As colleges strive to be more inclusive and merit-based in their review of applications, legacy admissions stand out as an outdated and unfair policy. Prioritizing applicants based on ancestry rather than achievement only shows that connections outweigh capability. The college system is meant to reward effort and potential, so why should someone have a higher chance of receiving admission and a stronger education because of their family’s history?
Legacy admission is a college admissions practice where applicants who are direct descendants of an institution’s alumni, typically parents, are given a leg up in the admissions process. This practice has been used for a long time in many colleges and universities, such as Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Still, due to recent controversy, there have been motions to eliminate this concept.
According to the Institute for Higher Education Policy, using legacy status decreases the acceptance rates of students from demographics with historically fewer people who went to college in the past, including Black, Hispanic and students from low-income families. Legacy admission tends to prioritize access for children of educated families, who are primarily white and wealthier. Continuing this makes acceptance into college much more difficult for the previously mentioned groups.
Higher Education Today found that white student enrollment was 59% at schools with legacy admissions, and 51% at schools without, showing the advantage of racial background. With the majority of enrollments at legacy schools coming from white students, it reduces opportunities for students of other races
If colleges encourage on-campus diversity, it will minimize the continuity of legacy admission and further integrate educational opportunities. As campuses strive for modern views, allowing diversity will only help achieve their primary goal.
Diversity on college campuses gives students exposure to other backgrounds, world views and self-reflection. College is meant to prepare students for their future, so it is crucial to learn from others to collaborate. A study by McKinsey & Company has shown that diversity in workplaces is associated with more successful outcomes, including above-average profits. Encouraging diversity on college campuses has positive effects on younger generations.
The Institute for Higher Education Policy analyzed data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) evaluating statistics that consider legacy status in college admissions. In the fall of 2022, nearly a third of all selective four-year colleges in the U.S. considered legacy status. Among private nonprofit four-year colleges, 42% considered legacy status, and 15% of selective public four-year colleges considered familial ties to the institution when deciding admissions.
Encouraging relationships between applicants and the institution limits the chances for students with fewer opportunities and promotes on-campus diversity, helping schools moving towards more inclusive settings.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, 2.1 million undergraduate students enrolled in schools that considered legacy status. Race, ethnicity and income are all factors that separate legacy admission colleges and other colleges when it comes to applicants.
In college admissions, it is crucial to treat all applicants equally, regardless of their familial background. By removing factors that consider ties to the institution, it opens up opportunities for all students who express interest.
