Legacy student
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 under 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."[1] Taken in combination with Columbia historically enrolling the highest percentage of students receiving federal Pell Grants in the Ivy League[2], this underscores one of the stark differences in Columbia's identity relative to its peer schools.
Legacy percentage at Columbia College
| Class Year | Sons and Daughters of Alumni | Incoming Class Headcount | Percentage of Total |
| 2013 | 53[1] | 1155[2] | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 55[3] | 1061 | 5.2 |
| 2011 | 59[4] | 1016 | 5.8 |
| 2010 | 49[5] | 1022 | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 55[6] | 1024 | 5.4 |
| 2008 | 86[7] | 1011 | 8.5 |
| 2007 | 56[8] | 1011 | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 67[9] | 1042 | 6.4 |
| 2005 | 70[10] | 1005 | 7.0 |
| 2004 | 70[11] | 1012 | 6.9 |
| 2003 | 52[12] | 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.
