Should the Practice of Legacy College Admissions End

SummerMadness · Sep 7, 2019

For nearly a century, many American college and university admissions officers have given preferential treatment to the children of alumni.

The policies originated in the 1920s, coinciding with an influx of Jewish and Catholic applicants to the country’s top schools. They continue today, placing a thumb on the scale in favor of students who already enjoy the benefits of being raised by families with elite educations. Of the country’s top 100 schools (as determined by the editors at U.S. News & World Report), roughly three-quarters have legacy preferences in admissions. These anachronistic policies have been called "affirmative action for the rich" and "affirmative action for whites."

Affirmative action != unqualified, so I think the application of the term here is off, but on the subject of legacy admissions (topic of this thread), the practice should be ended. However, there are some issues like donors/maintaining endowment via legacy admissions. Should that be a motivating factor for accepting students?

JIMINZ · Sep 7, 2019

SummerMadness said:
End Legacy College Admissions

Affirmative action != unqualified, so I think the application of the term here is off, but on the subject of legacy admissions (topic of this thread), the practice should be ended. However, there are some issues like donors/maintaining endowment via legacy admissions. Should that be a motivating factor for accepting students?

If you went to Harvard, would you like for you kids to be able to go there also, and because you did go there to have a foot up over some kid who didn't have a Parent attend that school?

You are a Christian, do you believe it is fair that your child has a greater chance of becoming saved themselves over the kid that was raised in a home without God or Jewish or Muslim?

Ana the Ist · Sep 7, 2019

I always looked at legacy admissions as a sort of necessary evil.

SummerMadness · Sep 7, 2019

JIMINZ said:
If you went to Harvard, would you like for you kids to be able to go there also, and because you did go there to have a foot up over some kid who didn't have a Parent attend that school?

You are a Christian, do you believe it is fair that your child has a greater chance of becoming saved themselves over the kid that was raised in a home without God or Jewish or Muslim?

That is the discussion of the thread. Do you believe that? One argument has been about endowments and charitable giving by alumni; however, the data does not appear to support this argument.

Moral Orel · Sep 7, 2019

Ana the Ist said:
I always looked at legacy admissions as a sort of necessary evil.

Necessary for what?

Tom 1 · Sep 7, 2019

Ana the Ist said:
I always looked at legacy admissions as a sort of necessary evil.

Necessary for what reason?

Desk trauma · Sep 7, 2019

Tom Farebrother said:
Necessary for what reason?

Alumni donations.

Moral Orel · Sep 8, 2019

Desk trauma said:
Alumni donations.

But that only means that bribing your way into admission would be a necessary evil, it doesn't have to be alumni being the ones donating.

Desk trauma · Sep 8, 2019

Moral Orel said:
But that only means that bribing your way into admission would be a necessary evil, it doesn't have to be alumni being the ones donating.

Alumni are the only ones whose kids are eligible for legacy slots.

Moral Orel · Sep 8, 2019

Desk trauma said:
Alumni are the only ones whose kids are eligible for legacy slots.

So? If there was no such thing as legacy slots, you don't think people could bribe (donate) their way into getting admissions for their kids?

Ana the Ist · Sep 8, 2019

Moral Orel said:
Necessary for what?

Good schools?

It may sound farfetched...but education can be privatized. If, for example, we make education completely merit based ....the top 0.0001% of earners could make their own schools and they would have the money for the best teachers, best equipment, best everything. They could, arguably, make it so they and only those they choose get all of the best educational opportunities.

Any other college would inevitably lose their best professors to the wealthy.

Ana the Ist · Sep 8, 2019

Desk trauma said:
Alumni donations.

That too.

Moral Orel · Sep 8, 2019

Ana the Ist said:
It may sound farfetched...but education can be privatized. If, for example, we make education completely merit based ....the top 0.0001% of earners could make their own schools and they would have the money for the best teachers, best equipment, best everything. They could, arguably, make it so they and only those they choose get all of the best educational opportunities.

Any other college would inevitably lose their best professors to the wealthy.

?????
If education was merit based, the richest folk would be free to put together the best schools, sure, and then the best students would go there, not just whoever "they" choose. And isn't this what the Ivy League is already? Best professors, best equipment, best facilities, etc...

Ana the Ist · Sep 8, 2019

Moral Orel said:
?????
If education was merit based, the richest folk would be free to put together the best schools, sure, and then the best students would go there, not just whoever "they" choose. And isn't this what the Ivy League is already? Best professors, best equipment, best facilities, etc...

Sorry....I meant if we made public education "merit based".

Emmylouwho · Sep 8, 2019

I am new to this this venue, but how can evil be a necessity on a Christian forum?

Ana the Ist · Sep 8, 2019

Emmylouwho said:
I am new to this this venue, but how can evil be a necessity on a Christian forum?

I take it you're a Christian?

Trogdor the Burninator · Sep 8, 2019

Like football scholarships and guns on campus, just add it to the list of things I don't understand about American universities.

Dave-W · Sep 10, 2019

Desk trauma said:
Alumni donations.

Isn't that what got a bunch of Hollywood elites in big trouble? Like Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.

durangodawood · Sep 10, 2019

The college experience is simply not complete without attending class in a building with your own last name on it.

Should the Practice of Legacy College Admissions End

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