<p>I’m not even in high school yet, so who knows where I will stand three or four years from now, but I know that I want to go to Amherst for college, and am almost certain I will stay in the same mindset for the next few years. </p>
<p>I’m a fifth generation legacy. (Great-great grandfather was president of Amherst for 3 years, great grandfather attended, grandfather attended, grandmother attended, two uncles attended, two aunts attended, two cousins attended.) So, I’m curious, how much does legacy actually count in this whole process? </p>
<p>I’m not expecting to get in on legacy, I’m planning on working very very hard in high school (will be attending a top new england prep school next year), but in all seriousness, does it even help?</p>
<p>"Do you have any siblings, parents, or grandparents who are alumni or current students at Amherst College?"</p>
<p>And, it lets you upload an additional document, a full list of all of your relatives who may have attended.</p>
<p>So, yeah, if you have an extensive legacy, at any school really, it should help you out significantly, as long as you aren't a terrible student.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"What you need to remember about legacies is that they are generally better qualified than other candidates, not weaker," said Bill Shain, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin College in Maine. "They come from homes that value education, and they've typically [come from] either good schools or good school systems."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>A favorable argument for legacy applicants...</p>
<p>So, everyone in your family went to Amherst except for your parents? Where did they go? </p>
<p>Interesting... </p>
<p>Was your great-great-grandfather George Olds? (He served as president for 3 years in the 1920's.) </p>
<p>A legacy usually refers to parents/grandparents only, as far as I have been told. And legacy status generally carries more weight if large donations have been involved, I believe. However, being descended from a former AC pres, I imagine, might mean a bit more than a standard legacy relationship. </p>
<p>Yes, George Olds is my great great grandfather. My Dad went to Johns Hopkins and my Mom went to University of Colorado. My Grandmother worked as a mathematician for the army after getting her first math degree from Mount Holyoke, and went back to college at Amherst for an English degree after she retired post-Vietnam.</p>
<p>Other relatives help in the admissions process too, because adcoms are thinking about yield as well, as a student is more likely to choose a school relatives attended.</p>
<p>I think that will probably end up being the case. I'm incredibly similar to my Dad's family (Amherst side) and incredibly dissimilar to my Mom's side. All of my dad's family attended boarding school on scholarship, and I, will now be attending boarding school in the fall. So far in my life I appear to be from the same mold, and every time I've been to Amherst to visit my cousins, it's felt quit right, so hopefully it all works out when the time comes.</p>
<p>I think legacy matters a LOT. That doesn't mean that kids who have them are stupid...and I'm sure you'll prove yourself in HS so no one can say 'oh she has that legacy-thing' But having that many relatives in the same college, seems like you're going to make it!</p>
<p>"What you need to remember about legacies is that they are generally better qualified than other candidates, not weaker," said Bill Shain, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin College in Maine. "They come from homes that value education, and they've typically [come from] either good schools or good school systems."</p>
<p>that also implies a sort of a monarchy system. the argument that they have been raised for this so they are more deserving is the same that the European monarchies used. and if they students are better qualified then legacies need not be counted because the students will be able to gain admission based on merit</p>
<p>Hellosunshine,
Did your grandmother get a master's degree in English at Amherst since Amherst did not become coed until the mid 1970s? Several departments-history and English in the past offered M.A.s.</p>
<p>I don't want to hijack the thread, but if one parent is an alumnus (so is my aunt) who has made significant (non-monetary) contributions to Amherst, will that help much? I would elaborate, but that would sort of give away my exact identity.</p>
<p>Also, I've heard that some schools only give legacies a significant advantage in ED. Is that true at Amherst as well? I'll almost definitely ED to Columbia, but if I don't get in, Amherst would be one of my top choices for RD.</p>
<p>Pmyen,
I believe my grandma got her second bachelors degree (she already had one in math), a few years after she retired from the army, which was post-Vietnam. But, I'm not 100% certain, I'd have to ask my dad.</p>
<p>I am interested in this thread as S2 is the grandson (and namesake) of an Amherst grad. My dad passed away a few years ago after living with us for awhile and he got very close to his grandson. He always made me promise that my son would at least apply to Amherst and that is an easy promise to keep. While we are very early in the search for colleges, I am interested in how much legacy really matters at Amherst. To answer your questions, 4.0 student, good (I think) SAT's (2000 including a 780 in Math) and 2nd or 3rd in a class of 96 and very good basketball player. Just wondering..........</p>
<p>Legacy status at Amherst (same is true at Ivies and other top LACs) will help you--about 50% of all legacy applicants are admitted--this only adds up to about 10% of the total composition though. It helps to be the legacy of a donor. If your grades are "bad" legacy status won't help you that much. A higher percentage of applicants get accepted ED. Amherst usually receives less than 400 ED apps and generally accepts slightly more than a third. (I think RD was something like 12% this year.) If you are a star academically and athletically that also helps. Amherst openly states that they reserve about 65 places for "varsity level" athletes. They are very competitive with Williams re athletics. SAT scores matter more if you are privileged. ECs matter--it's a small community and they want students who will contribute. Grades matter--top grades. Consistency matters. If you get below a B in any class, even once, it could cost you admission. Amherst is committed to diversity and giving opportunities to the high-achieving but disadvantaged. They use the endowment to generously aid these students. Your app essay matters. It could make or break you. The admissions counselor, in all likelihood, will either like you or not based upon it and advocate for you at committee if he/she does. All or most of the pieces of the puzzle have to fall into place to be admitted. Consider that the school now receives 7,000ish apps for a class of roughly 440. They mostly lose admittees to Ivies or Williams/Swarthmore, but there are always more than enough students who want to go to Amherst. Last year they were overenrolled, but this year was crazy and they went to the waitlist--maybe 2% of students are accepted off the waitlist.</p>
<p>The OP, however, is some unique kind of legacy--the descendent of a former Amherst College president! I think she'd have to have pretty poor grades to be rejected.</p>
<p>I know you are young, but let us know what happens with you down the road hellosunshine...</p>