<p>I'm a junior looking to apply via early decision to penn next year. Both of my parents graduated from penn. They both donate monthly to the school and my mother does interviews for them. could this help me significantly? i'm getting mixed answers, so help would be greatly appreciated</p>
<p>That is a strong advantage! Both parents went to Penn, and you’re applying ED! That’s like, the most you can maximize your legacy benefits as of current legacy admissions structure.</p>
<p>legacy does help with ED, but unless they donate a significant amount (close to 7 figures) that won’t really help you.</p>
<p>Legacy in Penn admissions is a check-off box–you either are, or you aren’t (determined by whether any or your parents or grandparents is a graduate of any of Penn’s schools, undergrad or grad). According to what I’ve read and heard over the years, no further inquiry or analysis beyond that is performed by the Admissions Office. So it doesn’t matter whether you have one grandparent who graduated from Penn Law, or 2 parents and 4 grandparents who all graduated from Penn undergrad. You’re a legacy either way, and no additional legacy boost is given to the applicant with multiple Penn alums among his/her parents/grandparents.</p>
<p>And the same goes for alumni donations–no inquiry is made by the Admissions Office into how may times your Alumna Mom donated to The Penn Fund, etc. That just doesn’t factor into the legacy portion of the admissions equation.</p>
<p>Now, as dfree124 points out, if your family has donated a 7-figure sum to Penn, that probably would be taken into account in the admissions process. But that would not be because you are a legacy applicant, but rather because you are what is referred to in the admissions world as a potential “developmental admit.” In other words, “legacy” and “money” are 2 different things in the world of selective college admissions.</p>
<p>If your numbers are competitive (50%-75% of median) and you apply ED(which you are), you will get a boost. Donations are not relevant unless it is a development (7 figures) case. In addition, they will offer you an interview on campus instead of local alumni interview. Take advantage of that since it shows greater interest.
Good luck.</p>
<p>
Not anymore. That whole legacy-support apparatus has been shut down:</p>
<p>[PAARC</a> Info](<a href=“http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/]PAARC”>http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/)</p>
<p>Legacy status still will be taken into account during the Early Decision round, but there is no longer any advising or counseling offered specifically for legacy applicants.</p>
<p>Nothing could help you any more than having legacy. I have friends that have been admitted, not sure if it is due to having legacy, but their test scores, grades and overall resumes were not utterly spectacular. Good luck.</p>
<p>^^ URM is arguably more helpful</p>