ANTI-LEGACY

SIMON SMERCONISH ’19 

   The advantage given to legacy students in college admission directly violates the American dream, which is predicated on the belief that through hard work and dedication alone, one can improve their socioeconomic standing.

   Not only do legacies violate the American dream, but they are not used in many other countries around the world for the very reason that they do not always reward hard work. Partha Mukherjee, EA parent and graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), commented, “In India, there is a competitive test that is conducted by each university you are applying to. College admission is not differentiated between external factors such as legacy status.” He reflects, “I think it [the absence of a legacy advantage in India] made me set goals and work to achieve them because there was nothing to help me get in, except working hard.”

   This is not to say the entire American system is flawed. Mukherjee reflects: “It is better that the American system looks for a broader based candidate, with extracurriculars and other activities that are important for success in life.” Rather, the issue is that the American legacy advantage can in some cases derail the principles, such as work ethic, which schools and colleges strive to instill in students.

   EA students agree with this statement.  Henry Scott ‘19 states, “Legacies for me degrade the legitimacy of the application process and make me feel as if my work is being devalued in favor of considering arbitrary factors.”

   The most destructive aspect of legacy advantage comes in the fact that another applicant who could potentially be as or more qualified than the student with the legacy could be denied placement because of their lack of familial ties to the school. Thomas Goebeler, Ph.D. gives insight, stating, “If colleges imagine that part of their mission is to do societal good, perpetuating entitlement through legacy admission harms that mission.”

   In this way, it is conceivable that a high achieving student who has through hard work and dedication surpassed his or her parent’s academic achievements would actually be at a disadvantage in the application process. This is especially true in regards to high ranking schools where legacy’s role in the application process is more prevalent.

   Currently legacies play a significant role in the EA community. Lara Grieco, Associate Director of College Admission, remarks, “Our students recognize that institutions often have a higher admit rate when it comes to legacies. Statistically you cannot argue with that. I think our students are smart enough [that] when it is an institution that fits to look at an institution where they have legacy status.”

It is understandable why students may want to take advantage of the edge that a legacy gives in the admissions process.

In order for the system to change, eventually, it is the colleges themselves that will have to adapt their policies to ensure fairness in society.

   For the sake of the longevity of the American dream, we as a society must have a more active role in urging colleges to be more pragmatic in their search for new students. Abolishing legacy advantage in the application process would be a great place to start these reforms. To do so would be to allow applicants to apply to higher ranking schools on a more equal playing field than they had previously.

   There are immeasurable benefits to having a student body made up of the diverse array of socio-economic backgrounds observable throughout the United States. If the United States wishes to safeguard the ability for radical changes in socio-economic standing by means of hard work and innovation, the very promise of the American dream, then it must also level the playing field in the application process to allow for this mobility.

PRO-LEGACY

JILLIAN ROTMAN ’18

   At first glance, the legacy college admissions process may seem “rigged” or “unfair.” Why should students with alum parents have an inherited advantage? No one can deny that being a college legacy, especially at a highly selective school, is a form of privilege. However, people fail to realize that universities are freely acting businesses that benefit from this system and that the legacy tradition adds value to the institution and alumni families.

   Alumni networks at universities have enormous community-building and economic benefits. By admitting legacies, universities increase the chances of further donations from alumni. These donations are used to fund libraries, scholarships, programs, and resources that benefit all students at the university. Not to mention that by admitting children or relatives of alumni, the school encourages future participation in alumni events.

   For some families, attending a specific college is a tradition that is passed down through the generations. Where a student goes to college is an integral part of their identity, which can help them bond with their parents over shared experiences. Alla Pasternack, an EA and University of Pennsylvania Alumna and Episcopal parent explains, “Having your child attend your alma mater allows you to share the same traditions and experiences and brings you a strong sense of comradery.” If alumni go into the world as good representatives of their university, it is only natural that the colleges admit their children, who likely appreciate the school’s reputation and thus intend to represent it properly.

   Alexandra Peyton ‘18 says, “Colleges who admit alumni children believe that those children will inherit good characteristics from their parents. In a perfect world those students would be just as beneficial to the university as their parents were.”

   Each year, college admissions officers have a specific quota to fill. Majed Dergham, Associate Director of College Counseling at Episcopal, shares his viewpoint: “It’s one piece of the puzzle. It’s a piece of something the colleges have to balance. Admission offices are given a lot of tasks and need to fill a lot of different requirements.” Cynthia Crum, Director of College Counseling echoes this by saying, “I think colleges have many institutional priorities. Any given year, they might need a quarterback, a trombone player, or a legacy.” She continues, “At each institution, there is a need for all types of diversity: religious, ethnic, first generation college students, or athletes.”   

   On campus, legacies are a population of students that contribute to diversity which colleges all strive to have.

Colleges that have strong legacy priority are often elite, highly competitive universities that attract ambitious and diligent students. Crum informs us that “Most of the kids who become legacies come to us and say that they don’t want to use their parents to get in. Most of these kids are bright, ambitious, capable kids and their status as a legacy may be the tipping point for them.” Students that are legacies behave the same way as other competitive high schoolers: they utilize their resources to give them the best chance at a quality education.

   Charlotte Weisman ‘18, articulates this point in saying, “I know there are a number of ways in which I have privilege compared to first generation college applicants in the admissions process, legacy status being just one of them. However, it’s also so competitive that I feel lucky to have that advantage, because I know my parents worked really hard to be able to afford their college educations and to give the same opportunity to me.”  Though we are part of a culture focused on diversity and less on tradition, each and every student should be free from negative judgement on their college admissions path, whatever that may be.