<p>I know it is in the financials but admissions doesn't see that. I've been reading some essays from a very low income student who has exceptionally high academic achievement and scores. But should the student always write an essay that paints a picture of the background? If the student just writes about an ordinary topic will they be overlooking an opportunity?</p>
<p>How else will a student who achieved despite immigrant low income background let them know?</p>
<p>Does the kid have a guidance counselor or college adviser? Are his teachers aware of the situation? </p>
<p>If so, I personally think it’s better for them to do it than for the student to spend an essay explaining his socioeconomic circumstances.</p>
<p>Why does the student need to show his income level in his application?</p>
<p>I think that colleges are interested in students who have a high level of achievement from poor backgrounds. The income level is pretty low.</p>
<p>The GC/teacher recs are done and I don’t know if they address this or not.</p>
<p>He has already sent an EA and a UC application, and is left with pretty reachy schools.</p>
<p>A lot of schools can tell by either his high school or zip code- would either of these indicate this situation?</p>
<p>Presumably, the UC application prompt “Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations” leaves plenty of latitude to give background information about achievement starting from a disadvantaged situation. Perhaps the student can incorporate some ideas from his UC essay to the other essays.</p>
<p>If you know that the high school has competent guidance counselors, then I think it’s safe to assume they will mention his background. I think it is probable that a teacher would too. </p>
<p>As romani says, it’s sometimes evident from zip code or high school. There may be questions about parents’ place of birth, occupation, colleges parents attended, etc. that give that information indirectly. There may be other questions which prompt answers that give the info. I think my own alma mater asks what languages you speak.</p>
<p>UC app is done, of course, and I was wondering if he should keep that concept, yes. He is trying some other types of essays and I don’t see them as very insightful. I don’t want to tell him what to do, but I think he leaves a lot out by making an essay about some more general or ordinary concept. I will at least tell him that those other essays aren’t strong, imo.</p>
<p>Not all/most kids in his zip are as poor. Maybe the things jonri mentions will give the insight that I think is helpful. It is just a middle level zip, probably a mix of kids. I don’t know how the GC’s are, probably good, and the HS has good opportunities academically. He is ranked among highest.</p>
<p>Some things are evident by parent occupation.
Also many schools that award financial aid are need aware, especially if they meet 100%of need. They want to know what they are getting in to!
Many schools have supports targeting low income/ minority students, if he is participating in those, that will be listed on his app.</p>
<p>Isn’t that why most colleges take the time to wait for the FAFSA, then evaluate it and award need-based aid off of those numbers?</p>
<p>^ You’re confusing the FA package and acceptance. The vast majority of schools are need-blind. They do not see or know your FA situation when making admissions decisions (in the sense that they’re not taking your ability to pay into account when thinking about whether or not to accept you). </p>
<p>And many schools release decisions well before FAFSA is available to be submitted.</p>
<p>He is applying to need blind colleges for the remainder of his apps. Need blind don’t wait for FAFSA to admit, afaik.</p>
<p>I’m just trying to figure out how to be helpful, given I’ve been asked to read an essay I don’t think is good enough. I can talk about the essay itself, sure, but I wanted to be as helpful as possible in suggesting another direction.</p>
<p>Some schools do look at the achievement in the light of the challenges thrown to a kid. Admissions officers hate Silver Spoon kids unless they are by necessity having to do financial enrollment management. At the highly selective schools, the apps are examined with a eye towards picking out those whose achievements were largely bought for them. It behooves a kid who is low income to make himself known in the app to the Admissions Office.</p>
<p>The best way is for the GC to make it clear. I know at the independent high schools, here, the highly selective ones, the GC writes extensively about the students and is well apprised as to what such colleges are seeking. In fact, some of the worked in such admissions offices and have friends still in there. The other way is for the student to touch on it without harping on it in the essays. Checking off the fin aid box is an indicator, address, school, parental occupation and level of education. </p>
<p>Admissions directors tend to know the high schools in the areas they serve. If they don’t, they can look up the infor. Around here, it is highly unlikely that somoene from a high income family would be going to some of the low income schools. It’s not just low income that is of issue, by the way, but the educational climate. That’s why first generation to go to college is a strong hook. </p>
<p>As in all social pressure to make level the playing field, it does work out, from what I see, that a lot of low income kids going to highly selective schools, may be from families where there isn’t that much money, but there is educational knowledge. Those kids are not high risk as those who might be from families with more money, but less emphasis on education.</p>
<p>I had friends who were low income as they chose such professions, stayed in college “ghettos” married SOs that did not make much money, but they raised their children with all sorts of educational advantages, reading to them, speaking to them, exposing them to culture, the libararies and tying in whateve experiences to relevant cultural literacy. That’s a whole other story from kids who are culturally, and educationally deprived.</p>
<p>Need blind schools are not going to do him any favors, because they will not necessarily award enough aid for him to attend. Most schools gap, even including self help.
Is he applying to any schools that meet need?</p>
<p>He is applying to all schools that meet full need. He can do that because his safety is UC given his high stats, and he has a local area admit already, and UC will give an affordable package with loans. He can now afford to put in a few super reaches that he is interested in, which he is eligible for as far as I can see.</p>
<p>If he went to an excellent high school with high achieving students, and was one of the high achieving students, I am not sure how relevant family income is for admissions people. This would not be an example of rising above educational deprivation.</p>
<p>There are places on the application to indicate whether financial aid will be needed, and whether parents went to college.</p>
<p>Do you see this student as having suffered and overcome obstacles in some way that should really be noted? </p>
<p>The irony is that those who do have these obstacles are often reluctant to mention them.</p>
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<p>Sorry, romani, but I don’t think that’s true. A lot of colleges are “need sensitive.” Some of these colleges maintain healthy “per cent receiving fin aid” stats by choosing to enroll 20 kids who get $10,000 each in scholarship aid instead of enrolling 4 kids who need $50,000 each. </p>
<p>It hurts your chances of getting in if you need the $50,000 at these schools. It’s not just a matter of “full pay” vs fin aid. It’s HOW MUCH fin aid you need.</p>
<p>And for internationals—I think there are only about a dozen or so colleges that are need blind for them. UMichigan, for example, gives NO fin aid to internationals.</p>
<p>Remember that the need-blind schools’ numbers are increased by (a) open admission schools (e.g. community colleges), and (b) schools that admit by only academic stats. They are as need-blind for internationals as they are for domestic applicants. Of course, they may give little or no financial aid.</p>
<p>Also, since many schools do not come anywhere close to meeting need, they may not care about need in the admissions process and let the admitted student figure out what to do with the insufficient financial aid offer.</p>
<p>Now, if a school makes a public claim to meet full need, there may be budgetary pressure to be need-aware in admissions, or define “need” in a less generous way. But it is not obvious that this makes up the majority of schools, since relatively few schools make public claims to meet full need.</p>
<p>But there may be another angle that is rarely mentioned. Consider the recruiting and outreach efforts by the school. While still being need-blind in admissions, a school might target its high school visits to those in high or low SES areas. I.e. it may not be need-blind in recruiting and outreach, even though it is need-blind in admissions.</p>
<p>Zip codes and the quality of the hs aren’t always revealing enough. Sometimes, the supp questions allow a little personalization. Not, “we’re struggling, it’s this hard and that tough,” but a matter of fact reference. What can matter isn’t his start in life, but what he did with it. So after that quick mention, a show of strengths (show, not tell.)</p>
<p>And, if it’s “immigrant low income background,” often there is a sweet way to show grounding and appreciation.</p>
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<p>I admit I didn’t think of CCs. I did a google search and found an interesting article on Wikipedia. According to it, most public Us are need blind in admissions. Most private schools are not. </p>
<p>Only a very small group of schools is need blind and meet full need for internationals.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the article, which has nothing to do with the OP’s question, I admit. Still, I think it’s interesting.</p>
<p>[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>