<p>For all of you experienced CCer's out there (specifically ExieMITAlum ;)) I was wondering how much influence legacy connections have on an applicant, and why. Just curious!</p>
<p>I was wondering because I was accepted to a small boarding school in Maryland with an absolutely atrocious interview, but my sister went there. So I was kind of surprised when I got my acceptance packet, but I guess my sister's influence really helped...</p>
<p>I got rejected from one of my schools and I am a legacy.</p>
<p>I would like to know the answer to this question as well. Also, what does it mean to be an “ordinary legacy” I saw this term on another thread
@2010, sorry for prying. that was rude of me</p>
<p>@polodolly: I don’t want to specifically say but one of the GLADCHEMMS</p>
<p>oops sorry again, I just erased my post…but ya sorry again for prying that was rude. does asking for significant FA negate a legacy factor</p>
<p>No it is fine. </p>
<p>But my legacy is only minor, it is not like my great - grandfather, grandfather, and father went to the school.</p>
<p>I would think that FA would have a negative effect (how big of an effect would depend on how generous the school is with FA) unless you are applying to andover where they are need-blind.</p>
<p>same here, just one family member, also to a GLADCHEMMS/HADES. thats why I am curious because any FA would need to be very very generous</p>
<p>Yeah, I need like full FA too.</p>
<p>I think an “ordinary” legacy is like a person who is like the average applicant compared to everyone else and their family didn’t donate a gazillion dollars.</p>
<p>yes there is a giving legacy and then just legacy.</p>
<p>so then “just legacy” does not really have an impact?</p>
<p>And siblings don’t count right? “Legacy” is like great-grandfather, grandfather, father, etc?</p>
<p>yep! female side of the family counts, too :P</p>
<p>i think that SOME schools (note: some) give sibling preference too</p>
<p>Used to mean a lot. These days, not so much. This year boarding schools turned down a lot of legacies. Have to be qualified and a fit. And even then there are no guarantees. But it probably does mean your application will get special handling (note for those reading more into this than they should - special handling is not the same as a free pass to admissions letters).</p>
<p>Not worth worrying about, IMHO. Sometimes being a “non-legacy” is an advantage. It was for my daughter.</p>
<p>Exie, How is “non-legacy” an advantage?</p>
<p>No baggage. Kid is not under family pressure. School is not under family/donor pressure. Fresh eyes. Different expectations. Bring something new to the “party.”</p>
<p>Exie, I don’t know about your individual experience as a BS alum. In my neck of the woods, the schools love to accept rich kids. There is nothing wrong with it. The private schools need to survive as they get no public funding. I don’t think they frown upon donors, big and small. These days all parents expectations for their children are high, not just the alums. That’s why you see a lot of these 1st gen. kids like the Yale quadruplets.</p>
<p>ExieMITAlum has it right. Legacy is a hook but no way is it any kind of guarantee, even if 2 generations are currently giving to the Annual Fund. A current sibling at the school or legacy will have the Admission people look twice at the folder. But if the character and grades aren’t there the student is not going to get accepted. The admission people make this very clear. They also make a concerted effort to keep the door open for those families for which BS is entirely new experience. fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Why then would you call legacy a hook? It should be called a negative-hook or somethin.</p>
<p>wow. this entire time I was under the impression that my small legacy was helpful…I guess you learn something new everyday = L</p>
<p>polo, I think legacy is still a hook regardless of what someone says. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have called it a hook in the first place.</p>