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If a parent attended the law school, or even undergrad of the school to which you're applying, does that carry any weight? Does legacy matter in law school admissions? I'm guessing it must mean something, or else they wouldn't ask...

They are trying to figure out if your parent GAVE LOTS OF MONEY. they don't care if the parent just went there.

Minnesota surprised me with a full ride offer (I suppose I'm above their 75th on LSAT, but it was still very unexpected), and I'm pretty sure the fact that I was able to list 8 or 9 relatives who got various degrees from there had some hand in it. People are more likely to matriculate to a good offer if they have family history at a place.

If your parents "GAVE LOTS OF MONEY" they wouldn't need you to fill in a box saying they attended... There'd be a building named after you or they'd certainly be on some list.

The main advantage is that the school knows you'd be a little bit more likely to attend if admitted. Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

Case in point, I'm a legacy at USC and I haven't heard from them (one of only 2 schools I haven't heard from yet) because of my West Coast-unworthy GPA.

JDizzle2015 wrote:Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

FTFY, TCR

dnyr2b wrote:If a parent attended the law school, or even undergrad of the school to which you're applying, does that carry any weight? Does legacy matter in law school admissions? I'm guessing it must mean something, or else they wouldn't ask...

from my personal experience it does help some. I'm not sure how it is eveywhere else. It probably depends on the school. It doesn't hurt.

It is a postive soft... which means if LSAT / GPA are tied only then could it come into play

Didn't some courts rule that legacy preferance is "racist" since it disproportionately favors white familes over everyone else?

furcifer wrote:Didn't some courts rule that legacy preferance is "racist" since it disproportionately favors white familes over everyone else?

mrtoren wrote:

JDizzle2015 wrote:Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

FTFY, TCR

YES. If you don't have the numbers, you shouldn't get in just because you share DNA with a graduate.

omninode wrote:

mrtoren wrote:

JDizzle2015 wrote:Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

FTFY, TCR

YES. If you don't have the numbers, you shouldn't get in just because you share DNA with a graduate.

shouldn't be, but that's not the case. we know that it doesn't work that way, even at UG.

I don't have the cite on hand, but it happened.
Same reason that drug tests for welfare is racist according to the courts I guess.

JDizzle2015 wrote:

furcifer wrote:Didn't some courts rule that legacy preferance is "racist" since it disproportionately favors white familes over everyone else?

omninode wrote:

mrtoren wrote:

JDizzle2015 wrote:Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

FTFY, TCR

YES. If you don't have the numbers, you shouldn't get in just because you share DNA with a graduate.

I'm a sucker for legacy/loyalty/history of connections with a university. (Not old money at all but I think it's a rather nice sentiment to honor.)

Obviously, you're all correct that it's not fair for someone with lower numbers to get in just because of their DNA but that's not how the world works.. is it?

/slowly backs away from the forbidden URM debate.

ok, but if it's "racist" to need a FREE state ID to vote, then giving preferance to legacies must be that times ten.

Unless of course there are a large number of proud african americans enrolling in Harvard in the 1700's-19760's

I like the idea of legacy boosts. They reward the families that put in the work building up the prestige of a university, and provide an incentive for them to remain involved with the university network after graduation.

apollo2015 wrote:I like the idea of legacy boosts. They reward the families that put in the work building up the prestige of a university, and provide an incentive for them to remain involved with the university network after graduation.

it sounds nice, but does that mean the family's kids won't have to work as hard (to remain competitive relative to the applicant pool) to get into the school?

lawhaus wrote:

apollo2015 wrote:I like the idea of legacy boosts. They reward the families that put in the work building up the prestige of a university, and provide an incentive for them to remain involved with the university network after graduation.

it sounds nice, but does that mean the family's kids won't have to work as hard (to remain competitive relative to the applicant pool) to get into the school?

If a family has donated a substantial amount of money and/or has a building named after them, the kid in question, assuming he isn't an absolute terrible person/student (and even then maybe), will more than likely gain acceptance.

Largo219 wrote:

lawhaus wrote:

apollo2015 wrote:I like the idea of legacy boosts. They reward the families that put in the work building up the prestige of a university, and provide an incentive for them to remain involved with the university network after graduation.

it sounds nice, but does that mean the family's kids won't have to work as hard (to remain competitive relative to the applicant pool) to get into the school?

If a family has donated a substantial amount of money and/or has a building named after them, the kid in question, assuming he isn't an absolute terrible person/student (and even then maybe), will more than likely gain acceptance.

You totally missed the boat on what they were saying.

mrtoren wrote:

JDizzle2015 wrote:Most schools won't sacrifice numbers for legacy, unfortunately.

FTFY, TCR

+1

lawhaus wrote:

apollo2015 wrote:I like the idea of legacy boosts. They reward the families that put in the work building up the prestige of a university, and provide an incentive for them to remain involved with the university network after graduation.

it sounds nice, but does that mean the family's kids won't have to work as hard (to remain competitive relative to the applicant pool) to get into the school?

Right. The children of families who did not put their effort into building up the school would have to work harder to make up for that fact.