Legacy student

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 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.". Taken in combination with Columbia historically enrolling the highest percentage of students receiving federal Pell Grants in the Ivy League, 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

Class Year	Sons and Daughters of Alumni	Incoming Class Headcount	Percentage of Total
2024	?	N/A	N/A
2023	70[1]	N/A	N/A
2022	70[2]	N/A	N/A
2021	65[3]	N/A	N/A
2020	62[4]	N/A	N/A
2019	61[5]	1078	5.7
2018	68[6]	1104	6.2
2017	62[7]	1094	5.7
2016	71[8]	1091 [9]	6.5
2015	56[10]	1140 [11]	5.0
2014	57[12]	1096	5.2
2013	53[13]	1098[14]	4.8
2012	55[15]	1031	5.3
2011	59[16]	1016	5.8
2010	49[17]	1022	4.8
2009	55[18]	1024	5.4
2008	86[19]	1011	8.5
2007	56[20]	1011	5.5
2006	67[21]	1042	6.4
2005	70[22]	1005	7.0
2004	70[23]	1012	6.9
2003	52[24]	1000 (approx.)	5.2

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