Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of the eight Ivies, the third-oldest college in the US, and one of the nine schools founded before the American Revolution. In a word: storied. Yale is extremely popular with Ivy League hopefuls and extremely competitive – last cycle, they had a 3.9% acceptance rate. However, if you’re reading this, we assume you know this. You’re here because a parent (or both!) went to Yale and you want to follow in their footsteps. Let’s talk about it.
While some universities have moved away from legacy admissions, it still holds weight at Yale. The difference lies in how you use it. Legacy status alone won’t get you in – but when paired with a strong, thoughtful application, it can give you a slight edge. Let’s walk through how to strategically highlight your legacy connection, build a standout profile, and give yourself the best possible shot at earning a place in Yale’s incoming class.
What’s up with Legacy Admissions?
Legacy admissions, much like affirmative action, has become a lightning rod in the college admissions world. According to Forbes, the number of colleges giving preference to legacy applicants has dropped by 50% over the last ten years. In some states – like Colorado, California, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia – lawmakers have stepped in to restrict or outlaw the practice entirely. Connecticut even flirted with the idea, but the ban ultimately didn’t pass – instead, schools are required to publish legacy admissions data.
Even with the growing pushback, many top-tier universities still factor legacy into admissions decisions. Schools like Notre Dame, Duke, and Georgetown continue to place considerable emphasis on it, while places like MIT and Johns Hopkins have done away with it altogether. Yale, unlike their peer institutions, is required to publish admissions data about legacy students, so we do know how they fare in the process. However, Yale remains tight-lipped about their internal processes on the practice. We’re here to help you navigate what legacy can mean in the Yale admissions process and how to make it work in your favor.
Yale’s had a bit of a tumultuous run with legacy admissions in the last few years. The very first public statement University President Peter Salovey made after the affirmative action Supreme Court decision was about the future of legacy at Yale. Here’s what he said at a Yale College Family Weekend panel in 2023:
“We are trying to ask, ‘Is [legacy admissions] getting in the way of diversifying our applicant pool, or is it not? And then we will make the decision on the basis of that, rather than what the political pressure is. But the political pressure is not completely irrelevant. So, we will see. Everything is up for discussion this year in this new era of admissions. But no decision yet.”
So it was “up for discussion” in 2023, but when Connecticut proposed a bill in 2024 to ban legacy admissions at public and private colleges in the state, Yale was extremely against it, so we assume that discussion’s been had. There’s also mounting pressure from Yale students to ban the practice, but we don’t think that pressure is going to do much.
Despite all this, Yale still has legacy admissions. We know that in the Class of 2028, 11% of the incoming class allegedly had legacy affiliation, and historically they’ve claimed somewhere between 11-14% legacy. We think this number is probably under-reported.
Most legacy applicants don’t end up getting into their parent’s alma mater. At a school like Yale, where the acceptance rate is below 4%, the math doesn’t favor anyone – not even legacies. The admissions office is building a well-rounded class, not filling seats based on family ties alone. This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck – it means you need to make sure you have the best application possible.
What Can You Do?
Legacy isn’t a backdoor to attending Yale with a substandard resume. At Yale, legacy applicants are still held to the same high bar as everyone else, because they know you have the resources and connections to achieve more. You’ll need exceptional grades, strong test scores, and distinctive extracurriculars that show depth and originality. Legacy status might give you a tiny boost in an already competitive pool, but it won’t make up for an application that wouldn’t get you into Yale anyway.
Grades
We regularly work with legacy applicants to Yale, and here’s what we consistently see: nearly all of them have spotless academic records – think unweighted 4.0s. Many legacy students come from well-resourced backgrounds, with access to elite schools, tutoring, and extracurricular opportunities. And Yale expects you to make the most of those advantages. That means taking the most rigorous courses available to you and getting all As. With 50k+ highly qualified applicants each year, top grades in tough classes aren’t optional.
Scores
Yale requires test scores from all applicants, and while the policy is “test flexible,” that doesn’t apply to you, legacy. As a legacy student, you need to be taking the ACT or SAT and you need to be getting the highest possible score you can get. Yale brought back standardized testing, along with a few other Ivies, because it’s the number one predictor of college success. Don’t give them a reason to reject you!
As you can see, 82% of students submitted the ACT or SAT; meaning only 18% of admitted students last cycle were submitting the test-flexible tests like AP or IB. And we doubt those were legacy students.
Extracurriculars
Just having a full activities list or holding a leadership title isn’t going to impress Yale – especially if you’re applying as a legacy. What they’re really looking for is a clear, authentic narrative. If you say you’re passionate about chemistry but your involvement stops at AP Chem and a club membership, that’s not going to cut it. Yale wants to see action: research, internships, independent projects – something that shows real initiative. That’s why we help legacy students to start building that depth early, as early as 9th grade. The goal is to craft a profile that tells a cohesive story, one that sets you apart from the thousands of other driven legacy applicants.
Apply Early
If Yale is your dream school as a legacy, applying REA is one of the best strategic choices you can make. Opting for regular decision can signal a lack of commitment, which will dilute any benefit your legacy status might have given. And from a numbers perspective, it’s a no-brainer: while Yale’s overall acceptance rate sits below 4%, the restricted early action round gives you a little more wiggle room. So if you want to show Yale you’re all in? Apply early and make your intentions crystal clear.
Stay Involved
Parents, if you're hoping your child will follow in your footsteps at Yale, your role goes beyond filling out the alumni box on the application. The legacy families who tend to see the strongest outcomes aren’t just those with academically stellar students; they’re the ones who maintain an active, visible connection to the university. That could mean conducting alumni interviews, supporting Yale through consistent giving, serving on a regional board, or engaging in other ways that show your continued investment in the school’s community. If Yale is the goal, demonstrating that your family’s relationship with the university is ongoing, not just nostalgic, can give your student an extra edge. Let’s talk about how to make that connection work for you.
If you’re a Yale legacy and are serious about getting in, your application has to be exceptional. No shortcuts, no exceptions. Top-tier grades, strong test scores, and niche extracurriculars are mandatory. Legacy might give you a small bump, but it’s not a substitute for a stellar application. Your job is to make Yale’s decision easy! Be the kind of applicant they simply can’t pass up.
If you need help crafting an application that helps you stand out among the crowd, reach out to us today. We can help.