<p>I've searched around a bit for information an how much legacy impacts admissions, but i havent come across any concrete information. so i decided it would be best if i was answered directly.</p>
<p>I applied ED to Cornell, with a sub-standard GPA (but not terribly so) and moderate SAT scores (both relative to Cornell of course). However, I have had about 14-15 family members graduate from Cornell, stretching three generations. Of these, 2 were grandparents and 4 were great-grandparents. how much of an edge, if any, do you think i will get in admissions?</p>
<p>Look at Cornell's common data set. Every school checks a box saying how important it is at the school. At most ivies I've seen they check the "considered" box which is not very important. Yet at most legacies get in at 2X the rate of others. From what I've seen if you have the median stats and no big deficit, you'll probably get in.</p>
<p>Every school is different, but the common message I have read on these forums is that your legacy status means a LOT to a school if your relatives made significant donations. Without the significant donations, your application will be carefully examined before they make a decision not to accept you. In other words, your application will be read several times, which is wonderful for you.</p>
<p>As the proud holder of a graduate degree from ALS at Cornell, I'd say that Cornell is one place where legacy status is taken very very seriously. Just about every publication that lands in my mailbox from Cornell has one more article referring to an "X family whose Y children and Z grandchildren all graduated from Cornell".</p>
<p>What I can't tell you is whether in your individual case the legacy status will be enough to make a difference given any specific weaknesses in your record. Only the folks in the Cornell admissions office will know the answer to that one. If you are really nervous about it, why not have one of your Cornell relatives call the alumni office and ask?</p>