<p>My son has been solicited from over 15 "above average" schools to submit a free application. (Fordham, SMU, Colorado School of Mines, Hofsta, Vanderbilt, Susquehana, Case Western, ++ others) He is an URM (hispanic) with decent SAT scores, decent resume but far from stellar GPA and class rank. 1900 one sitting SAT, lots of EC and leadership (eagle scout, boys state), AP Scholar with Distinction, National Hispanic Honorable Mention (sigh), 4.15/5.0 GPA and 50% class rank (big sigh) although in a very competive high school.</p>
<p>We are likely to take advantage of some of these offers but don't want to get any of our hopes up as these schools are totally out of price range and from all accounts would be high reach to get into. </p>
<p>Does URM status really lower standards for admission? Has anyone had this and been successful at acceptance and merit aid?</p>
<p>For my comments on this, see the threads linked to on the Resources sticky thread for “Hispanic ethnicity & college admissions”.</p>
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<p>As background, my kids are not low SES or disadvantaged (both parents attended graduate school) and are not from MA or PR backgrounds; they have had some personal challenges to face. Both received substantial merit awards, their gpa/rank/test scores were competitive for highly selective colleges.</p>
<p>sibapu, just out of curiosity, my son, also hispanic with similar stats (AP scholar with D, NHS) . He is applying to Vanderbilt but we have not received a free app from them. Did your son have any kind of contact with them that may have led to the offer for the free app? It would sure help to have one less application to pay for!</p>
<p>As for your question, I would be curious about that as well. Just from reading acceptance threads here on CC, I have noticed that many times URMs with lower stats get in to great schools when some others with higher stats do not. Then again, you never really know the reasons for acceptance. This is just my VERY un-scientific observation.</p>
<p>No, he has not any contact with any of the schools other then Colorado School of Mines we visited his Sophomore summer. After reading alot of CC threads regarding offers to URM students I “confiscated” (with his permission) his e-mail. Lots of spam, so I can understand why he did not sort through good opportunities. He missed out on the invitation to Amerherst for a free trip (guaranteed) but salvaged the opportunity to apply to the Lehigh diversity weekend in October. </p>
<p>Most the offers for free applications come in the same generic formatting although from different schools call the opportunity something different. Like “Golden Application” (Mines) and Peak Performance (University of Colorado), Mustang application (SMU). All signed by the respective admissions officer. So he must be on some list of schools trying to recruit diversity. </p>
<p>He also gets lots of solicitation from UPENN and others that are really out of reach for his qualifications! </p>
<p>We are going to take the list and see which ones he might be interested in…we have his back ups but you never know what kind of $$ he might get. I just read somewhere the average SAT score for hispanic students is 1236 so at 1900 plus decent resume who knows? Maybe they’ll forgive class rank.</p>
<p>This year I have seen a general increase in the overall “app waivers” or “fast apps” that my DD has received in comparison to her sibling a few years ago. This article at this link does a good job at educating applicants about what such solicitations mean.[Beware</a> of the College Red Carpet | The College Solution](<a href=“http://www.thecollegesolution.com/beware-of-the-college-red-carpet/]Beware”>Beware of the College Red Carpet) I recommend you read it. </p>
<p>A few years ago Tulane sent everyone a “free fast app” They got thousand more applicants which drove them up in the rankings. So receiving a free app isn’t necessarily for your child’s benefit. As with my DD- she will only use those if the school is on her list or she may be interested in it.</p>