p>lol… 18th century… that’s 1700’s. </p>
<p>Which means you share his genes by what? One out of 1/512 ancestors? In my opinion, that would be a horrible essay topic. Never write about anything that’s not about you.</p>
<p>Ancestor of a peer?</p>
<p>If this person actually is related to you, and was a major figure in the university’s history (ie. the admissions committee recognizes your last name. Are you John Harvard XVII?), it would probably help. If it’s some random alumni from 300 years ago, I doubt they would care. Legacy admission is all about donations.</p>
<p>And it would probably be a really, really big deal at the university they helped found (if you are actually related).</p>
<p>I don’t believe there is any space on the application to put any legacy except your parents (not even grandparents) so unless you make this a fun essay I can’t see that this would do you a bit of good!</p>
<p>pshh you guys are so thick. he or she is asking for a friend. </p>
<p>and to answer your question, only if the last name of that ancestor was anything of note (harvard, adams, lowell, quincy, etc.). that might get some attention.</p>
<p>This is not about me and I’m not asking FOR a friend. I’m just wondering how admissions officers would react if my friend applied to a school where his ancestor (who has some historical significance) went to and mentioned it somewhere in his app.</p>
<p>I couldn’t see it being a big deal and most of you have agreed so I guess that’s the thread!</p>
<p>
Oops! So you’re ARE asking for yourself?</p>
<p>My peer is not the person who wants to know. I don’t even think he aspires to go to Harvard anyway. This is just me wondering if his semi-famous ancestor’s connections to Harvard could somehow improve his admission chances.</p>
<p>I’m asking for my own information but I’m not the person with the famous ancestor.</p>
<p>Ignore my first comment. I doubt there’s a supplement that asks you to write about a historical familial figure that who is important to you.</p>
<p>I doubt if it would help at all with admission. In terms of the essay, adcoms are interested in the student, not their ancestors. The essay isn’t a history paper.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t be legacy status: that is limited to a mother or father. Sort of as someone said earlier, if the name is recognizably a famous Harvard name, it could be beneficial. Otherwise, unless it’s in an essay or a short answer, the admissions workers probably won’t even KNOW that the ancestor went to Harvard. Admissions officers are typically right out of college or grad school…young and familiar with the present and recent past, in terms of college history. Many of them did not go to Harvard. As to whether or not that would be an effective essay/short answer, that is up to the applicant’s writing talents AND how well the applicant incorporates HIM/HERSELF into the writing. If it’s just an expository essay on this person who end to Harvard, it’s a good show of ability, and possibly a good history of that ancestor…but it doesn’t necessarily showcase the applicant, and that’s the most important part.</p>
<p>Actually I did something similar. I dropped that I was related to William Penn in my “Why Penn?” essay. I got in so maybe it worked haha.</p>
<p>All of Harvard’s admissions officers except David Evans went to Harvard. Harvard is unusual in that it draws its admissions officers from its alum.</p>
<p>Still, given that there are tens of thousands of people whose ancestors went to Harvard – and that includes some very esteemed people who Harvard buildings are named after, it probably won’t matter that your friend’s ancestor attended Harvard.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This^ 10 char</p>