<p>When filling out questions in applications, is it usually in your best interest to also fill in the stuff that is not required, such as your parents' employment, etc?</p>
<p>If it can help you, yes. If it can hurt you, no.</p>
<p>any1 else have input?</p>
<p>I mean there’s not much else to say… On a case by case basis evaluate whether answering would benefit your application, keeping in mind that most kids will probably answer all the questions.</p>
<p>For example if there’s an optional essay and you’re a terrible writer and it took you all summer just to edit your common app and required essays into something decent, and you only have a week or two until the deadline, don’t write the essay. (Oh heeeyy run on sentence). If you’re a fine writer, write the silly essay even if you’re the laziest person on earth.</p>
<p>How could your parents’ employment hurt you? If it’s because the school is need blind and you don’t want them to get an idea that you’re applying for FA, then don’t report. If it’s the other way around and you don’t want them to realise you are of high socioeconomic status, REPORT. We’re in an economic crisis… having parents with stable professions who don’t need aid might bump you slightly into the “yes” pile if you’re on the edge.</p>