the legacy of LEGACIES

In the spring of 1938, Ethan A. Dennison '37 sat his brother-in-law in front of one of Harvard's admission officers.

"He thinks he'd like to come here," said Dennison to the College official.

"Great," responded the admissions officer. "When can he start?"

So recounts Frances Isabel Smith '99, who is the granddaughter of Dennison.

My, how times have changed.

In years since then, college admissions have become increasingly secretive, competitive and impersonal.

Out of about 16 thousand applicants, only 12 percent are accepted, making it extremely difficult to gain acceptance to the College.

Nevertheless, having relatives who attended Harvard can still tip the scales in a candidate's favor.

According to Director of Admissions Marlyn M. Lewis '70, the official policy regarding legacies--applicants who are the children of Harvard-Radcliffe alums--is that if all else is equal between two candidates, preference will be given to the legacy.

However, Lewis goes on to say that what constitutes equality among candidates is "not formulaic" and is based on "intangible circumstances."

"It's not just test scores," Lewis says.

Regardless, according to Lewis, 40 percent of legacies who apply to the College gain admittance, a number far higher than the overall acceptance rate.

A Legacy of Legacies

The statistic does not necessarily indicate a bias in admissions, Lewis says. Being raised by well-educated parents definitely aids in a child's academic career.

Current undergraduate legacies concur with Lewis's theory.

"It does not surprise me at all that the gifted, driven graduates of Harvard University raise very gifted, driven children," says one male undergraduate legacy in an e-mail.

"Children of Harvard-educated parents are naturally going to have more educational advantages and resources at home while growing up," says Nathaniel P. Ekman '00, whose parents attended Harvard and Radcliffe as undergraduates, in an e-mail. "It is reasonable to expect that more of them are going to be better-prepared for success at a university such as ours."

Nevertheless, because of the difference in admissions numbers, legacies say they have to deal with stereotypes and speculation about their acceptance into Harvard.

"Personally, I think that this statistic [40 percent] has been manipulated by the ignorant to harass and destroy the self-confidence of students at this school whose relatives did attend Harvard," Ekman says.

"With few exceptions everyone who was accepted is extraordinarily gifted in some capacity," says a male undergraduate legacy who wished to remain anonymous.

All the legacies interviewed say they feel they deserve admissions regardless of their lineage. However, this confidence does not preclude them from self-consciousness.

"I'm not real forward about it," says a female undergraduate legacy in an e-mail. "This is in large part because of the stereo-types both here and at home."

"In high school it was a question," she continues. "Many people expected me to get in because I was a legacy."

"Naturally I do not walk through Annenberg Hall wearing a sign that says 'I'm a legacy! Please think all the less of me for it!'" says Ekman. "However, if I did, the general public just might follow those instructions."

Godfrey Lowell Cabot Henderson '00, after whose great-great-grandfather, Godfrey Lowell Cabot, Cabot Library is named, calls being a legacy more of a "cross to bear" than a privilege.

Henderson recalls that when his Harvard interviewer saw his full name, the interviewer laughed.

Parental Preparation

Last names aside, legacies are introduced to Harvard at a very young age, a fact that might lead more legacies to apply for admission.

Indeed having parents who attended the college could place an emphasis on Harvard.

"They wanted me to come here for a long time," the female legacy who wished to remain anonymous says in an e-mail. "I've been going to their reunions since I was like three."

"[My father] made it clear that he wanted me to go to Harvard," says another female undergraduate legacy.

After being admitted "My dad was happier than I was," she says.

Sometimes Harvard parents are even less subtle.

"I grew up thinking that Harvard was college, having barely heard about any other schools," says Elizabeth A. Lowenhaupt '97, who says her parents dressed her in Harvard apparel since she was a young child. Both were undergraduates at Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges.

An Unfair Preference?

In a University that strives each year for a diverse class, some question whether legacies should be given preference at all, even when "all else is equal" between candidates.

But the anonymous male legacy argues otherwise.

"Pieces of the old Harvard tradition contribute to that diversity," he says.

Indeed, Harvard legacies bring tales of the past to their fellow classmates.

One legacy recounts how her great uncle told her that Adam's House was the "place to be" because it had so many entryways into which girls could be snuck easily. However, she says her great uncle also informed her that Radcliffe girls were not desirable.

Lewis has a different take on why legacies should be given preference.

"We ask our alums to do a lot for us," Lewis says. "Since World War II, we've relied on alums to recruit the best students and raise funds."

For this essential aid, accepting alumni's children if all else is equal is "small compensation," according to Lewis.

Despite the policy, Lewis says she spends much of her time talking to alumni who are upset about admissions decisions, but recognizes this as a small price to pay for the ultimate goal of maintaining the quality of the admitted class.

In the end, both admissions officers and legacies say they are comforted by the fact that legacies receive preference in the admissions procedure only when all else is equal. Still suspicions of nepotism will always be there.

"I was really glad to get accepted to Princeton too," says another Harvard legacy. "One likes to feel merit did it, not history."