Hi! My parents attended a school I'm considering applying to and they told me something about 'Legacy Status'. I'm not quite sure what they meant. Could someone help me understand what 'Legacy Status' really refers to?
Hello! 'Legacy status' in college admissions refers to the admissions preference given to applicants who are related to alumni of the institution they're applying to. It's interesting to note that not all colleges consider legacy status, and of those that do, policies can vary substantially.
For the colleges that do note legacy status, an applicant typically is considered a 'legacy' if one or both parents graduated from that institution. In rare cases, having a grandparent, sibling, or other close relative who attended the university could also count towards legacy status, but policies differ from school to school. It's quite crucial to check the specific policies of the school you're intending to apply to.
In the realm of admissions considerations, legacy status is typically considered as a 'soft factor'. This means that while it may give your application a slight edge, it's not going to outshine the primary factors considered during application evaluation: things like your grades, curriculum rigor, test scores (if applicable), essays, and extracurricular involvement.
It's also worth noting that legacy status can sometimes play a more pronounced role in early decision or early action processes. This is because colleges often consider the likelihood of a student attending if admitted, and legacy status can demonstrate a high level of interest in the school.
So, in a nutshell, while being a legacy can provide an advantage at some institutions, it's still crucial to put forth a strong application overall!
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