Does legacy really make a difference?

Many students here work day and night for stellar grades, outstanding test scores and excellence in extracurriculars, all in the hope that they'll be admitted to Stanford, MIT, Harvard or other private schools. 

In the meantime, other students who may not work as hard be as naturally gifted have something else in their corner: legacy.

The controversial idea of legacy refers to the advantage in admissions some students gain when applying to a private college one of their family members (most often parents) attended. 

According to Michael Hurwitz, associate policy research scientist at the College Board’s Advocacy and Policy Center, legacy is a reality. In his Economics of Education Review, Hurwitz states a student with primary legacy has a 45.1 percent more likelihood of being accepted into a university, with secondary legacy a student has a 13.7 percent better chance of getting accepted and with any legacy a student has a 23.3 percent more likelihood of getting accepted.

A study conducted by Thomas Espenshade from Princeton University showed that the legacy advantage was equivalent to a 160-point increase on an SAT score. 

Class of 2012 alumnus Shivani Chadha, who now attends University of Pennsylvania, is among those who believe having history at a school is helpful.

“My dad did his MBA at Wharton [UPenn’s famed business school), so he definitely had a very different experience from me,” Chadha said. “It was useful in the sense that I visited once when I was younger and got to know the school at an early age, and I decided it was what I wanted to work towards, but other than just putting the idea in my head I don't think I had an edge when applying just because my dad did his MBA here.”

Despite all of the advantages of having legacy, senior Alvin Huang believes that it shouldn’t be the main reason why students are more likely to be accepted.

“I believe that since the rest of a system is a meritocracy, legacy kids should have to be as accomplished as the other people they are up against,” Huang said.

Senior Priyanka Krishnamurthi feels that legacy, although a powerful influence, is not a bad thing if the candidate is as accomplished as others.  

“I do believe that some students do get in because of legacy,” Krishnamurthi said. “However, I don't think it's only because of that. If someone is a good candidate for a particular college, having relatives who have gone to the school can help.”

Family members who attended the college previously and donate large sums of money, may in turn expect the acceptance of their child. 

“It makes sense sometimes,” class of 2013 alumnus Bhavana Vadrevu said. “When an alumni gives money that the school needs to keep it at a certain quality, the act should be rewarded.”

However, in general, Vadrevu doesn’t think the idea is fair.

“It creates a more uneven playing field for people who are trying to get into colleges, which is already a daunting and difficult process,” she said. 

According to Business Insider, Harvard’s legacy admissions rate stands at 30 percent while only 5.8 percent of all Harvard applicants were admitted in 2013. For its class of 2015, Princeton had a similar legacy admissions rate to that of Harvard’s: Its rate was 33 percent but overall only 8.5 percent of all of Princeton’s applicants were accepted. 

Some students, such as Vadrevu, believe that although “legacy” kids have a slight advantage over “non-legacy” kids, they shouldn’t be considered as someone who was accepted to return a favor.

“Money shouldn't ever dictate education,” Vadrevu said. “However, our education system doesn't have enough support to stop being as reliant on donations (especially the larger, more prestigious schools) so until they can get other adequate funding, it seems like a necessary evil.”

Guidance counselor Eileen Allen shares a similar opinion.

“I don’t necessarily think that this [donating money] occurs across the board with admissions, but if a student who comes from a very wealthy family who has donated millions to a school is admitted over another student who is more qualified in every way, then of course I think this is unfair,” Allen said.  

Because these are private institutions, Allen said that it is their right to make these kinds of decisions. 

Others see more positive sides of legacy.

“A lot of factors get thrown into the pot as admissions officers try to create balanced classes with students who have particular talents and a variety of backgrounds,” Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, the 15th president of George Washington University, stated in a Wall Street Journal article. “Whether an applicant is a legacy should be one of those factors, because it is so important to sustaining two qualities at the core of the college experience: school spirit and a lasting sense of community.”

Trachtenberg believes that these “alumni children” have achieved the academic achievements needed to be accepted as well as a true passion and love for the school.

Although legacy is a reality, Allen believes it shouldn’t deter “non-legacy” students hopes of getting accepted into a college.

“I believe that students should be evaluated in a holistic fashion,” Allen said. “Even if legacy status plays a part in admissions, it is likely and necessary for there to be other factors that go into an admission decision.”