For most people, April 1 means 15 days to declare tax returns.
But for many high school seniors, April 1 is the day that will determine the next four years of their lives. It is the day that they finally see the results of their hard work, in the form of SAT scores, grades, extracurricular activities and community service.
For some students, however, college admittance is “tipped” by something other than their own merit, something they have no control over: the policies of affirmative action and legacy.
For applicants to Georgetown, both policies are factors.
“We believe that both have a valuable place in the admissions process,” Charles Deacon, dean of undergraduate admissions, said.
Legacy is an age-old admissions policy employed at most schools, public and private, that gives some preference to applicants whose relatives went to the same school.
“We take a look at the level of loyalty – contributions, alumni interviewing, etc. – that graduates have maintained over the years. If alumni have been engaged in the community since they left, supporting them in return just makes sense,” he said.
While appealing to many with the advantage, some see legacy as nothing more than admission to the “Old Boys Club.”
“Legacy perpetuates the idea that people of a certain economic status are entitled to things like a good education and I don’t believe in entitlement,” said Mary Garvey (COL ’05), vice president for public relations of the Georgetown Chapter of NAACP. “I have never thought of legacy in terms of race before, but I understand how it can be viewed as a racist tool. I think that legacy is actually more socio-economically biased, as it helps mostly the upper class.”
John Kolleng (MSB ’06), whose father was a Hoya, sees legacy in a different light.
“I don’t think that legacy is an unfair admissions policy for two reasons. First, everyone considered for admission has to have competitive grades – you can’t get in just because of connections. Second it helps keep alumni donating which contributes to scholarships and other things that benefit the school.”
Tiffany White (COL ’05), president of the GU chapter of the NAACP, agrees.
“Of course admissions offices are going to take another look at applicants with legacy – the school doesn’t want funds to start to disappear,” she said.
And alumni donations are of particular concern at Georgetown.
“The university is trying to extend its research in order to remain competitive. As our only direct revenue is tuition, the school is greatly enhanced through philanthropy. We are very dependent on our alumni,” Deacon said.
Others see it as a problem that will solve itself.
“I understand how legacy can be conceived as unfair, but affirmative action does balance it to a certain extent. As Georgetown becomes more diverse this problem will begin to disappear as the number of children of minority alumni increases,” said Mike McCourt (COL ’06), whose older sister attended the university.
In 2004, 6-7 percent of Georgetown’s 15,000 applicants was comprised of relatives of alumni. These applicants were admitted at a rate of 40-42 percent, as opposed to the regular applicant pool, which was admitted at a rate of 23 percent.
Deacon emphasizes that children of Georgetown students are often going to be stronger applicants since they come from a background of opportunity because their parents have received a Georgetown education.
Minority students were admitted at only a slightly higher rate from the regular applicant pool, at a rate of about 28 percent. Admittance numbers for legacy candidates are comparable to those at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, who also admit about 40 percent.
“I don’t think legacy is something we should be ashamed of. Notre Dame, a comparable Catholic school without our financial problems, holds 25 percent of its class for legacies. They see it as part of what makes them great,” McCourt said.
While almost all schools do figure legacy in their admission decisions, some do not. Both the University of California and the University of Georgia ended the use of legacy in admissions after they were forced to stop affirmative action policies in 1996 and 2001, respectively. In January, Texas A&M followed suit after it too ended affirmative action.
Georgetown has no intention of dropping either policy, according to Deacon.
“Universities are trying to balance all issues on the head of a pin and mostly getting it right,” he said. “It’s very important for us to have a mix of students with different life experiences.”
Though the university stands by both policies, government officials have recently taken interest in them. Former presidential candidate Bob Dole (R-Kan.), Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) have all condemned legacy as unfair and racist.
Kennedy has gone so far as to suggest a bill that would require universities to publish both the race and economic status of its first-year legacies.
“I don’t think that the government should have a role in telling schools how to enforce legacy. It’s very important for schools to keep up alumni donations to improve the quality of education they offer,” Kolleng said.
Deacon, however, isn’t too concerned.
“I think that the bill is more of a shot from the Kennedy side against the end of affirmative action,” he said.
All four students also admitted that legacy will be an advantage for their future children.
“As an African American and first-generation college student the fact that I went here might help my child is some comfort as well. But at the same time I don’t want my children to get in because of their race or their parents. At the end of they day, people should get in based on their own merits,” White said.
