What About Siblings?

This quasi-interview is more fragmented than Mark Bernstein’s other articles, which usually are excellent. Nevertheless, it outlines some key points.

Several interviewees and Inbox commenters already noted that being raised by a Princeton parent generally means at least inculcation of an attitude of intellectual curiosity, if not also the financial means to engage in various “culturally enriching” activities, which might even lead to young stardom.

It was also noted that minority groups now enjoy parental legacy. PAW’s coverage of Reunions had a photo of a Black alumna from ’71 with her alum daughter and alum granddaughter. The river is already flowing, so maybe we don’t need to push it anymore (a nod to poet Barry Stevens).

Neither the interview article nor the comments mentioned sibling “bonus.” Michelle Obama ’85 is quoted to that effect in her Wikipedia page (with a citation tracing back a Newsweek story), and at least one inside source told me that Ivy Admissions will generally look favorably on an applicant whose older sibling successfully managed a standard course load (or already graduated). This is particularly true for “first generation in my family to attend college,” which is now a form of affirmative action that applies to all races.