How important is legacy, really, at a small (4,000-6,000 student) liberal arts college? Is extra scholarship money actually allocated for legacy students? Is that an inappropriate question to ask an admissions officer? By dumb luck, my kid’s first choice happens to be my alma mater (I did not push this school, I swear). I am an active alumni and a regular donor.
As a potential legacy parent, I think there’s no reason not to ask if such a thing exists.
I would think in your case, as an active alumni and regular donor, that will work in your child’s favor. I would be surprised if your child wasn’t offered some kind of money if admitted, even if it is just a token amount. Then again, it might depend on the size of your donations. Would their scholarship exceed what you have donated? Just being cynical. It probably depends on many other factors: your child’s stats relative to the median accpeted students’, how selective the college is, how much money is left in the pot, etc… I wouldn’t dream of asking about it, personally. Good luck to your child!