Most Discouraging: Boston University. To students who have family ties to the university, its letter begins: "We give special attention to applicants whose families have a tradition of study at Boston University. We have extended this consideration in the evaluation of your application, but I regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission." Consideration of family legacies is common practice at many universities. But Rob Flaherty, 17, a North Reading, Mass., recipient, said he felt the wording in BU's letter translated to "we made it even easier for you and you STILL couldn't get in."
Well, yeah, that's exactly what it means. Legacy admissions policies are morally unjustifiable. They're basically a way for colleges and universities to cash in a portion of their academic integrity in exchange for the substantial financial benefits that come with telling alumni that if that if they play their cards right, they may be able to give their children a leg up come admissions time. And admissions preferences only matter at the margin. If you apply to a college as a legacy, then what you're doing is saying "If it comes down to a choice between me and a non-legacy candidate who's more qualified, please pick me." That's a lot to ask. Now colleges are supposed to lie about it too, so people don't feel bad?
4 comments:
There are two reasons for legacy admissions. One is the financial one which you mention. But I suspect my children would be more likely to be accepted at my alma mater, despite my rather modest contributions as an alum, not because of money but because they are more likely to enroll (i.e., more predictable yield).
I also think it's important to note that institutional memory is a valuable thing to bring to campus culture. I am a first generation college student at Brown (senior year) and I can tell you first hand that my experience (especially as a first-year) was enhanced by having a few legacies around. There's an acculturation aspect and a passing on of knowledge through the generations that make legacies really as valuable as any other identified group that gets benefits in the admissions process.
Should it bring in unqualified candidates? No. But amongst qualified candidates, am I glad that some percentage of students were legacies just like some percentage of students were first generation college students and just like some percentage of students were students of color? Sure-- all of these groups amongst many others help to shape our campus culture and community in positive ways.
I agree with Jason. It's obviously difficult to explain to people who are victims of the policies, but as a non-legacy student at Yale, I felt that having legacies around did strengthen the institutional culture of the university in meaningful ways.
CH --
Sure, I'm open to the idea that legacies are net plus for other people who are also admitted. But that needs to be weighed against their impact on those who AREN'T admitted. I suspect that the marginal positive value to you of having someone help you acculturate to Yale is perhaps outweighed by the negative impact to someone else of not being allowed to attend Yale in the first place.
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