[aluminum96]

Ivy league schools need some high performers, in the sense that they mix admits for intelligence, wealth, diversity, athletic ability, and other factors. Clearly, many smart students attend Harvard. But so do donor kids. When you hire a Harvard grad, you can't tell which graduate you are hiring! That's a huge part of the value proposition for the wealthy. Harvard needs to admit enough truly smart students.

[jeremiahbuckley]

Interesting point. Couldn’t this be solved for by Linked In and Google now? Find the candidates’ parents and then you have your answer. ( Of course, your company may choose to hire a legacy candidate for some of the same political benefits the college accepted them. )