Exploring the Controversial Practice of Favoring Legacy Students in College Admissions

Legacy admissions continue to be a practice that gives an unfair advantage to some students in college admissions. This process works by giving preference to applicants who have parents or close relatives who attended the same university or college. It is worth noting that while many schools, including highly selective institutions, maintain legacy admissions, it is not transparent, making it hard to track the exact numbers.

In a study conducted by Michael Hurwitz and published in the Economics of Education Review, of 30 schools sampled, legacy students are approximately three times more likely to gain admissions over non-legacy students. Although the numbers are an approximation, as schools do not usually make their legacy admissions transparent, it is a significant discrepancy in admissions.

Some institutions have decided to eliminate legacy admissions from their admissions processes, as they feel it is unfair to offer an advantage to students based on their family's past. For instance, Johns Hopkins University, MIT, and Caltech are among the institutions that have eliminated legacy admissions from their admissions processes. However, despite widespread criticism of the practice, all eight Ivy League schools still maintain the legacy admissions preference.

Advocates of legacy admissions argue that the practice encourages alumni to donate to the schools, resulting in increased funds and endowments. However, Johns Hopkins University continues to receive donations, with an endowment of $3.8 billion, despite eliminating legacy admissions, indicating that universities can still survive without legacy donations.

Opponents of legacy admissions preferences argue that it favors already privileged individuals, primarily wealthy and white students, and undermines the value of diversity in admissions processes. Thus, it is a critical issue that colleges and universities need to address to ensure that all students have an equal chance of admission, regardless of their family background.

Ultimately, eliminating legacy admissions preferences will provide a fair and just admissions process, ensuring that all students have an equal chance of admission regardless of their family background.