My son is currently in 5th grade at a small private elementary school. He will go there through 6th grade so we need to start thinking soon about the schools we may want to look at and apply to next. My question is: how much of a benefit does being a legacy give? Of the boys in his very small class, three currently have a sibling at the school we would strongly consider and hope that our son would get into. My son’s father attended this school as well so we also have the legacy connection.How is being a legacy (sibling) vs legacy (parent) weighed in the admissions process? I worry that the school will not accept all four applicants and we would be most at risk of not getting in since our legacy connection is not as current. Let’s assume all the boys are on even ground with regard to academics.
It has been my observation that a sibling currently at the school is the strongest “legacy” advantage.
It also depends on how involved your spouse has been as an alum.
If he has had little to no involvement with the school since attending, and has rarely donated anything. being a “legacy” is weighed less.
He donates money every year but not huge sums.
I guess my question is, if all students are equal academically but excel in different sports ( a hockey player, two soccer players, and a squash player) is there really going to be space for 4 kids from the same school?
That he’s an “active” alum weighs greater than being inactive. The fact that he has been supportive, even modestly, counts - because chances are, he’s in contact with other alums too.
As far as whether a school would have space for all 4 kids applying from the same school, that depends on the overall applicant pool and the school’s needs and goals this application cycle.
Yes, it does help in most cases, as the AOs see the implicit commitment from the family. The current student’s performance (academic and otherwise) would also be taken into consideration.
In the eyes of development officers, a consistent stream of donations is much more favorable than a large sum donated or pledged right before the kid’s application is submitted. So congrats - you are already in a great position.
Before you make a trip to the school, make sure the dad connects with his development contact at his alma mater. That person should be able to set up a meeting with someone in admissions.
Good luck!
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I guess my question is, if all students are equal academically but excel in different sports ( a hockey player, two soccer players, and a squash player) is there really going to be space for 4 kids from the same school?
I would not worry about it. The admission office is always looking for a good mix of scholars, musicians, athletes, etc, as well as a balance in backgrounds such as ethnicity and socio-economic status.
Most definitely. Instead of worrying about 3 spots vs. 4, I would ask the boy to put together a nice set of essays, do well on the SSAT, and be ready for all the housekeeping questions during the interview.
Your comments were spot on. A lot of people assume that their kids’ chances will receive an automatic boost simply because they have legacy. This cannot be further from the truth. If you are an alum who has never volunteered or donated, then your legacy would actually viewed negatively, as it sends a strong message to the school that you simply never cared to bother.
At my daughter’s school, sibling priority is huge along with faculty kids. I don’t think they tend to take multiple kids from the same school because they really do want a variety of styles, experiences, etc. What I do know though is that if a particular child has “what’s needed” then they will likely get the spot – for instance, if they need more girls in the class, no amount of great boy applicants will get in. Or, let’s say they are trying to build up a music program, then it’s likely the musical applicants will be favored given that all else was equal. Legacy does play a part but I’m really not sure how much at this level.