<p>I have a son currently in a prep school in MA and an aspiring 8th grader in public. Is my 8th grader's chances of getting into preps school enhanced since my oldest is already there?</p>
<p>Yes definitely , as unfair as it is , prep schools enjoy having legacies attend their school.</p>
<p>@papawithquestion: I don’t know that I’d agree with endthestars’ POV as a blanket statement. There have been anecdotal stories about siblings either getting a courtesy wait list or call, but not an admit.</p>
<p>I think it’s different if it’s a multi generational legacy thing and the full pay or FA thing will also come into play.</p>
<p>How much pull does being a legacy have?</p>
<p>@Papa, I will answer that with a yes. When we visited schools in the NE for my child last fall, every student (tour guide or other) we met mentioned a sibling or parent who had attended or was attending–so from that point of view it sure seemed like it carried weight. Many said that they “only applied to this school.” We saw a lot of schools, FYI.<br>
At school tours we saw people from our class, and there were always comments like “well, his dad went there.” So while our school’s student body was pretty much a full pay student body, there were absolutely legacy kids who were not high honor roll, unexceptional athlete types who had priority over the very smart, super athletic kids come March 10th, but you expected it (for example the legacies got in first round and the rest waitlisted). These schools definitely consider gifts over the years paid out by the parents. I can’t say it’s always the case though. One student didn’t get into the mother’s prep school alma mater (or anywhere else) so she angrily confronted the school, the headmaster, and the board about the money and time given over the years. They owed her, she said. The student was finally, reluctantly admitted off the waitlist on April 10th. I wonder how that kid feels about going to that school this fall (“oh, we heard about you…”).
All that said, you are MA based prep school parent with a sibling in, so as long as the other child meets the qualifications, you are probably in a really good position, seeing as they know your family already and you know all the players in the equation. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>@ Kittenygoodness
Sad to hear that! We are still waiting but things happen for a reason. My S was accepted to other BS but nit his first choice. He is not a legacy. But he will start one!</p>
<p>@papawithquestions,</p>
<p>FYI, a sibling is not a “legacy”. A legacy is inter-generational. A sibling is just that, a sibling. And, yes, having a sibling already in a school will probably help your chances of being admitted.</p>