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[[Image:1902.jpg|thumb|[[1902]] poster featuring an archetypal "Columbia man". He is probably a legacy student, indicated by the photos in the background, featuring relatives clad in Columbia attire.]]

A '''legacy student''' is one whose parents also attended Columbia. While the term is sometimes used more broadly to include grandparents and siblings, the connection usually meant is that of parent-child. Having 'legacy' status is considered to be a positive factor in an applicant's candidacy for admission to Columbia. This often becomes a point of controversy in debates over [[affirmative action]]. The rationale for legacy admissions is to foster strong family ties to the school in the hopes of developing (or in some cases, maintaining) a loyal [[:Category:Donors|donor]] base. 

Legacies have made up just about 6% of the incoming classes at [[Columbia College]] on average for the classes of 2004 through 2013. By comparison, the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' reported in January 2003 that "[s]ons and daughters of graduates make up 10% to 15% of students at most [[Ivy League]] schools."<ref>http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/Polk_Alumni.htm</ref><ref>It's unclear whether this includes graduates of all schools or just the respective colleges, as Yale's numbers include matriculating Yale College and graduate or professional school legacies ([http://www.yale.edu/oir/factsheet.html#Statistics on Current 1995 Freshmen Class Factsheet: Statistics on Current 2009-10 Freshmen Class]). The numbers used here for Columbia are limited strictly to children of Columbia College alumni.</ref>. Taken in combination with Columbia historically enrolling the highest percentage of students receiving federal [[Pell Grant]]s in the Ivy League<ref>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings/national_university_social_mobility.php</ref>, this underscores one of the stark differences in Columbia's identity relative to its peer schools.

You can find out which of your classmates are legacy! [[Columbia College Today]] prints that year's legacy admits in every fall issue.

==Legacy percentage at Columbia College==
{|
|- style="background:#DDDDDD;"
| '''Class Year'''
| '''Sons and Daughters of Alumni'''
| '''Incoming Class Headcount'''
| '''Percentage of Total'''
|-
|[[2016]]
|57[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/fall12/alumni_profiles1]
|1091 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abstract/opir_admissions_history_1.htm]
|7.0
|-
|[[2015]]
|57[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/fall11/alumni_profiles1]
|1140 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abstract/opir_admissions_history_1.htm]
|5.4
|-
|[[2014]]
|57[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/sep_oct10/alumni_profiles1]
|1096
|5.2
|-
|[[2013]] 	
|53[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/sep_oct09/alumni_profiles]
|1098[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abstract/admissions_all.htm]
|4.8
|-
|[[2012]] 	
|55[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/sep_oct08/alumni_profiles7]
|1031
|5.3
|-
|[[2011]] 	
|59[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep_oct07/updates4.php]
|1016
|5.8
|-
|[[2010]] 	
|49[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep_oct06/updates4.php]
|1022
|4.8
|-
|[[2009]] 	
|55[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep05/alumni.php]
|1024
|5.4
|-
|[[2008]] 	
|86[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep04/alumni.php]
|1011
|8.5
|-
|[[2007]] 	
|56[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep03/profiles3.php]
|1011
|5.5
|-
|[[2006]] 	
|67[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep02/sep02_sons.html]
|1042
|6.4
|-
|[[2005]] 	
|70[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/aug01/aug01_sonsdaughters.html]
|1005
|7.0
|-
|[[2004]] 	
|70[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/sep00/sep00_sonsdaughters.html]
|1012
|6.9
|-
|[[2003]] 	
|52[http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/nov99/nov99_sonsdaughters.html]
|1000 (approx.)
|5.2
|}

Note: These numbers do not include children of alumni of [[SEAS]], [[Barnard College|Barnard]], or [[General Studies]] who were admitted to Columbia College, nor does it include children of alumni of Columbia College admitted to those schools.

==Referecnes==
<references/>

[[Category:Legacies|*]]
[[Category:Students by type]]