<p>Two of my 1st cousins (their wives as well), my great uncle, my great aunt, and my father's uncle all went to Cornell. None of them have the same last name as me, but all of them are blood related except the wives of my first cousins. Will this play an important role in the admissions process? How much of an edge will this give me?</p>
<p>None, legacy only applies to your parents and grandparents.</p>
<p>having legacy can help a great deal in your admissions to cornell. however, as gracetone said, none of those family members count as legacy.</p>
<p>Although your connections don’t give you any official legacy status, it doesn’t hurt to briefly mention family ties in your essay, if they’ve influenced your desire to attend Cornell. </p>
<p>It’s helpful to demonstrate familiarity with the school, and hearing positive things about Cornell from family members is a good start.</p>