<p>Okay...this is going to sound awful but here goes:</p>
<p>A girl from my school is applying to NU regular. I was accepted ED. She and I...let's just say...don't quite get along. Unfortunately for me, her father was an associate dean of undergradute studies at NU (something like that) and even taught a few classes.</p>
<p>He has since left but I'm starting to get a little worried that this girl might get in without a problem. The only thing against her is that she's not an OUTSTANDING student. She's not bad by any means, but I don't think she's NU material without her connection.</p>
<p>I've had the same thoughts about a girl I know; her father works at University of Chicago and I am almost 100% sure that she will be admitted there in April. She is a good student but is by no means extraordinary, yet I am overly suspicious that her family connection will give her that extra push she needs to get in to UC.</p>
<p>Yeah, I feel bad about feeling this way too, but what can you do? It's just human nature.</p>
<p>What I have heard about the issue of legacies and highly selective colleges is something to the effect of, "Legacy does not automatically guarantee admission. However, if there is a choice between two candidates who have similar statistics, the application of the candidate with legacy status may receive an additional look." I'm paraphrasing, but I think it was Harvard who said that.</p>
<p>My mom, her twin sister, and another one of my aunts graduated from NU. I didn't, however, feel that that was the reason I was admitted; I attributed my acceptance to the fact that I worked incredibly hard throughout high school. </p>
<p>I have faith in the admissions committee at NU. Although legacy may play a light guiding role in who is accepted and who is not, I doubt that NU would admit this girl if she wasn't academically suited to be there. One would hope that her legacy status wouldn't cause her to be admittied at the expense of a better candidate for NU. In that case, it certainly wouldn't be fair. And although no one truly knows what goes on during the decision-making process, we can hope that NU has more common sense than that.</p>
<p>Unless, of course, her dad donated the funds to build a new library.</p>
<p>But believe me, I sympathize! I've always thought the legacy issue was very touchy.</p>
<p>Well, that's not exactly legacy- it's "her dad has connections at NU because he was once a bigshot there," meaning he might have some pull, and she'd get in. Regular legacy ("her dad went there once") would not matter much for RD, but this sounds different. It sounds like her dad might have some friends there and would be able to make it happen.</p>