“Harvard is really at the center of this,” he said.

Hurwitz said that while legacy preferences mean a great deal to legacies who are applying for admission, they make little difference in the broader pool of applications because so few applicants are legacies.

According to Hurwitz, response from the participating schools has been positive as the study allows them to observe trends that they would not be able to see by analyzing their data alone.

As for the future of the legacy factor, Hurwitz said he believes the issue is up in the air.

“Sample colleges may feel that such an admission advantage is too big, too small, or just right,” he said in reference to the results of his study. “They may use the findings to reshape their policies.”

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 declined to comment on the study, stating that he needed more time to review its findings.

—Staff writer Justin C. Worland can be reached at jworland@college.harvard.edu.