Colleges that Consider Legacy Status
So-called "legacy applicants," those who have familial ties to an institution, are still given a measurable edge in the admissions process at many elite U.S. colleges and universities. Some institutions such as Stanford and UNC only take “primary legacy” status into consideration—where one or both of the applicant’s parents are alumni. Yet, most schools will also grant favor to "secondary legacies" who claim a grandparent, sibling, or other non-parental familial affiliation to the school. Only a handful of elite schools have shed the practice entirely from their admissions formula. These include MIT, Caltech, and Cooper Union. While controversial, being a legacy can provide a massive boost to your odds of acceptance. For example, the admission rate for Harvard legacies is over five times that of non-legacies. College Transitions’ list below of which colleges consider legacy status will inform you as to whether "keeping it in the family" will actually provide you with an advantage at your prospective schools.
*Data collected from institution websites and Common Data Set (CDS) forms.
Table updated October 2021.
| Institution | Alumni Relation/Legacy Status |
|---|---|
| Adelphi University | Considered |
| Agnes Scott College | Considered |
| Albion College | Considered |
| Alfred University | Considered |
| Allegheny College | Considered |
| American University | Considered |
| Amherst College | Considered |
| Appalachian State University | Considered |
| Arizona State University | Not Considered |
| Assumption College | Considered |
| Auburn University | Considered |
| Augustana College | Considered |
| Austin College | Considered |
| Babson College | Considered |
| Ball State University | Not Considered |
| Bard College | Considered |
| Barnard College | Considered |
| Bates College | Considered |
| Baylor University | Considered |
| Belmont University | Considered |
| Beloit College | Considered |
| Bennington College | Not Considered |
| Bentley University | Considered |
| Berea College | Not Considered |
| Berry College | Not Considered |
| Binghamton University | Considered |
| Birmingham Southern College | Considered |
| Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Not Considered |
| Boise State University | Not Considered |
| Boston College | Considered |
| Boston University | Considered |
| Bowdoin College | Considered |
| Bowling Green State University | Considered |
| Bradley University | Considered |
| Brandeis University | Considered |
| Brigham Young University-Provo | Not Considered |
| Brown University | Considered |
| Bryant University | Considered |
| Bryn Mawr College | Considered |
| Bucknell University | Considered |
| Butler University | Considered |
| Cal Poly, Pomona | Not Considered |
| Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo | Not Considered |
| California Institute of Technology | Not Considered |
| California State University, Fresno | Not Considered |
| California State University, Fullerton | Not Considered |
| California State University, Long Beach | Not Considered |
| Canisius College | Considered |
| Carleton College | Considered |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Considered |
| Case Western Reserve University | Considered |
| Catholic University of America | Considered |
| Central Michigan University | Considered |
| Centre College | Considered |
| Chapman University | Not Considered |
| Christopher Newport University | Considered |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Considered |
| Claremont McKenna College | Considered |
| Clark University | Considered |
| Clarkson University | Considered |
| Clemson University | Considered |
| Coastal Carolina University | Considered |
| Colby College | Considered |
| Colgate University | Considered |
| College of Charleston | Considered |
| College of Saint Benedict | Considered |
| College of the Holy Cross | Considered |
| College of William and Mary | Considered |
| Colorado College | Considered |
| Colorado School of Mines | Considered |
| Colorado State University | Considered |
| Columbia University | Considered |
| Connecticut College | Considered |
| Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | Not Considered |
| Cornell College | Considered |
| Cornell University | Considered |
| Creighton University | Not Considered |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | Not Considered |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Not Considered |
| CUNY City College | Not Considered |
| CUNY Hunter College | Not Considered |
| CUNY Lehman College | Not Considered |
| Dartmouth College | Considered |
| Davidson College | Considered |
| Denison University | Considered |
| DePaul University | Considered |
| DePauw University | Considered |
| Dickinson College | Considered |
| Drake University | Considered |
| Drew University | Considered |
| Drexel University | Considered |
| Duke University | Considered |
| Duquesne University | Considered |
| Earlham College | Not Considered |
| East Carolina University | Considered |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Considered |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Not Considered |
| Eckerd College | Considered |
| Elizabethtown College | Considered |
| Elon University | Considered |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Considered |
| Emerson College | Considered |
| Emory University | Considered |
| Endicott College | Considered |
| Fairfield University | Considered |
| Fitchburg State University | Considered |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Considered |
| Florida Atlantic University | Not Considered |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | Not Considered |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Florida International University | Not Considered |
| Florida Southern College | Considered |
| Florida State University | Not Considered |
| Fordham University | Considered |
| Franklin and Marshall College | Considered |
| Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering | Considered |
| Furman University | Considered |
| George Mason University | Not Considered |
| George Washington University | Considered |
| Georgetown College | Not Considered |
| Georgetown University | Considered |
| Georgia College | Considered |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Georgia Southern University | Not Considered |
| Georgia State University | Not Considered |
| Gettysburg College | Considered |
| Gonzaga University | Considered |
| Goucher College | Considered |
| Grinnell College | Considered |
| Grove City College | Considered |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Considered |
| Hamilton College | Considered |
| Hampshire College | Considered |
| Hanover College | Considered |
| Harvard University | Considered |
| Harvey Mudd College | Considered |
| Haverford College | Considered |
| Hendrix College | Considered |
| High Point University | Considered |
| Hillsdale College | Considered |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | Considered |
| Hofstra University | Considered |
| Hope College | Considered |
| Howard University | Considered |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Illinois State University | Not Considered |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Considered |
| Indiana University Bloomington | Considered |
| Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | Not Considered |
| Iowa State University | Not Considered |
| Ithaca College | Considered |
| James Madison University | Considered |
| John Carroll University | Considered |
| Johns Hopkins University | Not Considered |
| Juniata College | Considered |
| Kalamazoo College | Considered |
| Kansas State University | Not Considered |
| Kent State University at Kent | Not Considered |
| Kenyon College | Considered |
| Kettering University | Not Considered |
| Knox College | Considered |
| La Salle University | Considered |
| Lafayette College | Considered |
| Lake Forest College | Considered |
| Lawrence University | Considered |
| Lehigh University | Considered |
| Lewis & Clark College | Considered |
| Linfield College-McMinnville Campus | Considered |
| Louisiana State University | Considered |
| Loyola Marymount University | Considered |
| Loyola University Chicago | Considered |
| Loyola University Maryland | Considered |
| Lycoming College | Considered |
| Macalester College | Considered |
| Manhattan College | Considered |
| Marist College | Considered |
| Marquette University | Considered |
| Marshall University | Not Considered |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Considered |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Not Considered |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | Considered |
| McDaniel College | Considered |
| Mercer University | Not Considered |
| Mercyhurst University | Considered |
| Merrimack College | Considered |
| Messiah College | Considered |
| Miami University | Considered |
| Michigan State University | Considered |
| Michigan Technological University | Not Considered |
| Middlebury College | Considered |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Not Considered |
| Millsaps College | Not Considered |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | Not Considered |
| Mississippi State University | Not Considered |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Not Considered |
| Monmouth University | Considered |
| Montana State University | Not Considered |
| Montclair State University | Not Considered |
| Moravian College | Considered |
| Morehouse College | Considered |
| Mount Holyoke College | Considered |
| Muhlenberg College | Considered |
| Murray State University | Not Considered |
| New College of Florida | Considered |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Considered |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | Not Considered |
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus | Not Considered |
| New York Institute of Technology | Considered |
| New York University | Considered |
| Niagara University | Considered |
| North Carolina State University | Considered |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | Not Considered |
| Northeastern University | Not Considered |
| Northern Arizona University | Not Considered |
| Northern Michigan University | Not Considered |
| Northwestern University | Considered |
| Norwich University | Considered |
| Oakland University | Not Considered |
| Oberlin College | Considered |
| Occidental College | Considered |
| Ohio State University | Not Considered |
| Ohio University | Considered |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | Considered |
| Oklahoma State University | Not Considered |
| Old Dominion University | Considered |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | Not Considered |
| Oregon State University | Not Considered |
| Pennsylvania State University - University Park | Considered |
| Pepperdine University | Considered |
| Pitzer College | Considered |
| Pomona College | Not Considered |
| Portland State University | Not Considered |
| Presbyterian College | Considered |
| Princeton University | Considered |
| Providence College | Considered |
| Purdue University | Considered |
| Quinnipiac University | Considered |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey | Considered |
| Randolph-Macon College | Considered |
| Reed College | Considered |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Considered |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Considered |
| Rhodes College | Considered |
| Rice University | Considered |
| Ripon College | Not Considered |
| Roanoke College | Considered |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Roger Williams University | Considered |
| Rollins College | Considered |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Rowan University | Not Considered |
| Rutgers University-Camden | Not Considered |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | Not Considered |
| Rutgers University-Newark | Not Considered |
| Sacred Heart University | Not Considered |
| Saint Anselm College | Considered |
| Saint Johns University | Considered |
| Saint Joseph's University | Considered |
| Saint Louis University | Not Considered |
| Saint Mary's College | Considered |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Considered |
| Saint Michael's College | Considered |
| Salem State University | Not Considered |
| Salisbury University | Considered |
| Salve Regina University | Considered |
| Sam Houston State University | Not Considered |
| Samford University | Not Considered |
| San Diego State University | Not Considered |
| San Francisco State University | Not Considered |
| San Jose State University | Not Considered |
| Santa Clara University | Considered |
| Sarah Lawrence College | Considered |
| Scripps College | Considered |
| Seattle University | Considered |
| Seton Hall University | Not Considered |
| Siena College | Considered |
| Simmons University | Not Considered |
| Skidmore College | Considered |
| Smith College | Considered |
| Soka University of America | Considered |
| Sonoma State University | Not Considered |
| South Dakota State University | Not Considered |
| Southern Connecticut State University | Considered |
| Southern Methodist University | Considered |
| Southwestern University | Considered |
| Spelman College | Considered |
| St Bonaventure University | Considered |
| St John's University-New York | Considered |
| St Lawrence University | Considered |
| St Olaf College | Considered |
| St. John's College (MD) | Considered |
| St. John's College (NM) | Considered |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland | Considered |
| Stanford University | Considered |
| State University of New York at New Paltz | Not Considered |
| Stetson University | Considered |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Stockton University | Not Considered |
| Stonehill College | Considered |
| Stony Brook University | Considered |
| Suffolk University | Considered |
| SUNY at Albany | Not Considered |
| SUNY at Fredonia | Not Considered |
| SUNY at Purchase College | Not Considered |
| SUNY College at Brockport | Not Considered |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | Considered |
| SUNY College at Oswego | Considered |
| SUNY College at Plattsburgh | Considered |
| SUNY College at Potsdam | Not Considered |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | Considered |
| SUNY Cortland | Considered |
| SUNY Oneonta | Not Considered |
| Susquehanna University | Considered |
| Swarthmore College | Considered |
| Syracuse University | Considered |
| Temple University | Considered |
| Tennessee Technological University | Not Considered |
| Texas A & M University-College Station | Not Considered |
| Texas Christian University | Considered |
| Texas State University | Not Considered |
| The College of New Jersey | Considered |
| The College of Wooster | Not Considered |
| The University of Montana | Not Considered |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | Not Considered |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Considered |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Not Considered |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Not Considered |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | Not Considered |
| The University of the South | Considered |
| Towson University | Not Considered |
| Transylvania University | Considered |
| Trinity College | Considered |
| Trinity University | Considered |
| Truman State University | Considered |
| Tufts University | Considered |
| Tulane University | Considered |
| Union College | Considered |
| United States Air Force Academy | Considered |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | Considered |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | Not Considered |
| United States Military Academy | Not Considered |
| United States Naval Academy | Considered |
| University at Buffalo | Not Considered |
| University of Akron Main Campus | Considered |
| University of Alabama | Considered |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Not Considered |
| University of Arizona | Not Considered |
| University of Arkansas | Considered |
| University of California, Berkeley | Not Considered |
| University of California, Davis | Not Considered |
| University of California, Irvine | Not Considered |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Not Considered |
| University of California, Merced | Not Considered |
| University of California, Riverside | Not Considered |
| University of California, San Diego | Not Considered |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Not Considered |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Not Considered |
| University of Central Florida | Considered |
| University of Chicago | Considered |
| University of Cincinnati | Not Considered |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Not Considered |
| University of Connecticut | Considered |
| University of Dallas | Considered |
| University of Dayton | Considered |
| University of Delaware | Considered |
| University of Denver | Considered |
| University of Florida | Not Considered |
| University of Georgia | Not Considered |
| University of Houston | Not Considered |
| University of Idaho | Not Considered |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | Not Considered |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Not Considered |
| University of Iowa | Not Considered |
| University of Kansas | Considered |
| University of Kentucky | Not Considered |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Not Considered |
| University of Louisville | Not Considered |
| University of Maine | Not Considered |
| University of Mary Washington | Considered |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Not Considered |
| University of Maryland, College Park | Considered |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Considered |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | Not Considered |
| University of Massachusetts Lowell | Considered |
| University of Memphis | Not Considered |
| University of Miami | Considered |
| University of Michigan | Considered |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn | Not Considered |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | Considered |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | Not Considered |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Considered |
| University of Mississippi | Not Considered |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | Not Considered |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Not Considered |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Not Considered |
| University of Nevada-Reno | Not Considered |
| University of New Hampshire | Considered |
| University of New Mexico | Not Considered |
| University of North Carolina at Asheville | Considered |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Considered |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Not Considered |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Not Considered |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Considered |
| University of North Dakota | Not Considered |
| University of North Florida | Not Considered |
| University of North Georgia | Not Considered |
| University of North Texas | Not Considered |
| University of Northern Colorado | Not Considered |
| University of Northern Iowa | Not Considered |
| University of Notre Dame | Considered |
| University of Oklahoma | Considered |
| University of Oregon | Not Considered |
| University of Pennsylvania | Considered |
| University of Pittsburgh | Considered |
| University of Portland | Considered |
| University of Puget Sound | Considered |
| University of Redlands | Considered |
| University of Rhode Island | Considered |
| University of Richmond | Considered |
| University of Rochester | Considered |
| University of San Diego | Considered |
| University of San Francisco | Considered |
| University of Scranton | Considered |
| University of South Carolina | Not Considered |
| University of South Dakota | Not Considered |
| University of South Florida | Not Considered |
| University of Southern California | Considered |
| University of St Thomas | Considered |
| University of Tampa | Considered |
| University of the Pacific | Not Considered |
| University of Toledo | Not Considered |
| University of Tulsa | Considered |
| University of Utah | Considered |
| University of Vermont | Considered |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | Considered |
| University of Washington | Not Considered |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | Not Considered |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Not Considered |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Considered |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Not Considered |
| University of Wyoming | Not Considered |
| Ursinus College | Considered |
| Valparaiso University | Considered |
| Vanderbilt University | Considered |
| Vassar College | Considered |
| Villanova University | Considered |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Not Considered |
| Virginia Military Institute | Considered |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Considered |
| Wabash College | Considered |
| Wagner College | Not Considered |
| Wake Forest University | Considered |
| Warren Wilson College | Not Considered |
| Washington & Jefferson College | Considered |
| Washington and Lee University | Considered |
| Washington College | Considered |
| Washington State University | Not Considered |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Considered |
| Wayne State University | Not Considered |
| Wellesley College | Considered |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | Considered |
| Wesleyan University | Considered |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Not Considered |
| West Virginia University | Not Considered |
| Western Carolina University | Not Considered |
| Western Michigan University | Not Considered |
| Western Washington University | Not Considered |
| Westmont College | Considered |
| Wheaton College (IL) | Considered |
| Wheaton College (MA) | Considered |
| Whitman College | Considered |
| Whittier College | Not Considered |
| Whitworth University | Considered |
| Wichita State University | Not Considered |
| Widener University | Considered |
| Willamette University | Considered |
| Williams College | Considered |
| Winthrop University | Not Considered |
| Wofford College | Considered |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Considered |
| Xavier University | Considered |
| Yale University | Considered |
| Yeshiva University | Not Considered |
Colleges Worth Your Money
2022 Edition
A Guide to What America's Top Schools Can Do for You
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