Hi! I’ll just keep this brief! I’m a Cornell legacy and I was wondering if that would help at all for RD. I’m a rising junior so I don’t have SAT scores yet, but I take a handful of honors and AP classes. I was just wondering if being a legacy increased my chances of getting admitted, since its a very tough school (obviously)
Being a legacy usually is considered only if you apply ED.
The legacy bump only helps in ED.
https://cornellsun.com/2018/11/06/a-look-inside-how-cornell-accepts-its-students/ mentions the effect of legacy in somewhat vague terms, but suggests that the legacy preference is stronger for those who apply ED (but not necessarily non-existent for those who apply RD).
My daughter is a 2020 legacy and would put Cornell number one on her list of schools. But, reality is reality, and we unfortunately can not sign on to a binding ED contract for which we do not know the exact direct financial obligations that we would incur. Financial calculators are helpful, and if true, it still would leave us with a substantial obligation. It is unfortunate that Cornell would value legacy only in an ED situation.
It’s an agreement, not a contract, and there is no obligation if you are requesting financial aid.
“Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment.”
https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/ethics
My daughter was accepted RD in 2016. Did the legacy status help? We don’t know but it surely didn’t hurt.
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