Legacy...Why is it so important?

<p>Why is being a legacy kid so important? logically, each applicant is different - different from his/her parents. so why all this fuss abt alums kids? They might be rich and willing to pay full, but so am I willing to pay. what sets us apart?</p>

<p>Alumni give money--> happy alumni give more money.</p>

<p>but maybe i might contribute someday to princeton...well when u say donate, u mean in millions or just 100,000s?</p>

<p>make the donation before you apply ;)</p>

<p>If they accept you - the current alumni will not give more (maybe less if their children get rejected) and they have to wait for you to start making money before you can give any to them. If they accept legacies, they can get more money now, and will get money from the alum's children later, I guess...</p>

<p>Summary: they take alumni chidren for money that alumni can pay 'em.
Conclusion: alumni children just buy their acceptance
In other words: corruption</p>

<p>you gotta think of the greater good. how many legacies? and how many people benefit from the huge endowment? you get better facilities, better finaid...</p>

<p>and I think many legacies are strong applicants. It's not that corrupted, dragon.</p>

<p>corruption? No, it's a private foundation they can do whatever they want =) Even on a less legal level this alumni-giving system works, both for the university and its students</p>

<p>If your parent(s) graduated from Princeton, chances are you inherited some intelligence. You would probably also have had more opportunities with better schools, SAT prep, etc. </p>

<p>Thus, there are many strong Legacy applicants and a bonus for admitting them. By ensuring that the needs of your Alumni base are met (With Legacy admissions, winning a football game or two, etc) you ensure that the University's endowment is kept in-shape, which ensures that the University can offer financial aid, better quality of life, etc. </p>

<p>Alumni support is what keeps universities going - especially private ones. As the federal government cannot supply enough funding for these schools, the difference must be made up in order to preserve (or increase) the quality of education. </p>

<p>The legendary former football coach of Yale, Herman Hickman, was quoted that he wanted "to keep the alumni sullen, but not mutinous." Angry Alumni do not contribute to the coffers of the University. </p>

<p>Admitting the [qualified] children of Alumni kills two birds with one stone. You assure yourself that you are getting a very good student, and you also keep funds flowing to the University.</p>

<p>Ngohuongly,</p>

<p>I agree that many of them are strong applicants, but then again they must be judged as other applicants. Everything must be equal. Why are there discrimination of the applicants with no alumni parents?</p>

<p>Application even must not ask you whether you have alumni realtives or not.</p>

<p>Well you know what... Alumni support is what makes financial aid possible and what keeps fees down. If it works, I don't see why it's in any way bad.
Even though my parents didn't go to Princeton, I support this thing, because it indirectly supports me</p>

<p>Yes, I'm with randomgr. If the endowment (and therefore financial aid) were much less, I couldn't have applied in the first place.</p>

<p>Personally, I think legacy is an amazing thing to give to a child - I'm excited that my children will be Princeton legacies, because dayum.</p>

<p>Haha, prettyfish, my parents keep telling me that my kids will have ivy-league legacy.</p>

<p>My younger sisters should be damn pleased too ;). Unless they decide to apply somewhere else...</p>

<p>Right now my brother is looking at Notre Dame, so I'm not helping him much, but after I calmed down from getting the letter, one of the first things I thought was "Oh hot, my kids are legacy!!!"</p>

<p>haha! Legacy kids...I like that idea. And watch all my kids go to like Petticoat Junction Community College. Grrr...I'm doing this for you guys! Harumph.</p>

<p>Watch my kids want to go to Harvard... silly kids.</p>

<p>ouch. that one would hurt, haha.</p>

<p>if my kids did that, I'd have to disown them.</p>