<p>If a college doesn’t specify that they are limiting the question to immediate family, then “anyone in the family” is included, even gramps.
If I invite all my family to a “family only” holiday dinner, would my grandparents or grandchildren NOT be welcome? Would I say - you can’t come in, you’re not family. ? Seriously?
If grampa hit the lottery, you can darn well bet his grandchildren would consider him family.</p>
<p>from dictionary.com:
"fam·i·ly /ˈfæməli, ˈfæmli/ Show Spelled [fam-uh-lee, fam-lee] Show IPA noun, plural -lies, adjective<br>
–noun
- a. a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family.
b. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family. - the children of one person or one couple collectively: We want a large family.
- the spouse and children of one person: We’re taking the family on vacation next week.
- any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins: to marry into a socially prominent family.
- all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor. "</p>
<p>So yes, family does mean grampa UNLESS there was a specific modifier limiting it. A modifier to expand it is not necessary to consider gramps as family.</p>
<p>Maybe your interpretation is more convenient for you.</p>