<p>bump........</p>
<p>Being a first generation in America is not a tip factor. Being a first generation college student is a slight tip factor when combined with other factors such as coming from a low income family and attending low performing school whils still performing extremely well and taking the most rigerous courses your school offers (if your parents were educated outside of the U.S., you would not be considered a first generation college student). </p>
<p>While being a underrepresented minority is indeed a hook, most African American students at elite colleges are children of recent immigrants from the Carribean or Africa (this will not make you stand out). Being an African American with mulit-generational roots in the U.S. is more of a hook because those students are more underrepresented.</p>
<p>That being said and I really hate to do chance threads, however a transcript with mostly B's and C's will not make you competitive in the application pool regardless of race. When it comes to schools where you can get amazing financial aid, it is going to be an uphill climb because the schools with the most generous FA policies are also the same schools that are to most competitive when it comes to gaining admission.</p>
<p>How does your 1690 break out? We need to know so that we can give you a better idea at where you should be looking. </p>
<p>I agree with going to fairtest.org and looking at some SAT optional schools. However, even in this category, there are going to be many people who present higer GPAs because that will be the main factor being used for admissions purposes. Also remember while some schools are SAT I optional, some schools still require SAT II subject test for admission.</p>
<p>Smith has recently went SAT optional for U.S. citizens and permanent residents while Mount Holyoke has been SAT optional for a couple of years. However, from what I have seen from African American students admitted to these schools, they have had near perfect or perfect GPAs.</p>
<p>My suggestion is first to use a bottoms up approach and choose a safety school that you would be happy to attend that is also a financially feasible option for your family. </p>
<p>This is most likely in the form of your state U. Do the rolling admissions process now so it can take some pressure off knowing that you have an acceptance under your belt.</p>