What is the legacy admissions controversy at Harvard?

The complaint alleges that Harvard's legacy preference has nothing to do with merit and takes away slots from qualified students of color. It asks the U.S. Education Department to declare the practice illegal and force Harvard to abandon it as long as the university receives federal funding.

What is the legacy scandal with Harvard?

Harvard is also now the subject of a civil-rights probe by the US Department of Education, after a lawsuit alleged the school gave overwhelming preference to white, wealthy students by prioritising legacy and donor applicants.

What is the problem with legacy admissions?

In the case of legacy admissions, elite universities are effectively discriminating against less privileged students for the benefit of the wealthy — and some donors are enabling them. Fortunately, some universities have already taken legacy preferences off the table. MIT and Wesleyan, for example.

What is the complaint against Harvard legacy admissions?

The complaint argues that the need to end so-called legacy admissions — the practice of giving preferential treatment to the children or other relatives of alumni in college or university admissions — is particularly acute at Harvard after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs at two universities, ...

Why does Harvard care about legacy?

These institutions say legacy admissions help foster relationships with alumni and promote an intergenerational community. But experts told me there is an underlying justification: money. Schools might believe that giving preference to children of alumni would prompt donations down the road.

Harvard Targeted on Legacy Admissions

Is it easier to get into Harvard as a legacy?

Harvard has published this FAQ: “Are a student's chances of admission enhanced if a relative has attended Harvard? The application process is the same for all candidates. Among a group of similarly distinguished applicants, the daughters and sons of College alumni/ae may receive an additional look.”

Do Ivy Leagues care about legacy?

Legacy admissions does not ensure acceptance at an Ivy League university. Being a legacy applicant does help a bit. However if a student wants to get accepted to an Ivy League university they have to be an exceptional student on their own.

What percentage of Harvard students are legacy admissions?

Harvard gives preference to applicants who are recruited athletes, legacies, relatives of donors and children of faculty and staff. As a group, they make up less than 5 percent of applicants, but around 30 percent of those admitted each year.

How much does legacy matter at Harvard?

At Harvard, legacies have higher median SAT test scores and grades than the rest of admitted students. According to The Atlantic, "While some research indicates that legacy admits go on to earn lower average grades than their peers, plenty are strong applicants."

What is the failing rate at Harvard?

The College's graduation rate is normally 98 percent, among the highest at American colleges and universities. Everyone admitted to Harvard has the ability to complete all academic requirements successfully.

Does Oxford consider legacy admissions?

Legacy admissions do not exist at Oxford, Cambridge or virtually anywhere else globally. It is a distinctly American practice. It sounds unusual and quite unfair. If you compare universities outside of America — even some of the best — there is a stark difference in many dimensions.

Does legacy matter at Harvard?

Not just Harvard but all Ivy League institutions, considered some of the world's most prestigious, give consideration to legacy status. Other leading institutions, including New York University, Georgetown University, Vassar College and Michigan State University, also follow the practice.

Does Yale consider legacy?

Eleven percent of the Yale College class of 2027 are legacies, according to the admissions office's First-Year Class Profile. This number marks a slight decrease in legacy population from the class of 2026, which has 12 percent legacy students, and the class of 2025, which has 14 percent legacy students.

Who are the famous Harvard rejects?

John Kerry, D-Mass, Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner, NBC "Today" show host Meredith Vieira, former "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw, New Yorker magazine editor David Remnick, CNN founder Ted Turner, folk rock legend Art Garfunkel, Matt Groening, creator of the animated television series "The Simpsons," ...

What is Harvard notorious for?

In conclusion, Harvard University stands as a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and social impact. Its enduring legacy, spanning centuries, is built upon a foundation of rigorous scholarship, distinguished faculty, and a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge.

What is the acceptance rate for Harvard without legacy students?

This adds to other damning data on the subject: Evidence submitted by the plaintiffs in the affirmative action case reveals that 34% of legacy applicants were admitted to Harvard compared with 6% of non-legacies; last year, an Associated Press review found that “legacy students outnumbered Black students in freshman ...

What are the odds of getting into Yale as a legacy?

According to Statista.com figures, Yale's legacy admissions percentage has hovered mostly between 10 percent and 14 percent since the class of 2012, with a high of 14 percent for the class of 2025 and a low of 8 percent for the class of 2024.

How likely am I to get into Harvard?

The acceptance rate at Harvard is 3.2%.

In other words, of 100 students who apply, only 3 are admitted. This means the school is very selective. Scores are vital to getting past their first round of filters. After that, you will need to impress them beyond just your academic scores.

Is Harvard being sued for legacy admissions?

The new lawsuit draws on Harvard data that came to light amid the affirmative action case that landed before the Supreme Court. The records revealed that 70% of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and being a legacy student makes an applicant roughly six times more likely to be admitted.

Who does Harvard consider legacy?

Someone with a parent who attended Harvard is a primary legacy. Someone with a grandparent or some other relative who attended is a secondary legacy. Only primary legacies really get an advantage in terms of admissions.

Does Dartmouth consider legacy?

Dartmouth happens to be the first institution to implement legacy admission. And it had a specific purpose — severely curbing the presence of ethnic and religious minorities like Jews and Catholics.

Why does Harvard have a low acceptance rate?

One major reason the Harvard University acceptance rate has fallen to a record low is the overwhelming number of students who apply to Harvard. More students submitted a Harvard application than ever before after the school waived its test requirements for the immediate future.

Who has gotten rid of legacy admissions?

In 2021, Colorado became the first state to ban legacy preferences in public universities. Similar bills have emerged in New York and Connecticut.

Which Ivy League is most generous?

Princeton University is the highest scoring Ivy League to make the top ten list of universities with the best financial aid packages.

Do grandparents count as legacy Harvard?

A legacy is someone who is related to an alumnus of a school—usually a child of a graduate. More distant relations (such as aunts, uncles, and cousins) rarely count. Grandparents sometimes, but not always, count. To take an example, if your mom graduated from Harvard College, you'd be considered a Harvard legacy.