Legacy REJECTS

<p>aly_vt writes:</p>

<p><< Brown asks that anyone who deals with alumni let the admissions office know of legacy applicants. I am a volunteer in the admissions process and I complete a form each fall listing interviewers whose kids are applying. If I have a particularly active/dedicated alum, I indicate that. ..
I simply cannot imagine continuing to volunteer for admissions after this year, unless my daughter gets accepted. The thought of interviewing other students – nope, sorry, can’t do that... I know that every time the son or daughter of one of my interviewers is rejected, I lose an interviewer (I stand to lose several this year)>></p>

<p>Does being a particularly active/dedicated volunteer mean an increased boost to that volunteer's child at admissions time? </p>

<p>So Brown alum interviewers continue to interview prospective students during the admissions cycle that their own child applies to Brown? That would seem to foster the appearance of a conflict of interest. </p>

<p>My alma mater (also Ivy) doesn't allow alums to meet with applicants during the year that the alum's own child is applying...makes sense to me.</p>

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<p>Oh. Well that's interesting, seeing how people were waitlisted in the official decision thread in the NYU forum on this board..</p>

<p>CTTC: Brown does not allow alums to interview students if their child is applying that year to Brown. If their child is applying to colleges, but not to Brown, then I believe they are allowed to interview. </p>

<p>You asked: "Does being a particularly active/dedicated volunteer mean an increased boost to that volunteer's child at admissions time?" </p>

<p>Answer: I have no idea, since I don't sit in on admissions decisions. In the past, it might have. Legacy in general -- as we've discussed in this thread -- plays less of a role these days. My guess is that they look very carefully at those applicants, just like they would for chlidren of large donors..</p>

<p>No college would allow their alums to interview if their child is a senior.</p>

<p>i got into princeton almost entirely off legacy. i was ranked like 18 out of 100 and i got a 620 on math 2. but yet i voyage to princeton nj in the fall.</p>

<p>I know for a fact, 100% sure, that the regional rep from Brown had a daughter who submitted an application this year. </p>

<p>The issues with this go well beyond the potential for unfairness that might be obvious...</p>

<p>One should not always assume that the biggest problem is that possibility that a child of an alum might get in in small part due to the parent's contributions (either financial or in kind).</p>

<p>The bigger problem is, and will continue to be for many kids...living up to the familial expectation that Brown, or any other school is right for every child.</p>

<p>I think you've raised a good point, robyrm. I knew kids when I was in college who applied because of parental pressure, and were miserable in college because they were in the wrong place. I also know legacies who apply only because they think it will give them a leg up, even though they know it's not a good fit. </p>

<p>However, I also know of kids who fall in love with their parents' alma mater and sincerely want to go and know that it is a good fit. </p>

<p>Ironically, we have friends whose son applied to their college even though the school wasn't a good fit; he was accepted but went elsewhere. His sibling, who applied to the same school ED and really really wants to go (and has all the qualifications), was deferred and then waitlisted.</p>

<p>robyrm, the regional rep in a far flung place might be very hard to replace... did the rep assign the interviews or conduct them?</p>

<p>Personally: the year my D applied to colleges, I did not interview anyone, even though she did not apply to Brown. That is the custom in my area... but then again we are flush with alumni interviewers.</p>

<p>I make it a practice never to interview a kid whom I know. I am happy to talk to their friends, but not in an official interviewer capacity. Sometimes a kid knows MY kid but I have never heard of them-- usually I find this out IN the interview. </p>

<p>I have written supplementary letters three times in 20 years-- for kids whom I knew and who I thought were truly exceptional. That seems to be the most appropriate way to deal with a great candidate whom I know. BTW, all were denied-- though one of them was admitted later, when she reapplied after a gap year.</p>

<p>Some interviewers may be the only alum who lives in their small communities-- they will necessarily be interviewing kids they know. As long as the extent of the personal relationship is disclosed, I think it is okay; better than the alternative of the kids from that area not being interviewed at all.</p>

<p>Finally the interview does not really count for much at Brown. The standards that exist are more to prevent the appearance of impropriety-- if the interview was a critical part of the evaluation, the standards would have to be even higher.</p>

<p>My son applied to Brown this year, and I was not allowed to interview this year for Brown. I have been doing the interviews since I graduated over 25 years ago.</p>

<p>the legacy admit rate is different for ED than regular admissions, I believe</p>

<p>I'm new and I just read all the posts, but I was wondering if anyone knew how Dartmouth treats legacies these days?</p>

<p>Late to this thread.
I don't know if this sheds any light on UPenn, but I'll just tell you that my D was accepted RD. Non-legacy, non-athlete, non-URM. Definitely needing financial aid, & stating that in app. What Penn seemed most relentless about was level of interest in attending. D said they nailed her to the wall on that; demanding to know over & over if she <em>really</em> wanted to attend. (Asking for specific reasons; asking in varied ways.) She said it was the most difficult interview she had, of all her admissions interviews. (She looked exhausted when she came home.) Apparently she convinced them, but ironically she chose another college. (And yes, Penn also was prepared with a financial package for her.)</p>

<p>HSN, I can give you my opinion on Dartmouth and legacies. My daughter is a legacy and was accepted ED. I also have 3 friends whose legacy children were not admitted and I had a chance to talk to successful legacy parents a couple of days ago at freshmen drop-off. If you are VERY qualified- high SATs (all 700+), excellent class rank and difficult course load you will have an excellent chance of being accepted. Where as a non-legacy, excellent applicant still needs to have what we here can call luck to be accepted, an excellent legacy applicant seems to have a very good chance of acceptance. However, legacy status does not "make up" for any deficiency in the application. A legacy with lower than average SATs, GPA,or course load etc will not be admitted. So, in a nut shell- if an outside party would look at your application and say" Wow, this kid has a great shot everywhere", your legacy status turns you into a probable admit. This of course is my own opinion after lots of personal observations.</p>

<p>1ofeach: I would say that your analysis works at Brown as well. To repeat: very strong candidates have a good shot of getting in (although not by any stretch guaranteed). But below-700 SATs, poor ECs, etc., will not be overlooked with legacy status.</p>