<p>Is it an advantage to be a legacy of someone at a ceratin college or does it make no difference when college admissions reps review your application?</p>
<p>I'm just wondering because my mom went to Washington University in St. Louis and it's hard to get into.</p>
<p>Well, it's not going to hurt you. It won't "get you in" to a hard school though. If they are on the fence regarding you and another applicant they MIGHT look favorably on your legacy status. I can't find anything pointing to it on their website though. Does anyone else know more specifics regarding WashU and legacies?</p>
<p>whoa, exact same question about the exact same school</p>
<p>I gave the OP a general answer and your comment was absolutely no help whatsoever.</p>
<p>From personal experience:</p>
<p>I was a "good" student in high school (good grades, AP's, volunteering), but there was nothing about me that i think would make me a standout to a place like WashU. However, my brother (4 yrs older) was at WashU and I was accepted ED I with more financial aid than I had hoped for. I know of other people with situations similar to mine...</p>
<p>I really think it helps (both in terms of admission and financial aid) - From my understanding WashU is big on trying to encourage alumni giving (yes, i know anywhere wants this, but....) and so accepting legacies is a way to keep that money around (if you know what i mean)....</p>
<p>Also, if you have an interview, by all means mention that you first became interested in the school b/c a relative went there, but make sure you have plenty of your own reasons for wanting to go there too...</p>
<p>I don't know if anyone will find all this helpful, but i just thought I'd put it out there....</p>
<p>Legacies are most definitely a good thing, but will help more if your mother is an active legacy. Has she given money to the school? Has she been an involved alumna?</p>
<p>Like an earlier poster said, it won't get you in, per se, but it will give you a bit of an edge if you have already competitive stats. It will put you a little bit above someone with the same stats but no legacy.</p>
<p>If you can promise them that you'll got to WashU then your legacy status will help. WashU is primarily concerned with upping their USNWR ranking, so as long as you're not using them for a safety, your legacy won't be a bad thing.</p>
<p>what if your father went there for only 2 years before transferring?</p>
<p>Most schools would not consider you a legacy if your parent (grandparent) did not graduate from the school.</p>
<p>Legacy helps in most cases, especially if you apply ED. Legacy is considered a "hook".</p>
<p>my mom has given some money but not like those rich alumni who give away thousands of dollars. hmm so if I go ED and I say I'm a legacy, and I have pretty good grades and test scores...I have a good chance.</p>
<p>thanks for the feedback!</p>
<p>my brother was a 4th-generation legacy for harvard, 1450 old SAT, GPA prob 3.8-3.9, state champion swimmer</p>
<p>he was deferred for ED and eventually rejected from harvard</p>
<p>so it is not always a "hook" as some people say. just don't rely on it to get into a competitive college (as i know you won't).</p>
<p>As others have said, it certainly isn't "bad", but it will not be a significant help in all cases. But if you happen to be a legacy at a school you really want to go to...great!</p>
<p>At most top schools, legacy admit rates are double or more regular admit rates. It helps a lot, especially if you are a "plugged in" legacy. For many schools the benefit is much greater if you apply ED. As someone said above it won't get a 1450 into Harvard, but if you're qualified, it helps a lot.</p>
<p>Your parent needs to have graduated from the school for you to be a legacy.</p>
<p>do grandparents count too? </p>
<p>Because my grandparents went to either Northwestern, U of Chicago, or U. Wisconsin</p>