<p>I can't remember the source, but I think that for highly selective colleges in general the advantage for being a legacy translates into about 50 points on the old 1600 scale of the SAT. Not huge but not trivial. It is generally regarded as being significantly smaller than the advantage for URM status or recruited athlete status. A different rule of thumb would be in order for development candidates whose relatives may have donated truly significant sums to the university.</p>
<p>IIn the relatively recent articles and books Golden of the WSJ won the Pulitzer for, he says it's plus 160 SAT points if I'm remembering correctly.</p>
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My kids' high school doesn't meet any of the criteria outlined by ParentofIvyHope. It doesn't have very many resources, few students go to "top" schools, many families have no history of college so they certainly aren't legacies, etc. But the students who have strong academic profiles get into selective colleges anyway.
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<p>I don't think it is correct. High School plays a major role in the student quest for a top university admission. There are hundreds of high schools, from where even the top students are unable to matriculate to the top universties while there are HS like D's school from where more than 25% of students matriculate to the most selective universities.</p>
<p>So you need to give the credit to the HS. Resources are the main things and also important is the perception of the high school in the mind of the admission officers.</p>
<p>starbright:
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Failure in what way? Top school in what way? Wow.
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<p>Success is very relative and in no way can be absolute. Motivation to do your best in HS and then go on to university to learn and excel is not a bad thing at all. I would rather have D hang with ultra motivated kids than with the laid back do nothing kids.</p>
<p>Lack of motivation is the most important cause of children leaning towards drugs, violence and sex.</p>
<p>Motivated students have some passion and urge to do something in life. Not necessary going to the most selective school. Not all students from D's HS matriculate to the most selective schools but are motivated to follow their passion in what ever endeavors they are indulging in but not drugs, violence or sex.</p>
<p>ParentofIvyHope - my statement was factually true. Students from my kids' high school have gotten into highly selective colleges (Pomona, Williams, etc.). The high school has very limited resources and is unknown to admissions officers because it is new.</p>
<p>It could be that a well-known high school offers an admission boost to its students, but this is an empirical question and it would be useful to see some data to support your argument.</p>
<p>However, even if there were a boost from going to a well-known high school, this is by no means a guarantee that a well-qualified applicant will be admitted, just as going to an unknown, poorly-resourced high school is no guarantee that a well-qualified applicant will be denied.</p>
<p>One more thought - "laid-back" is not equal to "do nothing"! Laid-back kids can be very interesting to colleges as well as to their peers. I know a lot of kids like this :). We chose a laid-back elementary/middle school for our kids—no grades, no tests, almost no homework, long lunches, and the afternoon was spent only on crafts or hanging out with friends. My older child's twenty 8th grade classmates are now freshmen at colleges that include Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Williams, Bowdoin, and UC Berkeley. Their non-rigorous academic backgrounds didn't hurt and may have helped in some ways.</p>
<p>Calreader: I'm a firm believer that most of the children are craftable, i.e. are the reflection of the environment they are brought up in.</p>
<p>By providing a nurturing, caring and learning environment you increase the probability of success at any level in the society.</p>
<p>Does that mean only top HS send children to top universities or that an inner city school will never have any one matriculating to those top schools?
No, not at all but it is a simple probability. You increase the chances of children success by sending them to right HS.
So choosing a right HS is really the key.</p>
<p>Will the D's HS is for all the children? No, not really. Many children may not flourish in such an environment but then they may not flourish at Harvard/MIT too.</p>
<p>You need to know your children and find a HS that will help create a bright future for them.</p>
<p>I agree Parent. We sent each of our 3 very different kids to very different high schools.</p>