Do "Legacies" Still Have the Same Advantage? Forum

[MagnumLifeStyle]

Ivy League schools and other top-notch schools are known to have preference for legacies in their undergraduate admissions.

Does such advantage still exist for law school admissions (ivy league + stanford and other top law schools)?

[jks289]

Ivy League schools and other top-notch schools are known to have preference for legacies in their undergraduate admissions.

Does such advantage still exist for law school admissions (ivy league + stanford and other top law schools)?

Most anecdotal evidence says no, unless relative is major financial donor.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I doubt it. Most people go to college. Most people don't go to law school.

[kalvano]

I think schools might have some small preference for students of families that go to that school. But you still have to have the right numbers.

[bconly]

i was on the border at USC and got a reject as a legacy... so I say no.

[superflush]

Ivy League schools and other top-notch schools are known to have preference for legacies in their undergraduate admissions.

Does such advantage still exist for law school admissions (ivy league + stanford and other top law schools)?

It probably depends on how strong the legacy connection is.
If you have a 4 or 5 generation line that went to the law school, I definitely think there will be an advantage.
Just a sole generation without any major donations might only have a slight advantage.

[sayan]

Undergraduate admission offices look for a well-rounded applicant on dimensions such as personality and leadership ability that are sometimes tough to measure and record. Thus using legacy status as a proxy of a successful upbringing that cultivates the aforementioned qualities is sometimes useful for these admissions.

On the other hand, as we all know, law school is almost completely numbers focused and academically oriented. Even the soft factors that really help are typically related to academia (e.g., published papers) or are much better proxies of personality and leadership capability than legacy status (e.g., prestigious scholarships) which aren't available to students just entering undergraduate colleges.

[doomed123]

Undergraduate admission offices look for a well-rounded applicant on dimensions such as personality and leadership ability that are sometimes tough to measure and record. Thus using legacy status as a proxy of a successful upbringing that cultivates the aforementioned qualities is sometimes useful for these admissions.

You don't actually believe that this is the reason, do you?

[ScaredWorkedBored]

Ivy League schools and other top-notch schools are known to have preference for legacies in their undergraduate admissions.

Does such advantage still exist for law school admissions (ivy league + stanford and other top law schools)?

Most anecdotal evidence says no, unless relative is major financial donor.

This. When the relative in question can schedule a lunch with university brass at his convenience, his kid is getting in unless his numbers are beyond awful. Big difference between "I'm so happy I went to school here" legacy and "We're so happy you went to school here" legacy.

[Antipodean]

This. When the relative in question can schedule a lunch with university brass at his convenience, his kid is getting in unless his numbers are beyond awful. Big difference between "I'm so happy I went to school here" legacy and "We're so happy you went to school here" legacy.

And of course the public university equivalent: My relative can have your funding cut.

[SuperFreak]

Ivy League schools and other top-notch schools are known to have preference for legacies in their undergraduate admissions.

Does such advantage still exist for law school admissions (ivy league + stanford and other top law schools)?

Most anecdotal evidence says no, unless relative is major financial donor.

How does anecdotal evidence say no?

Are you saying that a graduate from Alaska College with a 3.5 is equivalent to a Yale 3.5 in the eyes of admissions officers?

[theLastZion]

I think a lot of schools give you a small bump if you're borderline and have strong connections to the school; thereby being more likely to matriculate if accepted. To the extent that being a legacy fulfils that role, it may give you a bump.

[theLastZion]

Are you saying that a graduate from Alaska College with a 3.5 is equivalent to a Yale 3.5 in the eyes of admissions officers?

To the admissions people at Yale? Yes, that person is an auto-reject.

[SuperFreak]

Are you saying that a graduate from Alaska College with a 3.5 is equivalent to a Yale 3.5 in the eyes of admissions officers?

To the admissions people at Yale? Yes, that person is an auto-reject.

Just to make sure, we're talking about Alaska College, right?