Can someone explain why legacies matter?

Parents Forum
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<p>This varies by school. For example, at least as of 5 years ago, Stanford gave a tip to all legacies, regardless of the amount of $ donated by parents. </p>

<p>Some other colleges check the history of donations and not the amount. Why? Because USNews rankings are based in part on the percentage of alums who donate. Thus, getting alums to donate can mean a couple of places in the rankings. This isn’t going to affect HYP all that much, but it can matter a fair amount to LACs because you’re dealing with smaller numbers and thus the number of alums donating can affect a ranking. (Actually, now that I think about it, it even affects HYP. P always has the highest percentage of alums donating of the 3 which always helps it a bit in the scoring.) </p>

<p>In addition to money, alums donate time. This volunteer time is important to colleges, especially when economic times are tough. </p>

<p>And, perhaps most important of all, the strength of alumni networks matter. It’s sad but true that when Junior or Grandjunior doesn’t get in, dad or granddad or mom or grandma may not be quite so helpful in getting new grads jobs with the companies they work for.</p>

22

<p>Yield could be another issue. We know of a young lady who followed her parents’ footsteps even though she got admitted to many better known and more selective schools. So from the school’s yield protection standpoint, a legacy is a better bet than some stranger.</p>

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<p>This is true, but at all of these schools the development office becomes involved. They are not just flagging families that have donated, they also flag families with the capacity to donate big. They keep files and know who their wealthy and successful alumni are.</p>

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<p>At the schools that don’t offer ED yes, at the others not so much. These schools know if they are the kids first choice they would have applied ED where legacy gets a much bigger benefit. Even at the SCEA schools, legacies get a bigger boost EA. They show legacies the love and want the love back. Also, since US News dropped yield as a factor, it’s not as big an issue as it once was for top schools.</p>