<p>I've always wondered if location affects the chances of admission for universities. Would someone from a 'weird' location, like a small town in Alaska, or a student from Guam have higher or lower chances at a university? Or does location not matter at all?</p>
<p>I spoke with an admission rep. at a private college’s admitted students day in April and he indicated that they do like to be geographically diverse. I don’t know now large a role that plays in admission though.</p>
<p>I would imagine it matters, but only a little, and only for borderline students. Students who wouldn’t be otherwise admissible probably won’t gain admission on the basis of being from Alaska or Wyoming. But a student who is an average applicant may get a tip over into the accept pile for adding some geographic diversity of the school - especially if it means the school can list that they have “students from all 50 states” instead of just 46.</p>
<p>It depends.</p>
<p>Public universities may have explicit targets or different admissions standards for in-state versus out-of-state students. Some may have explicit local area preferences.</p>
<p>Private universities may have some sort of geographic diversity goal, so being from a far away place where few have heard of the school may be an advantage.</p>
<p>Coming from a weird town in the middle of nowhere will generally help, unless the school being applied to is like UNC Chapel Hill which has a specific quota for onstage and out of state students. (Of course, it still may help to come from mysterious unknown town rather than from NYC.)</p>
<p>Its a slight tipping factor. In the book by the former admissions director at Stanford she wrote that some colleges like to be able to say they have students from all 50 states. So if you are a borderline applicant from a state with few students enrolled it might help.</p>
<p>What the others have said.</p>
<p>The conventional wisdom in admissions has been that geographic distinctiveness (and other possible idiosyncrasies) sells.</p>
<p>We were at an info session at a highly selective LAC and the rep doing the presentation asked if any of the prospective students were from North Dakota. She freely admitted that it was the only state not represented and they very much wanted a qualified applicant from ND to apply.</p>
<p>I think that you can be from ND and get in with low stats is a myth, unless you are a card carrying member of a recognized tribe- and still a great student with a lot of potential who hasn’t had much opportunity for AP’s or test prep. Otherwise I think you are held to the same standard as the rest of the country, it’s just that the population is so much smaller that there aren’t as many kids with those high stats. Believe me, plenty of kids are rejected, and it sucks after being told they were shoe-ins because they live in ND. Schools might want kids from all 50 states but no one is lowering their standards to achieve that dream- it is not that important. I think this same myth is sold to URMs- blacks and Hispanics are rejected all the time- I do believe they will give a small break to natives.</p>
<p>I said they wanted a qualified applicant. No doubt in my mind that two applicants with equal stats. One from ND and one from NY. The kid from ND can start buying football tickets…</p>
<p>Yes, it does.</p>
<p>Does it matter for just kind of weird locations? Like I’m from Key Largo, Florida. I know Florida students represent EVERYWHERE but would being from a weird place like the Keys boost me any?</p>