<p>So my friend and I are having an argument over college admissions and the fact that "they" give special treatment to applicants whose parents never attended a college. </p>
<p>My friend argues that if you were to look at two equal applicants except for the fact that one's parents attended college and the other didn't, it automatically makes the previous applicant more qualified. He says that that applicant had to overcome more hardships because he was disadvantaged in life due to the fact that his parents did not attend college.</p>
<p>I argue, however, that just because his parents did not attend college that does not automatically make him disadvantaged. I know plenty of people whose parents did not go to college and are certainly not disadvantaged. I am all for giving low-income applicants an advantage because there is no argument that they have overcome real hardships. But giving "first-generation" students an advantage is unfair to the rest of the applicants who are equal and are therefore suffering just because their parents attended college. </p>
<p>Simply, first-gen does not equal disadvantaged in my mind.</p>
<p>applicant a's parents will more likely know about college admission and able to help to guide applicant a through the admissions process whereas applicant b's parents will probably have little help to offer</p>
<p>your point about the parent who did not go to college encouraging their child to go even more doesn't really make sense to me... My parents went to college, I have never thought of college as a choice... I have always thought of the path being for sure HS, College then profession or grad school, I have never questioned College BECAUSE my parents went to college.. so i believe that it would be the other way around... I have never thought of anything less than going to college it was never really considered an option</p>
<p>anyways... Applicant A has been guided more for college throughout his/her life it wasn't all on his/her own, when she/he needed help on anything to do with education his/her parents were more capable of giving help... Applicant B on the other hand did not have parents that went to college so naturally admissions offices are going to assume his/her parents weren't as educated, when he/she needed help understanding that Calculus problem he/she couldn't go to his/her parents for help with it... When he/she needed help on decided which colleges to apply to his/her parents weren't able to give him/her what he/she should be looking for in a college... </p>
<p>The idea is that if your parents went to college you have received more help throughout your HS career and during the application process... Although this isn't always true and is a generalization admissions view it as if Applicant A needed help from his/her parents to do the same as Applicant B did on his/her own then obviously Applicant B is more qualified</p>
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My parents went to college and they don't help me at ALL with my college admissions.
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<p>But they could help you, couldn't they? Your parents know * something * about the admissions process and that is always better than nothing.
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anyways... Applicant A has been guided more for college throughout his/her life it wasn't all on his/her own, when she/he needed help on anything to do with education his/her parents were more capable of giving help... Applicant B on the other hand did not have parents that went to college so naturally admissions offices are going to assume his/her parents weren't as educated, when he/she needed help understanding that Calculus problem he/she couldn't go to his/her parents for help with it... When he/she needed help on decided which colleges to apply to his/her parents weren't able to give him/her what he/she should be looking for in a college...
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<p>This basically sums it up. College is extremely glorified to kids with parents who did not obtain higher education. Many of these families view college as this snobby place where only geniuses with money go. They have no idea about financial aid or anything of that nature and naturally, are less inclined to attend college.</p>
<p>I'm first gen. it probably helped a bit. I had no one, but this website and my own researching skills, to help me with the whole college application thing.(My highschool counselor was terrible)</p>
<p>A first-generation college student who attends a good college and graduates has fundamentally altered their family's future, in ways that far exceed the dollars and cents of earning potential. All other things being equal, the opportunity to alter the course of history for a family is pretty compelling.</p>