legacy admission
Ancestral admissions preference
Legacy admission is the practice of giving preferential treatment to college applicants whose relatives—typically parents—attended the same institution.
The policy favors children of alumni, who are called legacy applicants or legacies: His grades were mediocre, but legacy admission got him into his father's alma mater.
Critics argue it perpetuates privilege and undermines meritocracy; defenders claim it strengthens institutional ties and encourages alumni donations.
- privilegeExclusive right or benefit
- silver spoonSymbol of inherited wealth
- eliteSuperior select group
- wealthyHaving abundant financial resources
- donorOne who contributes freely
trust fund · alumni · back door · college application · nepotism · old boys club · connections · inherited · advantage · unfair advantage · Ivy League · prep school · entitlement · golden ticket · old money · dynasty · favoritism · admissions
- admissionsapplication, acceptance letter, admissions, application deadline, admissions committee
- education inequalityachievement gap, inequality, opportunity gap, social mobility, class divide
- Prep Schoolprep school, boarding school, private school, headmaster, blazer
- privilegeprivilege, entitled, entitlement, elite, VIP
- old moneyold money, blue blood, trust fund, private wealth, endowment
- schoolteachers, classrooms, classes, student, grades
legacy admissionmeritocracy
Advancement through demonstrated ability
blind review · academic scholarship · standardized testing · holistic review · test scores
legacy admissionfirst-generation student
Scholar without graduate parents
open enrollment · equal opportunity · social mobility · affirmative action · community college
legacy, admission, legacies, admit, admits, admitted, admitting, admissible, admissibility