The numbers around legacy admissions rates and class representation are telling. But focusing the debate on “legacies as a percent of the incoming class” vs. “potential legacies denied admission” glosses over two key cohorts — “potential legacies who did not apply” and “potential legacies who were accepted but chose not to attend.” Financial considerations aside, perspectives shared by members of these two categories might decompress the wider issue. We know well that Princeton cannot accept all qualified applicants, but we rarely hear why Princeton isn’t the ideal fit for all admittees, even those with family ties.
The numbers around legacy admissions rates and class representation are telling. But focusing the debate on “legacies as a percent of the incoming class” vs. “potential legacies denied admission” glosses over two key cohorts — “potential legacies who did not apply” and “potential legacies who were accepted but chose not to attend.” Financial considerations aside, perspectives shared by members of these two categories might decompress the wider issue. We know well that Princeton cannot accept all qualified applicants, but we rarely hear why Princeton isn’t the ideal fit for all admittees, even those with family ties.