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Some colleges and universities in the United States have what’s known as legacy admissions. Legacy admissions is preferential treatment for student applicants who have had a parent, sibling, or other family member attend the school in the past. Not all colleges consider legacy in their admission practices, and some states are starting to outlaw the practice. Here’s everything you need to know about legacy admissions and how it can impact your acceptance chances.
What Are Legacy Admissions?
Legacy admissions, also referred to as alumni connections or legacy preferences, is the practice of giving preferential treatment to student applicants who have had a family member attend the college or university. This means that the legacy applicant has a higher chance of getting accepted to the college in question than another student, even if the rest of the application is equal in terms of grades, test scores, etc.
As a result, first-generation students and those who haven’t had family members attend a particular college can be at a disadvantage when applying to some schools throughout the United States.
However, how a college approaches legacy admissions can differ from school to school. Some colleges may consider it very important. Others keep it in mind, but it might have very little impact on the student’s acceptance chances. About half of colleges in the United States don’t consider legacy at all.
Why Do Schools Have Legacy Admissions?
One of the biggest reasons that colleges have legacy admissions come down to money. These schools have strong alumni networks. Proponents of the practice state that an alumnus is more likely to donate if their child is also accepted to the college or university, even though research from 2010 claims otherwise. Alumni donations can support scholarships, research, new facilities, and more, which can improve the college experience for all students, not just legacy students.
In addition, legacy students are less likely to require financial aid and more likely to accept the school’s offer if the student is accepted, lowering expenses, improving the college’s yield rate, and making it easier to create enrollment predictions.
Colleges can also consider legacy preferences important as they can promote school spirit, a sense of community, the school’s reputation, and loyalty, all of which add up to long-term benefits.
Are Colleges Allowed to Consider Legacy for Admissions?
The quick and easy answer to whether colleges are allowed to consider legacy for admissions is, “It depends.” Overall, there is no current federal law that prohibits the practice throughout the United States, but some members of Congress have brought up the possibility. However, some states have taken action and banned legacy preferences.
In recent years, California, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois have taken action to ban or limit legacy admissions practices. Other states have introduced bills on the subject. Many politicians have said the Supreme Court’s decision over affirmative action in colleges resulted in them promoting or passing these laws.
States that have taken action or have considered taking action against legacy admissions
- California, in 2024, banned legacy and donor admissions at the state’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities. The public University of California system had stopped using the practice in 1998.
- Colorado was the first state to ban legacy preferences in public colleges and universities in 2021.
- Connecticut originally proposed a bill that would forbid legacy in admission decisions, but it was amended after pushback from the state’s schools. Instead, colleges would have to be transparent about legacy status and admission and enrollment data. The bill passed in the senate, but not the house.
- Maryland passed a law in 2024 forbidding legacy admissions at any colleges and universities that receive state funds, which includes both public and private schools. It went into effect on July 1, 2024.
- New York introduced a bill called the Fair College Admissions Act in 2023, but it wasn’t discussed in 2024. There will be an effort to schedule a hearing for the proposal in 2025.
- Illinois signed a legacy preferences ban in August 2024. However, the measure is largely seen as symbolic, as the law only pertains to public universities, which already weren’t considering legacy status.
- Massachusetts introduced a bill in 2024 to forbid legacy preferences, but it hasn’t passed yet.
- Minnesota legislators submitted a bill in 2024 to ban admissions based on donor status and familial connections. It’s been referred to the state’s Higher Education Committee, but hasn’t advanced since.
- Virginia ended legacy admissions at public universities with a bill passed in 2024. The law went into effect on July 1, 2024.
How Important is Legacy for Admission Chances?
The importance of legacy for admission chances really depends on the school and the state. Many colleges don’t consider familial connections or donations at all when it comes to their application processes.
However, students can find out how important “legacy” is at their potential colleges and universities by looking at the schools’ Common Data Sets. The Common Data Set is a voluntary document that colleges and universities can use to improve transparency with the community. It has details on acceptance rates and policies, including whether the school considers legacy.
In the current Common Data Set documentation, this information can be found under “C. First-Time, First Year Admission,” specifically in C7. This section allows the college to showcase the relative importance of various academic and nonacademic factors in the schools’ admission decisions. Each factor is ranked between “Very Important” and “Not Considered.”
For example, Yale University’s 2023-2024 Common Data Set states that llumni/ae relation is “Considered.” Florida’s Eckerd College’s 2023-2024 Common Data Set says the same. However, Iowa State University does not consider alumni/AE in their admissions processes, according to their 2023-2024 Common Data Set.
Finding the College to Leave Your Legacy
Legacy admissions grant preferential treatment to a select few. In turn, this can directly impact first generation students and individuals who don’t have those familial connections to the college by lowering their chances of admission. In 2024, states have been quick to introduce and pass bills banning legacy preferences, and more states could soon follow.
Keep in mind that legacy is only part of the whole admissions picture. While it could hurt your chances of admission at select colleges, it’s important to always put your best foot forward in your application. By understanding what a college is looking for, you can highlight why you’d be a great student for the school. Want to learn more about your admission chances at specific schools? Use College Raptor’s College Match tool today to find out.
