• jordanlund@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    https://www.ninertimes.com/opinion/opinion-legacy-students-threaten-to-limit-other-students-academic-success/article_47421d3a-b6dd-11ed-b2ba-0f3a33fd7ae5.html

    "Academic admissions preference policies have been in the public eye for the last few years. It is known that being a legacy student, meaning that the applicant’s family has strong family ties to the university, gives a significant advantage when it comes to applying to highly selective institutions. It has been in practice by top institutions since the 1920s.

    Looking at the numbers, calling it a “big advantage” hardly seems to do it quantifiable justice. For example, Harvard has an acceptance rate of under 6%. However, if it were a legacy student applying, their odds of admissions jump to 33%."

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOP
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      4 months ago

      And that’s why the top-level post was looking exclusively at admission rates for non-legacies, who also get a huge advantage from having rich parents

      • DecaturNature
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        4 months ago

        Rich folk are also good at gaming all the other criteria (varsity sports, extracurricular achievements). “opportunity hoarding” I think is the term that’s been used, or resume padding. It’s also about being able to pay full tuition.