How do colleges determine Socioeconomic Status?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I was wondering how "elite" universities, specifically the ones devoted to diversity, determine socioeconomic status in their applicant pool. Obviously these universities strive to achieve maximum diversity on their campus, but how do they determine these specific factors while still being need-blind?</p>

<p>I'm a first-gen URM (Puerto Rican male) with a low income. By low-income, I mean my household income is approximately ~27,000. I go to a slightly below state average public high school with a large percentage of minorities and minimal competition. However, despite this, my family gets along decently well. I haven't had to overcome a significant amount of obstacles like many relatively close to my economic position have. Granted, I do not go to a prep school, expensive tutors are out of reach for me, I receive little amenities, and I cannot afford vacations. Yet my family ends up scraping by. </p>

<p>From what I have seen on this forum, many people with low incomes decide to write about a significant obstacle in their life so that the universities they are applying to will recognize their socioeconomic status. But what about the low-income students like me who are stable, yet we can't afford the things that others can? Is our income even factored into the infamous "diversity" card? Do they use our address? Geography/district? Is it implied through first-gen and URM? But then how would they determine between the well-off URM's and the less fortunate ones? When all is said and done, and all lurking variables are acknowledged, is socioeconomic status even an eligible factor in elite school undergrad admissions?</p>

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<p>Essays like this might be noticed:</p>

<p>[Elk</a> Grove teen goes 9 for 9 in elite college admissions - Education - The Sacramento Bee](<a href=“http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/30/5457373/elk-grove-teen-goes-9-for-9-in.html]Elk”>http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/30/5457373/elk-grove-teen-goes-9-for-9-in.html)</p>

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<p>Of course, it would help to be valedictorian with all A grades in the most rigorous available courses and sky-scraping test scores.</p>

<p>“Need-blind” really means that they won’t reject you because they don’t have enough financial aid money for you. Of course, that is only helpful if the school also “meets full need” (check the net price calculator for an estimate); some schools appear to be “need-blind” in the admissions office, but their generally poor financial aid offers effectively result in “financial aid rejections” for a lot of students (though some may unwisely take out huge loans to attend).</p>