Do Legacy Applicants Have an Edge?

Do applicants have a better chance of being accepted to a college if one or both of their parents attended the school?

An article in the University of Chicago student newspaper claims in its title that there is no boost for legacy applicants at the school, although a close reading of the piece shows that the admissions dean is very careful in his statements about legacy admissions. While there's no official policy, it seems clear that it helps to be a legacy applicant. Certainly, studies and interviews done in the past indicate that the vast majority of colleges give preference, however informal, to children of alumni.

Friday March 9, 2007