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What Percentage of Harvard Students are Legacy?

By Eric Eng

By Eric Eng

Harvard University

What Percentage of Harvard Students are Legacy?

What percentage of Harvard Students are Legacy? Harvard University, a stalwart in the world of elite higher education, has been the subject of much discussion and debate concerning its admissions processes. One particularly controversial aspect of these processes is the role of “legacy” admissions, where applicants have familial ties to alumni of the university. This preferential treatment has long been criticized for perpetuating socio-economic inequalities and for potentially undermining the meritocratic principles of college admissions.

This guide aims to provide a nuanced view of this issue, starting with the current data on legacy admissions at Harvard and exploring the broader implications of this practice.

The Percentage of Legacy Students Accepted into Harvard

Students put in a lot of effort throughout their high school years hoping to secure a spot in an Ivy League university. However, even if they are investing tremendous effort to break through the single-digit admission rate, they might not realize that the odds are even more against them.

Legacy applicants often receive more favorable treatment than non-legacy applicants. While we don’t know the exact number of spots reserved for legacy students each year, they typically make up a disproportionately large portion of each incoming freshman class.

Harvard University historic building in Cambridge at Massachusetts USA

For instance, over one-third of the class of 2022 were legacy students, indicating that this fraction of admitted freshmen had a relative—be it a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, or other—who had previously attended Harvard.

From 2014 to 2019, while only 5.1 percent of all applicants were selected for admission, over 33 percent of legacy applicants were accepted. Even though surveys indicate a slight decrease in legacy enrollment between the classes of 2021 and 2022, it’s essential to note that, overall, prospective legacy students have acceptance rates nearly five times higher than other applicants.

Demographics

In 2016, for the first time, Harvard’s freshman class was predominantly made up of students from non-white racial or ethnic groups. Although institutions across the U.S., including Ivy League schools, have made efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, legacy practices seem to continue benefiting wealthy white applicants.

A particular survey revealed that 23.4% of white respondents from the class of 2022 were legacy students. Furthermore, a study conducted by Duke University provided an insightful analysis. It found that between 2009 and 2014, 43% of white applicants to Harvard either had legacy status, were athletes, or were children of donors and faculty—with children of faculty being a minor fraction of this group. Of these white applicants, only one-quarter would have met the standard admission requirements on their merit.

Legacy status also aligns with wealth. For example, in the class of 2018, 37.3 percent of admitted legacy students came from families earning over $500,000 annually. This proportion rose to 46.4 percent for the class of 2022.

What is a Legacy Student?

With a large percentage of legacy students accepted into Harvard, a legacy student is someone who has an immediate family member, typically a parent, who attended the same college. During the application review, these prospective students often receive additional consideration. Some colleges extend legacy status to grandchildren or siblings of alumni, but this isn’t standard practice. Most schools grant the legacy boost primarily to applicants with at least one parent who attended the institution.

Many schools offer legacy status during the admissions process. They believe this practice fosters increased loyalty to the school, making alumni more likely to donate. Students with familial ties to the institution are also more inclined to accept an admission offer.

Group of University students lounging on the grass.

For example, Princeton’s enrollment rate for legacy students was nearly 89 percent, compared to 69 percent for other admitted students. A higher yield—the percentage of admitted applicants who choose to enroll—boosts an institution’s selectivity and helps schools predict the sizes of their incoming classes more accurately.

The incoming classes of 2023 at Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth each comprised between 12 and 14 percent of legacy students. Stanford’s class of 2023 had 16 percent legacy students. Impressively, legacy admissions constituted a significant portion of Harvard’s class of 2022.

How Significant Is the Role of Family Name in College Admissions?

At some universities, an applicant’s legacy status plays a pivotal role in the admissions process. A 2011 study found that legacy students had a “45 percent greater chance of admission” compared to other applicants at the top 30 U.S. schools.

Students from prestigious families receive significant advantages when applying to elite institutions like Princeton. While only 5.5 percent of Princeton’s class of 2022 applicants were admitted, a third of legacy applicants received acceptance letters. Stanford, known as one of the U.S.’ most competitive universities, also tends to favor students with family ties. Notably, legacy applicants at Harvard have five times the admission odds of non-legacy applicants.

A teenager with her family smiling at the picture.

Legacy status has its unique perks. For instance, while a single admissions officer reviews each non-legacy application at Stanford, legacy applications undergo a dual review, offering them more opportunities to impress.

Legacy advantages vary among universities. Some out-of-state applicants with alumni parents may even be treated as in-state candidates, bolstering their chances of acceptance.

In 2018, Harvard’s President Lawrence Bacow highlighted why the institution admits numerous legacy students, emphasizing their familiarity with the institution and the overall quality of their applications.

The Origins of Legacy Admissions

The legacy system in college admissions has a controversial history. Introduced in the early 1900s at elite institutions, it aimed to sideline Jewish applicants. A. Lawrence Lowell, Harvard’s president in 1922, worried that a growing number of Jewish students would deter white Protestants from applying. This prompted a shift in admissions policy, focusing on character and family lineage.

Aerial view of Harvard University.

Legacy admissions disadvantage students from lower-income families. Such applicants might benefit most from elite educational opportunities, yet find themselves sidelined by legacy considerations. Currently, a meager average of 16 percent of Ivy League undergraduates receive federal Pell Grants, intended for low-income students, compared to 40 percent of first-year students nationwide.

Legacy students at Harvard are predominantly wealthy and white, echoing the demographic representation across many elite institutions. Yet, these institutions are financially poised to admit more lower-income students.

Studies show that working-class high achievers who attend top-tier schools have better chances of ascending to middle or upper-class standings post-graduation. A shift in admissions strategy to prioritize such students could foster broader societal equity.

The Legacy System: An Outdated Approach?

Recently, illustrious universities like Harvard and Yale have admitted more low-income students. The 2016 American Talent Initiative, signed by 30 top institutions, aims to enroll an additional 50,000 lower-income students by 2025.

However, the legacy system remains racially skewed. Over ninety percent of legacy admissions are white, perpetuating inequality. Legacy policies predominantly benefit white students, often sidelining students of color who lack familial collegiate history.

While some institutions claim legacy applicants meet the same rigorous standards as other candidates, post-2019 Varsity Blues scandal legislation in California requires universities to disclose the number of legacy admissions below standard criteria. Stanford claims that family ties or historical donations are immaterial if an applicant isn’t academically competitive.

However, data suggests that non-legacy students typically outperform legacy students in GPA and standardized test scores.

Despite a vast endowment of $53.2 billion, Harvard continues to prioritize legacy admissions, which some argue contradicts the ideals of meritocracy and hinders social mobility. With ample resources, institutions like Harvard should prioritize democratizing higher education.

Harvard alumni can influence this change. They should advocate for equitable admissions, possibly by supporting campaigns like “Leave Your Legacy,” which encourages alumni to withhold donations from universities that retain legacy admissions. A collective alumni stand could force institutions to reconsider these practices.

In a society emphasizing meritocracy, private universities like Harvard must prioritize accessibility. Scrapping legacy admissions is a step towards genuine accessibility and inclusivity. Harvard and its peers must lead this change or risk standing on the wrong side of history.

At AdmissionSight, we know there are a lot of other questions students and their families may have about the admissions process. Feel free to set up an appointment today with AdmissionSight to answer any and all of the questions you have. Reach out today to learn more about the admissions process.

 

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