<p>Hey guys… i just applied ed.
I’m a first-gen college student (asian), and I was wondering what kind of role that fact plays in the admissions process. how important is it?</p>
<p>seriously, it's a big leg up as long as it's consistent with finances (low income)</p>
<p>blue_mouse Not an exact quote but in Admissions Confidential, the book on Duke's admissions process, the author says something like "No adcom can resist a good first gen college student." </p>
<p>It's definitely a hook.</p>
<p>Bongo - WE AGREE !!!!</p>
<p>FINALLY! (10 charachters)</p>
<p>wait...being first-gen is better than having a legacy? o_0</p>
<p>Don't know how that would compare.</p>
<p>ohhhhhhh sweeeet
haha because im first-gen and we're pretty poor... lol im happy about that for the first time ;)
i didn't know how to indicate on my app though... i jus tput down that parents did not go to college or left the college section blank.. something like that</p>
<p>how do they know that you are a first generation student? i put high school grad for both of my parents but is that enuff?</p>
<p>yeah thats enough. i asked my counselor to write it.. but i have a feeling that she didnt</p>
<p>yesss im first generation wooo hooo</p>
<p>so being URM hispanic(mexican) and first generation low-income... where does that put me? :P
Do I have a hook? :(</p>
<p>Yup, that's a hook</p>
<p>Wait a sec...what if your parents went to school but in a different country. Both my parents went to college in latvia...and actually the way it works over there (or maybe back then) is that they got what is comparatively an M.D. (mom) and masters (dad) in their respective fields..even though they both only went to one school under one program...though that was an interesting fact...but the question is does iit matter if your a first gen college student in America (born in Latvia by the way)</p>
<p>You have to look at it through the eyes of adcoms...they want to encourage families who never sent their children to college to seeks higher education. Your parents both achieved high-level degrees and will encourage you to do so as well. Parents who only achieve a high-school diploma, if even that, usually don't encourage education, so these students had to face a great deal of difficulty to reach a competitive level...plus, first generation + being middle class doesn't help much. You never overcame an obstacle.</p>
<p>Also, anyone who is first generation college should write about this in their essay to make it a hook or have it in a recomendation. If not, it loses some of its power and admissions officers might just say, "Oh, how nice" We give these guys too much credit...they stay up to 3:00 AM reading apps so if you have a hook, rub it in their noses.</p>
<p>lishnik - I think the value of your background comes from the contributions you would make as someone who is familiar with another culture and whose first language was Russian. You aren't considered a minority, an international or a first generation by definition, but if you've indicated your family background as bongo23 suggests, they will definitely take notice of it. How much is anyone's guess.</p>
<p>how'd you know my first language was Russian collegecountdown...or did you see that elsewhere...could've been Latvian, but I'm impressed.</p>
<p>lishnik - I thought you had said that at some point.</p>