<p>I've discovered that I have some distant relatives who have attended schools I'm applying to. Is it okay, for instance, to put a 3rd cousin who shares my last name on the common app as a "cousin," or should I use the "other" option?</p>
<p>For those that consider legacy, one of your parents needs to have been a graduate or, in some cases, a grandparent if the ghrandparent has donated a lot of money. They may also be interested in knowing whether brothers and sisters are or were students. They have no interest at all in knowing some distant cousin may also have attended. If you have ever played the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, you will understand why.</p>
<p>This is called “straw grasping”. Please don’t partake. Also look up Erdös number.</p>
<p>If you have extended family (cousins and second cousins) as well as aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents should you list all?</p>