<p>At Brown, is legacy status only when parents graduated from the college? Any benefit from a grandparent alumnus?</p>
<p>bluejay</p>
<p>I can't answer for Brown, but normally legacy status is considered by colleges to be when either of your parents, grandparents, or siblings went to undergrad school at the college to which you are applying. </p>
<p>Certainly, when you answer the question on the application that asks how you heard about Brown, you could mention from your grandparent who attended. </p>
<p>I personally think a stronger legacy connection is if a parent has attended more than a grandparent but that is just my opinion.</p>
<p>^^I agree.........</p>
<p>I know Brown considers parents and siblings; I'm not sure about grandparents either, although I suspect not. Colleges do have different definitions of legacy.</p>
<p>Legacy doesn't have much pull anymore -- it won't get you in if your grades, SATs and ECs are not strong. </p>
<p>I agree with Soozie that if you can write a really strong essay response that connects your interest in Brown to your grandparent, then go for it. But I wouldn't count on it making a huge difference in whether you get accepted.</p>
<p>of course, if your grandparents gave (or will give) a library or a lab, Brown will certainly be happy to put a "legacy" sticker on your file.</p>
<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>My great-uncle graduated from Brown, so you think that even though he was closer to me than any of my grandparents (and got me interested in Brown as a legit school to apply to), it still wouldn't be legacy?</p>
<p>Not that it would be emotionally crushing or anything, just wondering.</p>
<p>I'll add to sly_vt and that is that legacy doesn't necessarily get you in EVEN IF you have a strong application package. I know a local a student who is a legacy who did not get in this year and my own niece is a legacy and was waitlisted this last cycle. Legacy is a small tip factor. A grandparent legacy is smaller still. I would not write an essay over a grandparent attending but I recall a brief question on the Brown app four years ago when my D applied that asked how you heard of Brown (this is not the same as the Why Brown essay). I don't know if that very brief question is still on the app, but I was saying that you could craft the answer to touch upon having heard X, Y, Z about Brown from your grandparent who had attended...yadda yadda. I don't think it would have "pull" as much as show that you had really begun to think about and learn about Brown for some time from a relative. Of course if there is a building named after them, then.....</p>
<p>Earlier I was giving the definition of legacy but not specifically to Brown. I know that grandparents are included in the definition but I still think legacy is mostly considered if it was a parent, but even then, it is a slight tip on an app that is likely to be admitted without the tip. It can help but not a real lot and not every legacy gets admitted, even if they have a good profile. My niece was a legacy with a good profile and even a geographical "tip" as she lives in Alaska and she still was waitlisted. At schools like Brown, with very low admit rates, there are many students who are as qualified as those who are admitted and may even be a legacy, and are denied. It is the reality of elite college admissions. My D goes to Brown and she is not a legacy. My niece is a legacy and couldn't get in.</p>
<p>burnitblue.....your great uncle is NOT a legacy. My D's uncle went to Brown and she clearly is not a legacy. However, again, if the app still asks how you first heard of Brown, you can mention from your great uncle who attended. That would not count as a legacy, however. But it would be an honest and personal answer. I recall my D mentioning that she heard of it when younger from her uncle (my brother) who had attended and then from a student from our HS who went two years before her (and it is pretty rare for a student to go to Brown from our HS) and went on to say more from there. It will NOT be a tip at all for you. But you certainly can mention it in context.</p>
<p>PS...what is a "legit" school???? :confused:</p>
<p>what is a "legit" school?</p>
<p>I was wondering as well lol</p>
<p>my son's grandfather went to brown in 1949..I believe it didn't help a bit getting accepted..was accepted (deferred admission for 1 year) based on grades, recommendations, outside activities, awards, sat's etc...</p>
<p>Thanks for all replies. As always, the answer is TNSFAAFL. S and I visited Brown last week. Asked him if he could imagine is Grandpa walking the same paths, 60 years ago, after doing taking a "study abroad" break fighting in WWII. We'll see if there is a true legacy connection...</p>