How much does legacy help chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Carnegie Mellon University
1

Hey guys, my mother got her masters from CMU (in the course of a year), she doesn’t donate though. By what margin would this help my chances?

Here are my other stats:

Major: Computer Science
GPA (4.0): 3.95
GPA (my school’s system): 5.52
Class rank: 42 out of 800 (almost top 5%), pretty competitive high school
ACT: 35 (sending)
SAT: 1530 (didn’t send)
Subject Tests:
Math II: 770 (Going to retake!!! I swear to God I will get an 800!)
Physics: 710 (Same story here! I didn’t know any Physics II when taking it and I have studied much more since. Most likely 800 soon)
Texas resident
Courseload: AP Human Geography freshman, AP World History sophomore, AP Calculus AB, Computer Science, English Language, U.S. History, Physics I junior, AP Calculus BC, Statistics, English Literature, Macroeconomics, Physics II senior, everything else GT/pre-AP.
Race: Asian
AP scores (if that matters): 5s on Human Geography, Calculus AB, Computer Science, English Language, Physics I, U.S. History.
Awards/Honors: Eagle Scout, AP Scholar, National Merit Commended, A Honor Roll

Extracurriculars:
Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, tuba player, toured US throughout the summer and placed 6th in DCI World Championships. 84 hrs/wk, 12 wks/yr.
Boy Scouts of America, troop guide, quartermaster, cook, 2 hrs/wk, 46 wk/year.
High School Band, tuba section leader, BOA and UIL state finalists, 16 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr
National Honor Society, member, 1 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr.

My biggest worry is class rank and lack of STEM extracurriculars. This is definitely my reach school, but why not try
¯_(ツ)_/¯

2

Bump, but just for the original question.
My whole family went to CMU and I wonder about this as well.

3

In the CMU common data set https://www.cmu.edu/ira/CDS/pdf/cds_2017-18/c-first-time-first-year-admission.pdf legacy (listed as alumni/ae relation) is listed as IMPORTANT so it definitely means something. If you’re borderline, it might pull you up.

4

as a Legacy (ME degree in the 80;s) I ask this about my S19 who will want to apply. I have not been donating money over the years, and I am staring at the donate card, wondering if I should do so, but if I do, will it hurt him, as it will look like I am donating now to help get him in, but then again ,they will get some money and might see me as donating more if my son was to get in?

5

Several years ago I attended a CMU alumni event and since my son was just starting his college search I asked this question to director of alumni relations who also was in attendance. He said that legacy status was used as a tie-breaker amongst otherwise equally-qualified candidates. So simply being a legacy won’t get you in unless you’ve got the goods.