Signifcance of LEGACY status, chance please!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgetown University
1

<p>I was wondering how much stress the Gtown admissions put on legacy applicants? I've heard that they are known for giving legacies a great edge to getting in. Is this true?</p>

<p>-My father finished under-grad at Gtown (junior and senior years) and went on to their Dental School to graduate with his D.D.S. Now, he is currently an active member to get their dental school back functioning considering they no longer have one.</p>

<p>I'm a junior now and wondering what my chances are at Gtown. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.96 UW/ 4.86 W
-should be a 4.9 at the end of this year</p>

<p>Rank: 4 of 230
-Again, should be higher by the end of this year</p>

<p>ACT:
Math: 36
English: 31
Science: 30
Reading: 26
Composite: 31
-Will retake soon to get a superscore
-SAT scores come in on Christmas
-Taking Math subject tests in January</p>

<p>EC's
-Student Government - President of the class for 3 (hopefully 4) years
Student Council - all 4 years
Spanish Club - 3 years
Ping Pong Club - 2 years
Band - have played the trumpet since 5th grade
******* - Marching Band - 4 years
******* - Pit Band - 4 years
******* - Concert Band - 4 years (section leader, first chair trumpet)
******* - Jazz Band - 4 years
As Schools Match Wits - Local highschool game show competition
Council of Peer Educators - 3 years
National Honor Society
Key Club
Baseball
Indoor track</p>

<p>-Have voluntered at local hospital setting up fundraisers for cancer patients.
-Have voluntered over 30 hours for baseball clinics and camps
-Plan to do community service at local hospital this summer as a shadow for a doctor
-Have over 20 hours of other hours at various events
-Plan to work at Dental office in summer</p>

<p>I have taken very rigorous courseload (as seen by weighted GPA).
Plan to take 3 AP's next year (Calc, Bio, English) but I have not taken any yet.
Our school requires many prerequisites for the AP's you can take.
Our highschool is in the top 10% for MCAS scores as well.
Our highschool sends about 4 or 5 kids to top universities every year.</p>

<p>Other Schools I'm looking at:
Boston College
Cornell
Harvard
Yale
Umass - Amherst
MIT
Columbia
Dartmouth
Georgetown -Legacy</p>

<p>-have taken the SAT II's in Math I and II, plan on taking physics, bio, and possibly english lit and math again
-already taking the ACT's again, hoping to get a nice superscore!</p>

<p>-will probably apply early decision to either Georgetown or Cornell, and early action to the rest...</p>

<p>-if you need any other information, please post
-if you think of any "matches", please post</p>

2

<p>I think "congratulations Hoya" is appropriate. I only frown upon your "competitive course load" but if your school is your decelerator on this one, I don't think they'll hold it against you.</p>

3

<p>georgetown does not have an early decision program, just early action. As far as legacy goes, it is very untrue that they consider it strongly. A friend of mine had BOTH parents go there and she was waitlisted last year and never accepted (4.0 gpa and good ECs and the best essays she ever wrote....REALLY wanted to go, only thing stopping her was lik 1900 SAT, and even both legacies couldnt make up the difference)...on the bright side, u look like ull prob get in anyway, so if legacy means nething ull def get in</p>

4

<p>what's frowned up on the course load? the amount of AP's?</p>

5

<p>what's frowned up on the course load? the amount of AP's?</p>

6

<p>how is your weighted GPA so high?</p>

7

<p>Not having taken any APs by the end of junior year is a hallmark of a weak course load, however, with your class rank, you clearly are taking some of the most challenging courses available to you. This may or may not hurt you, can’t speak for the admissions counselors.
Also, your “weighted” GPA is most likely not on the same scale most colleges use to formulate what they consider a weighted GPA. Only class rank is an accurate (usually) indication of your academic intensity. Example: a 6.8 was is the THIRD highest GPA in my class at the end of junior year.
I don’t think you should be relying on your legacy status as much as you think you should. My friend last year was a double law school legacy and got deferred, then denied. (Note: depending on your father’s level of involvement with the school currently, your case may be different.) You clearly have leadership, activities you are committed to, and show a dedication to service, which are more important. Focus on your essays, start working on them early. Don’t bank on H and Y, but the rest of them are definite matches for you, providing you get good test scores. And whatever you do, don’t turn standardized test-taking into another ec.</p>

8

<p>Legacy doesn’t count EA, so if you get deferred, it’ll help. </p>

<p>I also believe that only undergrad has much validity.</p>

9

<p>Not sure if dental legacy counts for undergraduate admissions… but if you were to be a significant development/legacy case, there is a special admissions committee that reviews your files</p>

10

<p>You seem like a solid applicant, and you’ve clearly worked hard. I’m going to avoid giving any “chances” - my opinion is really irrelevant.</p>

<p>I’m very curious, however, because I noticed your “As Schools Match Wits” involvement. Do you, by chance, come from the state of Connecticut?</p>