<p>DD says she plans to apply to Alma Mater.... I think I'll tell the family she chose not to apply until we hear if she is admitted. She's not quite as strong a student as he was (although her EC's are better), it's entirely possible she won't be admitted and I am worried about exactly the mindset Muffy333 fears: "if Little Muffy DOESN'T get in to _______ as a legacy she must be a moron or a sociopath."</p>
<p>I'm aware of a Cornell legacy who didn't get in (not even guaranteed transfer later; just flat out rejected) and a Dartmouth legacy who didn't get in (ditto). Neither of them was qualified. </p>
<p>My point: It's refreshing to know that a legacy doesn't get in simply because s/he's a legacy. That would be unfair.</p>
<p>Why are people so irritated when the "legacy advantage" is brought up? You wouldn't have mentioned it on the college application unless you felt that your kid needed the "extra help" in getting into the school. You shouldn't complain about other people being a little envious. Non-legacy applicants do have a slight disadvantage when applying--especially if their stats are borderline. You used "legacy" because you felt the need (and there's nothing wrong with giving your kid the edge). Suck up the comments about being a legacy because you did use this to help him get in. That's OK but understand that others had to get in solely on their merit.</p>
<p>This is not directed at the OP, but is just general commentary on the legacy issue.</p>
<p>How do so many people know where the parents went to school? Because the parents tell them! I know a woman, who within five minutes of meeting someone, finds a way to mention that she and hubby met at an Ivy, (let's use Yale as the school). Or that she went to Yale and within minutes, that hubby did too. So the child with great stats, but not within Yale's usual parameters, got in,. Well, that's interesting! The woman now claims that this year's legacy admit rates are lower than usual, and it was more difficult!</p>
<p>So, she has spent the last 20 years making sure every person who crossed her path knew that she and hubby were Ivy grads. Everyone knows her kid is a double-legacy AND that without the legacy edge, her kid would NEVER have been admitted! Sure, the kid is smart and would have gotten in to lots of great schools, but she isn't Ivy material.</p>
<p>So, if everyone around you knows you went to such-and-such school, it's because you told them! And if everyone around you knows your kid applied, it's also because you told them! Just be happy that your kid had an edge in admissions and forget about it!</p>
<p>We have never had issues with the legacy status--I guess when son was applying we were more concerned with his qualifications only. We really did not focus too much on what other students were doing. Our focus and discussions centered more on whether the school was a good fit, and if his qualifications at least matched what a particular school advertised. I am sure he may not a been admitted to 1 or 2 of his reach schools--not because he was not a legacy, but because he just happened to fall into the group with thousands of others that were just as qualified as he was. We know of at least one student that is a legacy to a top 20 school, as both parents as well as a grandparent attended. At the time student applied, an older sibling was already in attendance there. He was denied admission--not even waitlisted. Yes, I think legacy helps but by and large, I certainly think that it is not the end all on an application. I also think the legacy issue differs from school to school--some probably do place more emphasis on it than others. And, by the way, our student is a legacy at a top Ivy, yet refused to apply. It just wasn't a good fit. On the other hand, he is also a legacy at a large local uni, and even tho he was a NM finalist, received absolutely no info from this uni at all, even tho many schools did try to recruit (so I guess legacy does not always matter). He did not apply there either. The legacy issue is a quirky part of admissision--I think you just never know how it might be used and certainly no one should bank on it to gain admissions to college.</p>
<p>No, nysmile, we mentioned it on the application because the college ASKED FOR THE INFO. There is a section that asks what the applicant's parents do for a living, and where they went to college. DS answered truthfully. There is a section on the supplement where the college asks if the applicant has any relatives who attend/attended this college. Again, DS answered truthfully. Leaving that part of the supplement blank after filling it in on the main part of the Common App would have looked like DS didn't bother to finish filling out the form. We did NOT (in your words) "use legacy because you felt the need," and your "others had to get in solely on their merit" comment is exactly the attitude that is so rude and irritating. DS was qualified and worked hard to be admitted to this school. I understand that others who were qualified and worked hard did not get in, but that doesn't mean DS only got in because his parents are alum. To imply that diminishes DS's own hard work and accomplishments. </p>
<p>Baseballmom, I ONLY mention it to other people when they ask how DS became interested in a small school that is several hours away. (Maybe from now on I'll just say, "It seemed like a good fit for him and it's worked out quite well.") Or when they ask where DH & I went to school, then put 2 & 2 together that DS is there now.</p>
<p>Honestly, DS almost turned down Alma Mater because he wanted to "blaze his own path" instead of following our footsteps. Only after HE evaluated all the schools that admitted him did HE decide that Alma Mater was the best fit for him.</p>
<p>Reverse thinking: when DS filled out his applications for other schools, they also asked where the parents went to college AND what other schools DS was applying to. I worried that when they saw that both of DS's parents went to the same school and that DS was applying there they would assume that was where he would chose to go, and that would be a strike against him for admission at the other schools. But he was admitted to all his schools except one, which waitlisted him, so I guess it wasn't a problem.</p>
<p>Not to stray off-topic, but why does admissions need to know what parents do for a living? (Need-Blind???) What does that have to do with the student's qualifications? I can sort of understand the where parents went to school question, but in reality that is not necessary either. The question on the app only needs to be if the student is a legacy! Colleges ask way too many questions about parents on these apps!</p>
<p>AND, if when his college application time comes, if baseballson is offered a free ride on a D1 baseball scholarship, there will be cause for celebration in my house!</p>
<p>If his sports ability gets him in the door with four years of free college to boot, then who cares what people think! I'll know it's because he's a better baseball player than most due in a small part to natural ability and in a large part to his hours of studying, training, healthy eating, coaching, weight-lifting, running, and discipline. If that's what gets him in the door, that suits me fine!</p>
<p>If my having attended a certain school gave my kid the edge to get in, I'd take that with a smile as well!</p>
<p>notre dame AL--they ask because they want to have some idea of the opportunities that were available to the child. It can work against your child if the parents are highly successful as it sets the bar for the kid and indicates wealth and opportunity that is above the norm.</p>
<p>So, if you are a partner in a prestigious law firm, it would be better to put down "attorney" rather than "senior partner" or in a similar example "physician" rather than "Chief of Neurosurgery".</p>
<p>baseballmom^^^ I had to chuckle. I have a colleague who works his alma mater into any converstaion lasting over 5 minutes. He can be counted on for the "Well when I was at X prestigeous U we always...." Very Frasier Crane.</p>
<p>Notre Dame, those questions about the parents sort of bothered me too. I'm not applying to attend, my kid is! But I guess it helps the colleges get a more complete picture of the students' background.</p>
<p>Maybe so--but I still wonder the same thing--who is attending college? I understand the ops thing--but the parents are not attending and employment really should not matter. Just because parents have good jobs does not mean that you have better ops. Money cannot buy everything! (Sorry for straying off-topic)!</p>
<p>Legacy is about MONEY. Colleges promote the idea of legacy in order to offer their alumni the hope that their child might someday be accepted. Therefore, from the time one graduates, they will continue to donate to one's alma mater. Now once one's child actually applies, there is no guarantee, unless you have been a legacy with the ability to donate 7 figures. </p>
<p>I know of numerous disappointed alums whose very qualified children were NOT accepted. One, in fact, donated 6 figures and still got no results. The kid, then reapplied to another ivy league and was accepted.</p>
<p>I think the parents' occupation can be a hook on <em>either</em> end - for example, a partner or a CEO of a major company or firm may be inclined to hire the school's grads if his/her kid goes there. It is also used to determine opportunities - if a parent is, say a domestic worker with no college education, that puts a student's accomplishments into context and is an advantage to a student, too. For the majority of students it probably doesn't come into play much. </p>
<p>As for how people know that your kid is a legacy - it's <em>quite</em> a stretch to assume that the parent must have been bragging. Friends and family who know you well will know and from there it's pretty much word of mouth. And the kids themselves talk about it - they are not hung up on these things for the most part. </p>
<p>And don't forget, many legacies are encouraged to apply early if they are serious about a school which also serves to increase chances in and of itself.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong with going the "legacy route". The competition to get into colleges today is incredible. Legacy status does help the student who has borderline SAT/ACT scores or GPA when compared to other applicants. Once they get in, the legacy advantage seems less important. It's then up to the student to pave his own way. Sounds like your child is doing just that. Glad he likes the school and is succeeding.</p>
<p>
[quote]
So, if you are a partner in a prestigious law firm, it would be better to put down "attorney" rather than "senior partner" or in a similar example "physician" rather than "Chief of Neurosurgery".
[/quote]
On the other side.
[quote]
for example, a partner or a CEO of a major company or firm may be inclined to hire the school's grads if his/her kid goes there.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And kids from a CEO family may be used to the idea 'donate'. ... So down the road, if the kid become a successful alumni he/she may donate back to the school.</p>
<p>we got the same thing when my daughter was accepted at a top-ten LAC cross-country - "oh you had a geographic advantage, don't you think?". Despite her many qualifications.</p>
<p>Read through the posts on this board and you will find hundreds of students with not-great grades and scores who are searching high and low for some kind of "hook" that will cause selective schools to overlook flaws in their stats. If you're a legacy, or a recruited athlete, or a URM, or an oboe player, or whatever, relax and be grateful that fortune has given you an opportunity.</p>
<p>Perhaps some parents/families question the issue of "legacy" in terms of "money" - implying that if a student was accepted to a college and is a "double legacy", or even a legacy, in general, it's because the families gave an extraordinary contribution to the college or university - it could even be enough to put their name on a building, etc.</p>
<p>I don't have a problem with legacy boosts & I doubt that most alums give ANY $$ to their schools. Schools have many reasons for favoring legacy candidates, not the least of which is the fact that it helps with their yield. Legacies are more likely to accept. I just posted because I can't imagine why a legacy family wouldn't understand how lucky they are to have the hook.</p>