Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

If both parents only completed highschool in another country, an older sibling graduated from a state school in 2002, will i still be considered as first generation? Will this have any positive effect on the college admission? Thanks

By Aab123 (Aab123) on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 09:23 am: Edit

I would like to know as well.

Both my parents completed their High Schools and undergrads in another country.

By Shennie (Shennie) on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 11:31 am: Edit

If your parents did not complete college, you will be considered a first generation college student. It doesn't matter what your older siblings did. If you parents completed college in another country you are not a first generation college student.

As far as how it will impact your admission, that will vary from college to college.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 11:43 am: Edit

First generation can be a hook, but not as much as other "diversity" indications. Depends on college though.
Depending on program, siblings may or may not count.
My younger daughter is interested in participating in the AVID program in high school that requires students to be( one of_ lowincome/firstgeneration/minority. Her sister is in college and the application asks for info about any family member in college.
However as it is the only program at her school that gives support to kids but doesn't require them to be AA she was told to go ahead and apply anyway

By Whtx (Whtx) on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 11:26 pm: Edit

If one is applying to college, does the family income level have any effect on admission or is it only used for financial aid?

By Whtx (Whtx) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 05:35 pm: Edit

?

By Jer728 (Jer728) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 06:38 pm: Edit

I'm no expert, but from what I have heard from others on this board it sounds like the income level can have an effect on admission. I have also heard some people suggest that it be discussed in your application essays.

By Sarasote (Sarasote) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 06:41 pm: Edit

its only used for financial aid. most colleges are need-blind meaning they do not look at ur need and ur annual income has no ground on whether or not you are accepted

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 07:25 pm: Edit

Some colleges do reject students based on their income. In fact, virtually all of the colleges in the country except for about 25 take income into consideration when making admissions decisions.

If students have sky high financial need, many colleges will reject them. There are exceptions, but those exceptions are at the very top of the admissions pool.

The few colleges that don't take income into consideration tend to be places such as Harvard, Princeton, and other Ivies as well as places like Williams and Wesleyan.

Check colleges' financial aid web sites to see if they have admission that is "need blind." Also check to see what percentage of documented financial need on average the college provides. Remember that if a college says it will fulfill 100% of "documented financial need," that "need" is calculated by the college, which may be less than the family feels they can pay. In most cases, the aid will include loans as well as work-study, not just scholarships.

Many colleges provide far less than 100% of documented financial need. Students may be expected to make up as much as $20 k a year between the loans, grants and work-study income the college provides and what the student's documented financial need is.

If one has the good fortune to come from parents who are very wealthy, that can tip students into admission who otherwise wouldn't be accepted.

By Whtx (Whtx) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 08:47 pm: Edit

i was led to believe that colleges look down upon those who come from wealthy families (not extremely wealthy and will donate money of course) and that they like the students from extremely poor families (income less than 15,000) lets say.

If a school says need blind, does that mean they wont reject because of low income?

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 11:05 pm: Edit

Colleges don't look down on students who come from the kind of well off families that you mention. The elite colleges, however, will take family background (parents' education, family income) into consideration when assessing candidates. Wealthier applicants are presumed to have had more opportunities than have poor applicants.

Adcoms tend not to be impressed by activities that students did that were based on income, not the students making opportunities for themselves. For instance, there are some very expensive, not particularly selective summer programs at Ivy colleges. Adcoms tend not to be impressed if students list such programs. The adcoms know that the students didn't do anything special to go to the programs except to be born into a family that could pay for them.

Adcoms might be far more impressed by a poor student who takes the initative to create a far more modest opportunity for himself.

"Need blind" means schools do not reject based on income.

The Ivies and most of the very few colleges that are need-blind welcome very low income applicants because those add to their campus's diversity. Such universities tend to have an overabundance of excellent applicants who are upper middle class and wealthy, and tend not to attract many excellent low income applicants.

That tends to be because due to bad educational systems, low income applicants aren't as likely to have the test scores and course work that would make them good candidates for admission. The low income candidates also may erroneously think that places like Ivies aren't interested in students from poor backgrounds.

By Newnudad (Newnudad) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 01:30 pm: Edit

Add Northwestern to the "need blind", and subtract Wash U in St. Louis...