<p>I am a prospective student, 91 GPA, 2240 SAT, 34 ACT with Legacy applying to Arts and Sciences. Obviously I would need to go early to use the legacy, but would I get in? How much of a difference does legacy make? And would I get in without legacy? Also, does anyone know what the Average SAT scores are for Legacy acceptances?</p>
<p>For the Class of 2011, the legacy acceptance rate was 34%, compared to the overall acceptance rate of 16.1%:</p>
<p>I don't believe that Penn discloses SAT averages or ranges for legacy acceptees. However, given that legacy preference is usually given only in ED admissions, it's interesting to note that former Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson reported regarding the Class of 2011 that, for the first time, the ED pool of admitted and enrolled students was stronger than the RD pool of admitted and enrolled students:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.archives.upenn.edu/primdocs/upa/upa1_1/2000to09/20070615tr.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.archives.upenn.edu/primdocs/upa/upa1_1/2000to09/20070615tr.pdf</a> (page 6)</p>
<p>I know people with no parents who got in, with two parents who got in, with one parent who got in. I know people with one, two or no parents who attended who didnt get in. Keep in mind my school sends 12+ a year to Penn.</p>
<p>When you consider the Penn legacy acceptance rate, you might want to keep in mind that the school uses an extremely expansive definition of legacy. Unlike other schools that just consider parents and siblings, Penn considers you a legacy if anyone in your family attended.</p>
<p>Penn's definition of legacy:</p>
<p>
[quote]
What is a legacy?
Children and grandchildren of all University of Pennsylvania degree recipients are considered legacies during the undergraduate admissions process.
[/quote]
</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/faq.html#a7%5B/url%5D">http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/faq.html#a7</a></p>
<p>siblings are not considered legacy. i have a friend whose sister graduated from penn but it doesnt count.</p>
<p>"I know people with no parents who got in, with two parents who got in, with one parent who got in. I know people with one, two or no parents who attended who didnt get in."</p>
<p>Of course but this proves nothing . What are the ODDS of the above happening - 45 Percenter gave the correct statistics - being a legacy about doubles your chances of getting in. Still, this means that 2 of 3 legacies are still rejected.</p>
<p>This wasnt one or two people....We usually have 30+ applicants to Penn a year.</p>
<p>Actually, it's not necessary true that being a legacy doubles your chance of admittance. Many legacies apply ED and ED admittance rates are substantially higher than 16 percent. Thus the higher admittance rates for legacies is undoubtedly influenced by the higher ED admittance rates (although it is not possible to tell how great this influence is in the absence of better data).</p>
<p>Penn considers legacy only during the ED round. So if there is a higher admit rate for legacies, it has to be during ED.</p>
<p>It's not true that legacy preference is only given to ED candidates, although legacies will clearly maximum this tie by applying ED:</p>
<p>From the Upenn alumni website FAQ:</p>
<p>Is the legacy tie considered at all during regular decision?
Yes. Family affiliation with Penn is noted in all undergraduate applications - Early Decision, Regular Decision, and Transfer. However, legacies receive maximum consideration when they apply under the Early Decision Plan.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/faq.html#a2%5B/url%5D">http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/faq.html#a2</a></p>
<p>I was at a meeting last spring with a representative of the Penn alumni office who was in town to meet with alumni with high school students who were considering applying. While I appreciate reading what the official position is, I am not imagining the expansive definition she offered. She basically said that they want to know about it if anyone in your family went to Penn. She specifically did not limit it to parents and grandparents. I remember this because it was so surprising.</p>
<p>It's always possible that she was speaking "out of school." :-)</p>