Explained: The history of legacy admissions in the US and why Stanford’s latest move is raising eyebrows

Stanford University has prompted renewed debate over legacy admissions after announcing it will no longer participate in California’s state-funded student aid programmes. The move allows the university to continue factoring in applicants’ familial ties to alumni and donors when selecting its undergraduate class for autumn 2026, bypassing new state law aimed at limiting the influence of such connections in admissions.

According to Higher Ed Dive, the law, effective September 1, restricts private nonprofit colleges that receive state-funded aid from considering legacy or donor status in their admissions decisions. Institutions that ignore the law while accepting aid must publicly disclose detailed admissions data. By stepping away from state-funded programmes, Stanford sidesteps these reporting requirements and the associated scrutiny. The university will instead rely on its own institutional scholarship funds to maintain financial support for students.

According to Stanford’s data cited by Higher Ed Dive, 13.6% of admitted undergraduates in autumn 2023 had alumni or donor connections. That year, the university’s overall acceptance rate hovered just under 4%, underscoring the exclusivity of the process. Stanford assures that students previously receiving state aid will see no reduction in support; families earning below $100,000 annually pay no tuition, room, or board, while households under $150,000 are exempt from tuition fees.

A historical perspective

Legacy admissions, a practice that gives preferential treatment to applicants with familial ties to alumni, have been part of U.S. higher education for over a century. Introduced in the 1920s at elite institutions, these policies aimed to preserve selectivity and maintain the demographic makeup of prestigious universities. At the time, the concern was growing enrollment of Jewish, Catholic, and Asian students, and legacy policies helped ensure continued enrollment of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant students.

Over time, the practice became entrenched, particularly at private, highly selective institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford. The advantage granted by legacy status varies: some schools limit it to children of alumni, while others extend it to siblings, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews of both undergraduate and graduate alumni. A 2005 study of 19 selective schools found that, for applicants with similar SAT scores, legacy status increased the likelihood of admission by nearly 20 percentage points.

Criticism and equity concerns

Legacy admissions have long drawn scrutiny for perpetuating historical inequalities. Under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, all individuals are meant to enjoy equal protection under the law — a principle critics argue is undermined by legacy preferences. By favoring predominantly white, affluent applicants, legacy admissions are seen as institutionalized privilege, running counter to meritocracy and diversity goals, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Several universities have phased out legacy preferences in recent years. Johns Hopkins University eliminated the policy in 2014, Pomona College in 2017, Amherst College in 2021, and Wesleyan University in 2023. At the state level, Colorado became the first to prohibit public universities from considering legacy status in 2021, followed by Virginia in 2022.

The Supreme Court and changing legal landscape

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling overturning race-conscious affirmative action added a new dimension to the debate. The decision, which struck down race-based admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, has prompted several public universities, including the University of California, the University of Georgia, and Texas A&M — to reconsider or eliminate legacy preferences.

While affirmative action sought to correct historical inequities, legacy admissions do the opposite, entrenching privilege at elite institutions like Stanford.

In the 2021–2022 academic year, approximately one-third of selective four-year colleges in the U.S. still considered legacy status for first-time students, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy. Private nonprofit colleges were most likely to uphold the practice, with 42% factoring in family ties, while 15% of selective public institutions continued to do so. In total, around 2.1 million undergraduate students attended colleges that used legacy status as part of the admissions process.

A widening debate

Stanford’s decision has reignited debate over fairness and access in U.S. higher education. Civil rights groups and policymakers have questioned the continued use of legacy preferences, particularly after the end of race-conscious admissions. Maintaining legacy admissions at elite institutions reinforces systemic inequities, giving an advantage to students who are already privileged in other ways.

The road ahead

Stanford’s move highlights a persistent tension in American admissions: Balancing institutional tradition with growing demands for equity. While some institutions are abandoning legacy preferences, others are finding ways to preserve them. As colleges navigate changing legal and societal expectations, the future of legacy admissions remains uncertain, raising fundamental questions about access, privilege, and the meaning of merit in U.S. higher education.

TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.

Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!