How does grad school factor into legacy admissions?Answered
My mother attended the Kennedy school of government over at Harvard, and I'll be applying there in a few years, most likely as a political science major. Essentially, I have 2 questions about this- 1. How does being a graduate school legacy factor into admissions (less than undergraduate, probably? Does it account for anything?) and 2. Does my major being in her field of study account for any additional pushes, however small?
Thank you!
1 answer
1) It matters a little bit, but much less than undergrad. Gives you a small bump in your chances, but nothing like the ~30% or so rise I'd expect to see from undergrad legacies. I'd expect something more like an Early Decision bump, which is usually more like ~10%.
2) No your major being in her field of study won't influence anything from a legacy standpoint. It might give you something to write about if her occupation has given you some interesting or unique experiences, but nothing beyond that.