Legacy

[ahmedsheta]

Just a question, isn’t giving advantage to students who did nothing extra except finding themselves sons of past Harvard alumni somewhat unfair?

I mean, what have they done extra for their application to have even the slightest positive boost?

[gibby]

Life is unfair! If the college applications process is your first brush with that fact, you’d better get used to it! This from a previous post of mine

When you apply to college, you are NOT competing for the same “roles” as other students.

What does that mean? Well, think of a high school musical director who is choosing a cast for a show. Let’s use “Urinetown” as the example. The director needs to cast so many males, so many females, so many sopranos, altos, tenors etc. They need to cast for particular roles. And not everyone is castable for every role. For example, if you’re a woman, there’s almost a 100% chance you will NOT get cast as “Officer Barrel” because the role requires a singer with baritone pipes.

Admission to a top college works pretty much the same way. In a very real sense, you are NOT competing against everyone in the applicant pool for admission; you’re competing against those who can play the same “role” or “roles.” So, at most top colleges, about 15% of the places will be reserved for recruited athletes. If you’re not an athlete, those spots are not for you. About 10% will go to internationals; if you are a US citizen, those spots aren’t for you either. Some spots will go to underrepresented minorities (URM’s). Again, if you’re not a URM, that’s NOT a role you can play – so, let it go.

You are only competing for the roles you can play – and shouldn’t worry about what roles other students are competing for, as you are NOT in direct competition for the same roles.

Ditto with legacies. And FWIW: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/5/11/admissions-fitzsimmons-legacy-legacies/

“If you look at the credentials of Harvard alumni and alumnae sons and daughters, they are better candidates on average,” said Fitzsimmons, part of what he sees as the explanation for the disparity in the acceptance rate. “Very few who apply have no chance of getting in.”

[TomSrOfBoston]

The son or daughter of a Harvard alumnus with a 1900 SAT, 3.5 UWGPA and lackluster EC’s will not be admitted (Unless mom and dad have donated a few hundred million to the school)

70% of legacy applicants at Harvard are denied.

[skieurope]

The son or daughter of a Harvard alumnus with a 1900 SAT, 3.5 UWGPA and lackluster EC’s will not be admitted (Unless mom and dad have donated a few hundred million to the school)

Agreed.

isn’t giving advantage to students who did nothing extra except finding themselves sons of past Harvard alumni somewhat unfair?

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that life is fair. To quote Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest: “Ah, but nobody ever said life was fair, Tina.” It is what it is. Accept it and move on.

[lookingforward]

Cmon, they don’t just see legacy and rubber stamp. You’ve got to understand more about how top colleges vet applications.

What they do that’s “extra for their application to have even the slightest positive boost” is the same as what will be expected of you.

That’s fair.

Try to know what that is.

[snarlatron]

In H’s own words, legacies may get a “second look,” but no other special favors.

[wisteria100]

Many colleges want to foster community. Accepting legacies is one way to help do this.

[sgopal2]

I would probably argue that legacies add more to the college experience than you can imagine.

What better way to engender a sense of school spirit than to have several members from the same family attend college events ?

What better way to rile up your alumni base for fundraising efforts ?

What better way to increase access for more needy and other diverse groups by allowing legacy kids (many of who are full pay?)

Abolishing legacy preference damages all of these aspects. Getting rid of legacy will turn our colleges into their European counterparts: bastions of academia but with students who lack loyalty to their alma mater.