Hi all! So I’m currently a junior in HS. My cousin brother (1st cousin), who is 8 years older than me went to Harvard. We are really close - he is just as close to me as my brother is. Would legacy come into play here?
No.
Agreed
why
Because Harvard gets to decide. Stanford will confer legacy status on an applicant if the parent went to the business school, whereas Harvard does not define legacy this way. Their school, their rules.
No, because Harvard sets the rules. It doesn’t matter that you are very close to your cousin. Legacy is only if a parent got a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.
Agree that this does not make you a legacy. On the other hand, you should use your cousin as a resource for advice on applying, have him read your essays and ask him to help you practice before your interview.
Unless that 1st cousin is a multi-million dollar dollar donor, then there’s no admissions benefit.
If schools started recognizing cousins as legacies, then everyone would be claiming all kinds of cousins, once-removed, twice-removed, etc.
http://thedartmouth.com/2003/05/15/legacy-policies-vary-across-nation/
Meaning if your grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins attended Harvard College, or a Harvard graduate school, you ARE NOT a legacy – not even if your 1st cousin is a multi-million dollar donor!