<p>Hey guys! Im only a rising junior but i got in an arguement with my rising senior sister and i was hoping you guys could tell me the answer to this issue!
We both have another sister who goes currently to Yale, which we regard as weak-ish legacy connection, we both acknowledge this.
However, we also have a lot of extended family (uncles, aunts, cousins, great-uncles, alot of people with our last name) who went to Yale, including an uncle who has been a BIG donor and has a VERY prestigious job that he uses to help out Yale whenever he can. All three of his kids got in easily EA (they were also very accomplished).
I think that these family connections, including my uncle, have limited legacy power. But my sister says that the magnitude of my uncles involvement with Yale, coupled with nearly 15 people closely related to us with our last name having gone to Yale, this is a large advantage....
Any opinions on whose right?</p>
<p>Here’s an article that discusses Legacies at Yale.</p>
<p>[STERN:</a> End legacy now | Yale Daily News](<a href=“http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/02/stern-end-legacy-now/]STERN:”>STERN: End legacy now - Yale Daily News)</p>
<p>Short answer – sister there – couldn’t hurt.
Uncle who is a BIG contributor – how BIG – are we talking? Name on a building Big? How much is he willing to help. If a BIG contributor writes a letter on behalf of a close relative (or even very close friend), my guess is that your application gets flagged. This doesn’t mean you’ll get in, and certainly not if you are not qualified.</p>
<p>Really short answer – if your uncle will go to bat for you, it could help, possibly a lot.</p>
<p>Thanks so much Zephyr! For the reference of future responders, my uncle is name on classrooms big type, but most of his service for Yale comes from favors he does for the University. I don’t feel comfortable listing his job here because it is very specific and i am most likely to be recognized if i do, but he happens to be very successful at what he does and his position is at the apex of his field so helps his alma mater by coordinating with Yale and maintaining constant contact with them, giving graduates jobs, hosting traveling groups (a cappella, academic teams, etc) in his very nice residence, and procuring guest speakers for the university. So not “building” big, but big.</p>