<p>Does "legacy" include siblings who are currently attending the college or does it only apply to parents who had graduated from the institution? If siblings are included, how much of a "boost" does that give an appicant? Just curious.</p>
<p>My understanding is that legacy is defined as having a parent, grandparent or sibling who attended Yale College (not one of the graduate or professional schools). I have absolutely no basis this assertion, but my bet is that having a sibling who attended is a weaker form of legacy that being the child or the grandchild of a Yale graduate.</p>
<p>How much of a boost being a legacy is has been much debated here. Some folks think it is a significant (and unfair) advantage and cite the higher admit rate for legacies as proof. Others think legacy status is a tie-breaker and that the higher admit rate reflects households with parents who have passed on good genes, who place a premium on education, who have a sophisticated understanding of what it takes to get into an elite college and who often have the money to give their children advantages. Both sides of the argument feel passionately about their positions and offer lots of anecdotal evidence as support. </p>
<p>Point being, no one has a definitive answer and I believe it is so applicant-specific that there is no definitive answer.</p>
<p>I've been wondering about this too, though I can't see it affecting how I go about doing applications. It would be nice to know, but ultimately means little. Even kids with "true" parent/grandparent legacy status can't count on it for much now. </p>
<p>This link ( <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8927829/site/newsweek/%5B/url%5D">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8927829/site/newsweek/</a> ) to a Q&A with the Dean of Admissions seems to imply that there's really no consideration. Is this really "how it is," or is the Dean just doing her job in present admissions as completely fair/unbias? Like AdmissionsAddict says, no one knows for sure.</p>
<p>Michele A. Hernandez, in her book, "The Insider's Guide to getting into the Ivy League and other Colleges," provides a succinct definition of Legacy: </p>
<p>"At most of the highly selective colleges, it is defined as the son or daughter of a graduate from that undergraduate institution. In order words, if either of your parents attended Dartmouth College, you would be considered a legacy there. Many people mistakenly think that grandparents or great-grandparents count - they do not. Nor do siblings who attend, nor do relatives who attended any of a college's professional schools. . ."</p>
<p>It is my understanding that at Yale the children of grad school graduates also count as legacies.</p>
<p>Different colleges define legacy differently. I'm pretty sure that Yale includes grandparents, although some other elite colleges do not.</p>
<p>Coldbeverage's link above states that when an applicant has a sibling who attended Yale, the admissions committee always notes it. If it's always worth noting in committee discussion, then it must matter, even just a little.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for your helpful input! It's all been very insightful !!</p>
<p>Check out the Yale Supplement to the Common App.</p>
<p>In the Family Information section it asks "If you have any relatives who have attended Yale, other than parents, stepparents, or grandparents, please list name, year of graduation, degree and relationship to you. (If your parents, stepparents, or grandparents attended Yale, you will be asked to include their affilitaion later in this Supplement.)"</p>
<p>The later question asks "Did a parent, stepparent or grandparent attend Yale? If yes, complete below."</p>