Med School Legacy System-Why?

[MiesVanDerMom]

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People like to whine about URM getting preference so I thought I'd whine too. The legacy system is Affirmative Action for the upper class. Someone who otherwise would not have been admitted gets into a school because their parent went there. It not only favors the upper class, but also certain races (considering historically certain races were kept out of schools until such and such a year) as well as non-immigrants. While URM policies seek to right historical inequalities, create a diverse learning environment, and provide doctors for underserved areas, the legacy system creates quite the oppositie effect. Can anyone cite for me a good reason for maintaining this system???

 

[DrBowtie]

First, AA affects admissions >> legacy system.

Legacy system is all about loyalty.
Keeping alumni happy brings in money to help fund the school/reasearch.
Not saying it is right or wrong, just why it happens.

 

[cfdavid]

Like BrettB said, it's all about the money. It keeps alumni feeling "vested" in the university. And being private, these legacy schools rely heavily on such funds. I think it sucks too, but I can see how it's important to the schools.

 

[abraxas]

plz stop with the race oriented threads already...


Man i could really got for a "What are my chances" thread right now.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

The legacy preference would occur regardless if schools requested alumni information on their applications. Having influential and well-respected alumni/faculty endorse a medical school helps bring in all sorts of money, draws their colleagues to the school, and boosts the school's reputation. Medical schools profit so much from these connections that it's pretty minor to accept a few students each year out of preference.

 

[riceman04]

First, AA affects admissions >> legacy system.

Legacy system is all about loyalty.
Keeping alumni happy brings in money to help fund the school/reasearch.
Not saying it is right or wrong, just why it happens.

I dont think AA affects admissions that much. Yes, it is likely that URM's are valued but not to an extent that it skews the entire admissions process. If that were the case then there would be far more URM's in medical school.

I do not think legacy plays that large of a role either. My sister tried to play the legacy card at USC (my father attended Keck School of Med at USC before it was called Keck) but rejected early in the game. I think it helps to be the child of someone who attended a specific medical school but it will not make or break your chances.

 

[Law2Doc]

Someone who otherwise would not have been admitted gets into a school because their parent went there.

There are really a negligible number of legacies in the system as compared to URMs and other groups -- if you come across more than one or two at places other than the major Ivys it would be surprising. And I think you are overstating the advantage given to the "average" legacy (as riceman has said) -- almost no schools give more than a marginal preference or a courtesy read of the application to the mere child of a "run of the mill" alumn. Your family would have to have had multiple generations of people attend the same school, or have the family name on the building, for it to actually sway admissions in the major way you suggest. Plus, often that type of legacy, when applying to med school, will have better than average credentials -- part of the advantage of being in that status is that you may have had lots of high end schooling, and lots of connections in terms of research and EC opportunities.
But other posters are correct as to the reason behind preference to legacies -- schools have found that multigenerational family connections to schools result in far higher donations than from typical one-shot-deal alumni. (Plus, with our current US President, and his family's longstanding relationship with Yale undergrad, I doubt the legacy system is going to be eliminated anytime soon).

 

[pagemmapants]

I gotta say - without getting into the politics of it - this "longstanding relationship with Yale Undergrad" of our presidential family is one of the reasons I'm less enamored with Yale than I might be otherwise.

In fewer than 100 words, the legacy system sucks as much as AA does; both prevent the system from being strictly merit based. In an ideal world, it would be. (The tacit statement is that it isn't.)

 

[Zuras]

Get rid of legacy, get rid of AP credit/class, and get rid of sportsman considerations.

 

[indynshrty]

Well, here's another question....kind of having to do with legacy...does the fact that an alumnus from the school that you're applying to wrote you a letter of rec?
I'm assuming it won't hurt, but does it help?

 

[TheMightyAngus]

Well, here's another question....kind of having to do with legacy...does the fact that an alumnus from the school that you're applying to wrote you a letter of rec?
I'm assuming it won't hurt, but does it help?

No. Having medical school faculty members write you a recommendation doesn't help much either. There are loads of stories on here aboute people getting rejected to the medical school where they are currently employed and had faculty write them recs. The only rec that will be sure to sway the admissions committee would be a recommendation from the dean himself.

 

[Centinel]

I gotta say - without getting into the politics of it - this "longstanding relationship with Yale Undergrad" of our presidential family is one of the reasons I'm less enamored with Yale than I might be otherwise.

In fewer than 100 words, the legacy system sucks as much as AA does; both prevent the system from being strictly merit based. In an ideal world, it would be. (The tacit statement is that it isn't.)

Prima facie, your statement makes plenty of sense. However, if you actually speak with ADCOMS the reason for legacy admission becomes clear.

Beyond the obvious 'it make alumni more willing to donate $', there is another major reason for (undergraduate) legacy admissions: undergraduate legacy admits outperform the rest of the students academically. All else being equal, the student who is a legacy will outperform his peer throughout college. This is why Yale (and other schools) can justify the legacy system.

 

[Jbienven]

I sure as hell wish LSU- New Orleans would have asked any legacy based questions on their secondary.

My grandfathers, my dad, and two uncles all graduated from the school. But, I doubt I'll get serious extra consideration because of the fact.

Screw fair. I'm white, if I have to compete against people using race to get into medical school, why shouldn't every little edge I have come into play.

Life isn't fair. Everyone on these boards has a different thing to complain about.

People just need to start dealing with what life throws their way, and stop passing the blame. (and no i'm not aiming this post at the starter of the thread, or any replies in particular. I'm just fed up with everyone complaining and blaming everyone else...about EVERYTHING. Its always someone elses fault. Take some freakin' responsibility.)

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm really glad the thread didn't turn ugly. 🙂 I agree we need less whining on SDN. But we need something to do when not obsessing over stats. 🙄

 

[Jbienven]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm really glad the thread didn't turn ugly. 🙂 I agree we need less whining on SDN. But we need something to do when not obsessing over stats. 🙄

ha, agreed. 🙂

 

[TheMightyAngus]

I sure as hell wish LSU- New Orleans would have asked any legacy based questions on their secondary.

My grandfathers, my dad, and two uncles all graduated from the school. But, I doubt I'll get serious extra consideration because of the fact.

Write the adcom a letter explaining your family history and your desire to go to school there. They'll stick it in your file and most likely all your reviewers will see it. Adcoms welcome extra information such as this.

 

[45408]

Write the adcom a letter explaining your family history and your desire to go to school there. They'll stick it in your file and most likely all your reviewers will see it. Adcoms welcome extra information such as this.

I second the idea, but I'd also include information about why you want to stay near home (I'm guessing that it's near your family) and your high regard for the school. Don't make it sound like a "PS: I'm a legacy. 😀"

 

[Scrub MD]

I am going to echo the comment that legacy doesn't play as big of a role as some think.

 

[newbie04]

I am going to echo the comment that legacy doesn't play as big of a role as some think.

I have to disagree. I met with an ADCOM member the other day and he told me that they place applicants in three categories:

1. URM
2. Legacy
3. "Regular"

He is on admissions at a top 20 school, so I believe it holds some weight. He also said that some "legacies" with lesser stats are admitted solely on the legacy title, while other "more qualified" applicants get the shaft. I found his comments interesting to say the least.

It sucks that some things come down to fitting into categories and checking boxes, but that is life, eh? 🙄

 

[Jbienven]

I second the idea, but I'd also include information about why you want to stay near home (I'm guessing that it's near your family) and your high regard for the school. Don't make it sound like a "PS: I'm a legacy. 😀"

Ok, I wrote one, now I just need to make sure I don't sound like an idiot.

 

[Lindyhopper]

I have no first hand knowledge of med school legacy policy, but legacy admissions seems quite prevalent on the undergrad level. It seems possible that the stakes are high enough that people really try to get the best possible crop of Docs. Undergrad admissions is more like an opportunity &/or a ticket into some layer of society.
I'm always disappointed, that people who rail against AA as profoundly unfair, are reluctant to condemn legacy admissions. The attitude is almost,"Hey, life is unfair & the rich are just destined to be privledged. What's the problem?"

 

[TheMightyAngus]

If medical schools allow affirmative action and legacy admissions, why don't most high-ranked medical schools give preference to students that attended their undergrad programs?* It seems logical that if you stats are up to par, they should accept you without question. Come on. If you really want to make alumni happy, admit students that want to do all of their education at one institution!

This is how it used to work in the good old days. If you went to Harvard college, then you went to HMS, and did your residency at MGH. It was a clear cut progression if you wanted to stay in one city. Now if you graduate from Harvard and go to the best programs that accept you, you might go to Rochester med, then do your residency at Barnes Jewish in St. Louis, only to come back to Boston 12 years later to practice! Why move across the country when all the programs you want are in one place? Throw us a freakin bone here!

*This post only applies to medical schools ranked in the top 20 by US News.

 

[PineappleGirl]

In the words of the now infamous "Diddy," it's all about da benjamins, baby.

 

[LJDHC05]

*This post only applies to medical schools ranked in the top 20 by US News.

What the hell does a US News ranking have to do with admissions policies?

Anyway, there's still a good ol' boys network in place in many universities, it's just not as apparent/easy to tap into as it used to be because of all of the attention that AA drew to the admissions process. You just have to know the right people in the right places (i.e. the board of trustees/dean of admissions/chancelor). Legacy and cash can be the difference between you and someone equally qualified getting into a school, but if you're severely underqualified (I mean human) but 4 generations of your family went to HMS, you're not going to get in. Chances are that if your name is chiseled into the side of a white marble building, you've been bred to be the best medical candidate alive and have been accepted mumsy's and dadsy's alma mater since birth.

oh, and Boston is one of the top medical communities in the US, so it draws the best and brightest from all over the WORLD...just cause you wore crimson when you graduated doesnt entitle you to anything...geeze imagine an admissions process based on merit and not your parents wallets/your SAT score

 

[hardy]

Besides the alumni $$$ there is another reason for the legacy system:
Track record

Although there might be plenty of exceptions, your parents success at a medical school might predict yours to a certain degree. Not only did you learn many things from your parents and in certain ways become like them but also are they very likely to make sure that you will follow through. More than if they did not attend the school. After all, it is also their reputation that is at stake at the school.

And yes, track record is one of the most important things in your application. GPA, MCAT, ECs, etc. Pretty much everything except essays and your interview gives an idea of your past performance, ie your track record. Legacy might just be another factor in there.

Disclaimer: I am in no way benefiting of any legacy system. Just in case anybody wants to accuse me of that.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

What the hell does a US News ranking have to do with admissions policies?

The high-ranked schools are the ones that tend not to have preference for admitting students from their own undergrad programs.