In our admissions process, MIT doesn’t take legacy or alumni relations into account. Visit the blog Just to Be Clear: We Don’t Do Legacy to learn more about this policy.
What does MIT say about Legacies?
MIT says it very plainly on their admissions website, “MIT doesnt consider legacy or alumni relations in our admissions process.” Now some people might be thinking, “well they just say that. They don’t actually mean it.” Well, we think that in the vast majority of cases they do mean it. That doesn’t mean your legacy student won’t get in, it just means that it won’t help them get in.
How many legacies are on MIT’s campus?
Because it doesn’t seem like they track it, MIT doesn’t release data on legacies. Numerous institutions monitor the number of legacies on their campuses because it encourages alumni giving; however, since MIT does not offer preference for legacy applicants, that statistic wouldn’t help them raise money.
However, legacies typically come from homes that place a high value on a college education. They are thus frequently urged to put forth effort in school and other endeavors beginning at a young age. Therefore, regardless of their status, legacies are frequently excellent candidates. Although we don’t know the exact number, we would guess that there are a lot of legacies on campus. They just didn’t get in that way.
Should my kid still tell MIT about their legacy status? Just in case?
The short answer is no. Chris Peterson, an admissions officer and Director of Special Projects at MIT Admissions + Student Financial Services, wrote in a blog post for MIT entitled Just To Be Clear: We Don’t Do Legacy, “We simply don’t care if your parents (or aunt, or grandfather, or third cousin) went to MIT. In fact, one of the things most likely to elicit a gigantic facepalm is when a student namedrops some incredibly attenuated connection because they think it is going to help them get into MIT.”
This basically means that you shouldn’t have your child write about you attending MIT in their essay. Don’t have them bring it up randomly during an interview. However, in one place they do need to write it. On an applicant’s application, MIT requests details about their parents and highest level of education. Students must include information about their parents there, and it is obviously acceptable if MIT is included.
So will they get in?
MIT is all about merit. We couldn’t say for sure, but for (at least most) legacies, they have to be as good as their peers. Are we saying they don’t occasionally let someone in whose parent donates a stadium? For the class of 2025 at MIT, the regular decision acceptance rate was 3. 4%. That is extremely competitive. We suggest considering applying early if your student is serious about attending MIT. Their early decision rate isn’t much better at 4. 7%, but it is better.
More importantly, whether they are a legacy applicant or not, we advise making sure your child’s application is as strong as possible if they have their heart set on MIT. MIT has its own application outside of the Common App. Make sure to look over the application and start early. Your student will need to write excellent essays in addition to having excellent grades, test results, and extracurricular activities.
Every day, we collaborate with our students to create excellent applications. At a place like MIT, students can stand out by having a strong application. Whether you decide to work with a college counselor or not, it’s critical to submit an application that stands out and has excellent writing if you want to be admitted. Because of the low acceptance rate at MIT, applicants must make their applications stand out from the crowd in order to be considered. Excellent essays and well-considered applications can help a good student stand out in a competitive field. We frequently work with students who aspire to attend MIT, and believe us when we say that your student needs to be more than just a math prodigy. With MIT’s incredibly low acceptance rate, having a rockstar application is essential.
It won’t help your student get into MIT to be a legacy. They must work diligently and submit a strong application to do that. We can help them with that. Talking to a counselor about the details of the MIT application is a great place to start if you are feeling confused or anxious.
Our door is always open if you want to talk to a counselor here.
Caroline Koppelman
Students who used Caroline’s admissions consulting service were able to enroll at Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, and Penn. Learn more about Caroline here.
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FAQ
Does being a legacy help at MIT?
In our admissions process, MIT doesn’t take legacy or alumni relations into account. Visit the blog Just to Be Clear: We Don’t Do Legacy to learn more about this policy. Did you find this article helpful?.
Do legacy students have a higher acceptance rate?
One reason: children of alumni. These students, referred to as legacy students, are allegedly up to eight times more likely to be admitted to selective universities.
Is it easier to get into a college if you are a legacy?
The short answer is that having a legacy will almost certainly increase your chances of being accepted to a specific college or university, especially a very elite one. In comparison to non-legacies, the estimated admission rate for Harvard as of last year was more than five times higher!
What is the acceptance rate for legacies at Harvard?
Several years forward, a legacy admissions statistic that may or may not surprise you is as follows: 36% of the Harvard Class of 2022 may claim a relative who was a student there in the past Harvard legacy acceptance rate for the Class of 2025 is fascinating to look at, which is 16%