The legacy category in Princeton admissions is a major positive for the University, its students and its alumni.
One of Princeton’s important and unique strengths is its culture of being a family and the cohesiveness of its student body, as well as the loyalty of its alumni. Accordingly, a loss of the legacy category would be far more damaging to Princeton than it would be to other universities.
I came to Princeton on financial aid from parents with barely a high school education and I learned a great deal from my legacy classmates. They not only enhanced my knowledge of Princeton’s history but also taught me the many advantages of the extended Princeton family. The implied negative statement that legacies come from only wealthy white families is, of course, outdated. Princeton legacies now include children of Asian alumni, African-American alumni, Hispanic alumni, and others.
The legacy category for Princeton admissions is a commanding strength and it is imperative that it be maintained.