how do colleges know if you're a first generation student or not?

<p>how do colleges know if you're a first generation student or not? Do they check? If one of your parents went to college in India and the college isn't one of the common app scroll down list, does it count?</p>

<p>good question...I don't know the answer but I hope someone can let us know...</p>

<p>On the applications, you put in where your parents went to college. That is how. Period.</p>

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If one of your parents went to college in India and the college isn't one of the common app scroll down list, does it count?

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<p>Yes, college counts wherever it was. First generation refers to first generation in your family to go to college, not first generation to go to college in the U.S.</p>

<p>Why do college ask whether we are first generation or not?</p>

<p>Thanks for answering!</p>

<p>^ They want to see your achievements in context. If your parents were Ivy graduates, then it would not be as impressive to achieve say high SAT scores as compared to someone who will be the first in their family to go to college.</p>

<p>I think I am the first one to go to college in my family, does it make any difference to the decision of adcoms?</p>

<p>if my brother went to college but neither of my parents went to college,am i considered as a first generation student?</p>

<p>^By most definitions, yes.</p>

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<p>first gen makes u having larger chance?</p>

<p>is it an advantage?</p>

<p>It's an advantage that offsets the advantages children whose parents went to college have: parents who may understand the admission process, SATs, may have connections with colleges and larger incomes, paid for SAT prep, sent their kids to camp or support their athletic endeavors. The education level of a parent is still the best indicator of how well a student will do in elemenatry/high school school. Of course, there are exceptions and the child who succeeds, dispite having parents without college educations, may gain some small advantage at admissions time.</p>

<p>First-generation college students didn't have the guidance of knowing exactly what to do in order to get into a good college.</p>

<p>do adcoms check with your college counselors? and what if your dad doesn't even know what the name of the college is in english?</p>

<p>You have to type in if it's not on the pull down list.</p>

<p>I have seen some listings of Us, saw some Us really pay a lot attention on whether you are first gen or not.</p>

<p>First generation has a boost because it seems that you are disadvantage because your parents never went to college.</p>

<p>What about if one parent when to a local community college for an associates and the other parent never went to college? any difference there</p>

<p>I don't know for sure, but just list the info and the schools that you are applying will make a decision for you to your advantage if that qualifies as first generation.</p>

<p>Mom went to college. Dad never did. Where would that place me?</p>

<p>First generation means neither of your parents did: you're literally part of the first generation--since your parents, anyway, since that's all they ask for ("level of education mother received" / "level of education father received")--to go to college.</p>

<p>Your siblings are part of your generation so that has no impact on first-generation status.</p>