Harvard's Z-List: A Program for Unqualified Legacy Students

Discover Harvard’s Z-list, where legacy and influence equal an easier curriculum. Only 60 spots are available a year—pedigree has its perks!

Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts is the Ivy League’s crown jewel, renowned for its prestige and hefty endowment. With a legacy that includes generations of wealthy families who’ve showered the university with grants, equipment, and buildings, it’s no surprise that some students land a spot with a little help from their family name. And then there are those students whose family names are the only reason they are admitted—enter Harvard’s Z-List.

@tineocollegeprep
The Harvard Z-list is, is an admission option given to a tiny number of applicants that offers them a place at the university the year following the year they applied. . . . . . #harvard #harvardadmissions #harvardzlist #ivyleague #collegeadmissions
♬ youre on your own kid sped up – inactive

The Z-list is Harvard’s not-so-secret insiders’ club where students from the university’s most influential donor families get a special pass. These students follow a streamlined curriculum, tailored to ensure they graduate with ease. It’s not a matter of simply writing a check—being on the list requires a lineage of significant contributions and influence. Each year, only about 60 students make the cut, proving that even at Harvard, pedigree can get you a special place in the academic fast lane.

Writer Simon Rich spoke with comedian Neal Brennan on Brennan’s Blocks Podcast to discuss attending privileged schools and explaining Harvard’s infamous Z-list. Watch: