<p>I had occasion to contact NU with respect to their legacy policy. I know I had heard that the legacy impact is stronger in ED than in RD, and had also heard that being a legacy meant that the dean of admissions reviewed the app before "final" rejection. I also wanted to know if number of legacy ties made a difference (single vs double or more). </p>
<p>Anyway, here is the official response:</p>
<p>"Dear Mrs. XX, There isnt an official policy statement in regard to applicants who have a legacy connection. However, the Committee on Admission does take this into consideration when the applicant has parents, siblings or grandparents who have received their degree from Northwestern. While we will note a legacy tie in the review of a students application, students are given consideration for admission based on their all of their credentials and not solely on their relationship to Northwestern alumni. There is no difference in how this is considered based on the application plan the student chooses and the same is true regarding the number of alumni ties. We defer very few Early Decision students and for those that we do, it has nothing to do with their legacy tie. The final decision for any applicant (not just legacies) is made by the Committee on Admission.</p>
<p>Sincerely,
(name redacted)
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Northwestern University
1801 Hinman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60208"</p>
<p>Just thought this might be a useful reference for the future.</p>