Legacy at Stanford

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

I’m planning to apply to Stanford RD as a legacy and I have a few questions. I know that no one who answers this is on the adcom and thus can’t absolutely my questions, but I’m hoping to get a general idea.

  1. Is there any advantage to being a legacy if you don’t apply EA? I’ve heard that for a few top-tiers/Ivies the bonus being a legacy does give you, if any, is gone during RD.

  2. Does attending grad school count for as much as attending undergrad? Both of my parents got their graduate degrees (a Masters and a Ph.D) at Stanford, but it’s not clear to me if that would count as much as them attending for undergrad.

  3. Is there still an advantage to being a legacy if your parents don’t donate or donate very little?

Thanks for any insight anyone can give me!

2

Your application is guaranteed a second read. That’s it.

3

Officially there’s no distinction between grad vs. undergrad alum legacies as far as I know, but my observation - just based on people I know, so admittedly a relatively small sample - is that undergrad legacies tend to have a better chance than grad legacies.

But at least it’s something that might help tip the balance for those who are strong candidates, unlike at some schools (such as Harvard) where grad alumni children are specifically not counted as legacies for undergrad admission.

Obviously. there are legacies and then there are legacies . . . the small number with parents who are big donors, on the board of trustees, etc, that’s a different deal than typical legacies.

4

1 kid last year had 1 parent with grad school legacy, was deferred early, and got in during regular. HTH, and good luck!

5

Your parents will get a letter acknowledging your app if they consider you a legacy. The admit rate is about double, 10 %. Hard to know if that represents an advantage. In my own case, a modestly involved alum who does interviews, my D got WL, a good student who got into top UCs OOS and top LAC, WL also as legacy at Uchicago. IMO does not provide a big push to a really good student, but increases the chances of superb student ( most who still get rejected, it is really that bad to find out how many superb interviewees I have seen rejected.)