Just thought I would share my situation with those who feel the same.
My mom went to Stanford and loved every minute of it. It was her top choice and she did very well there. Everyone’s thinking, wow Paris, now you have a leg up with legacy.
Except…
I’m not interested in Stanford. While I have nothing against it and regard it as an amazing school, it is not for me. My mom is totally fine with this and wants me to go somewhere where I’ll be happy and excel, like any good parent would.
My point is, why should legacy give anyone an advantage? Just because our parent(s) attended, that doesn’t mean that we want to or would even excel at the school above anyone else. My mom and I are very different people, and my ability has nothing to do with the fact that she attened Stanford.
<p>They don't care about ability. They care about your loyalty to the school. Loyal alumni and family donate money (they want your money) and give support to the school. It isn't about talent or ability running in the family veins.</p>
<p>exactly. if Ivy schools tell the public they are gonna put a stop on legacy, many people would stop donating.</p>
<p>I agree. ITs all wbout the $. It is an inherently unfair system. All of us live with it. U can 2. Just overwhelm the admissions officer with your academic achievements and talents That should do the trick/</p>
<p>yeah.. for example, alumnis subside so much cost @ williams college.. I don't mind studying beside my benefactors' sons and daughters.</p>
<p>ParisKM -
Simple solution - don't apply there. There's no reason to follow in your parents foot steps if you don't want to and your parents seem to be OK with you pursuing your own interests. So you really are in a good situation.</p>
<p>In any event, the fact is that in the vast majority of cases legacy status only provides a tip between equal candidates, not a boost over better qualified ones.</p>
<p>The applicants stats have to be competitive for legacy even to mattter.</p>
<p>Check out the following article:</p>
<p>Why Yale Favors Its Own
November/December 2004
Yale University President Rick Levin '74PhD was interviewed by Kathrin Lassila '81, a daughter of two Yale PhDs
<a href="http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_11/q_a.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_11/q_a.html</a></p>
<p>
[quote]
But the pool of legacy applicants is substantially stronger than the average of the rest of the pool. The grades and test scores of the legacies we admit are higher than the average of the rest of the admitted class, and the legacies that matriculate achieve higher grades at Yale than non-legacy students with the same high school grades and test scores.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What's wrong with admitting a qualified student that is eager to attend?</p>