<p>im a first-generation college student and from a low-income family + im an immigrant.however,unfortunately,i do not have any stellar extra-curricular activity.because i have to help my family and work due to the fact that my parents now are staying in other country.i only live with my brother and sister.</p>
<p>do you think it's going to make up my lack of ECs???? (no leadership,but i have community service and SOME activities that im passionate on...)</p>
<p>Have you already applied to college? If so, did you apply to top tier schools that meet 100% of your financial need and are “need-blind”?</p>
<p>^^im just a junior,but im going to apply to Cornell,JHU and NYU</p>
<p>Sure… it’s all in the context of your environment. </p>
<p>I wrote on my Yale app that I had to take 45 minutes of bus home from school everyday. Didn’t have a ride to participate in Extracurricular activities from beyond my local area. </p>
<p>Explain your circumstances and they try to understand from your POV.</p>
<p>I have wondered about this. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/469331-do-colleges-actually-prefer-admit-wealthy-students.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/469331-do-colleges-actually-prefer-admit-wealthy-students.html</a> </p>
<p>Let’s hear in this thread what the recent examples look like.</p>
<p>In this environment, I’m not sure colleges are going to go out of their way to admit candidates dependent on full financial aid. Even though your economic status may not hinder your chances, I can’t see how it would really help you out either.</p>
<p>The top tier schools with bigger endowments/state funding have less to be worried about, but smaller private institutions do need to let in full pay kids so as to fund the tuition of students like the OP.</p>
<p>Personally, I checked that I would not be applying for need based financial aid and got into seven of my ten schools thus far, while still waiting on three more. Quite frankly I was/am shocked as I messed around 9th/10th grade, and my GPA is significantly lower than the averages listed on Collegeboard. I do have a few “hooks,” but my GPA really is not up to par. </p>
<p>My colleges are mostly private schools in the northeast, and although I’ll never know why the universities actually admitted me, I am aware of the fact that colleges are in need of financial aid from some applicants as well.</p>
<p>In a book I was reading from a Harvard admission officer, it stated that income provides a context for your situation and allows the readers to see your accomplishment in a different light. Top schools will definitely understand your situation and lower than norm scores and fewer ECs will not be a problem.</p>
<p>For your unique situation you will need to tell the adcom which is possible in the additional information section listed on the common app.</p>
<p>Well… in my circumstance in the 150 word “Why Yale” part of the Yale supplement, I gave my primary reason in applying to Yale was because of their extraordinary financial aid initiative. The word limit didn’t really give room for anything else. I was honest in saying that their new commitment to meet the financial needs of their students was my primary attraction toward the college. </p>
<p>Then again, the EA app was before the current economical crisis really started to hurt, so this may be irrelevant now.</p>
<p>Look into the Questbridge program.</p>
<p>QuestBridge can be found at </p>
<p>[QuestBridge</a> Home Page](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/index.html]QuestBridge”>http://www.questbridge.org/index.html)</p>
<p>I third the Questbridge idea.</p>
<p>It’s likely to help with top schools like Ivies and Stanford, which are trying hard to find qualified low income students.</p>
<p>However, NYU is known for having horrendous financial aid unless you are a rare exception who gets one of their excellent merit aid offers. In most cases, NYU seems to be a waste of time to apply to if finances are a concern. Lots of students have posted on CC about not being able to go to NYU because of the big gap between the documented aid they needed and what NYU offered.</p>
<p>Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have a financial safety: a school that you know you’ll be accepted to and can afford. For many students, that is a local community college. There are plenty of students with high stats who for financial reasons start their college careers at community colleges and then transfer to good 4-year colleges after getting their associates.</p>
<p>Working – particularly working because one’s family needs the income – counts as an extremely strong EC. Explain your situation on your app.</p>
<p>Make sure, though, you apply to at least one financial safety. Very few schools offer the large amount of aid that you need, and the school that do are among the most difficult in the world to gain admission to. Have back-ups that you can count on.</p>
<p>Questbridge admits only high achievers,you need to have high ACT or SAT+low income and you have a chance! my D is a Questbridge finalist she got admitted but never got match, now she is waiting for rd decision… and it’s a 50/50 chance!!</p>
<p>Definitely second Questbridge. December 1st, 2008, the day I received the phone call notifying me that I had received the Match scholarship, was probably the happiest day of my life. ;)</p>
<p>What are your stats? From what I’ve seen, you need very strong stats – including scores – to have a good chance with Questbridge.</p>
<p>For most low income people, including very bright ones with good stats, living at home while commuting to a local community college and eventually transferring to a 4-year in-state public university is their best option of being able to afford college.</p>
<p>What’s your citizenship status?</p>
<p>If you must work to support yourself and family, that is seen as more important than EC’s but you must explain that in the application somewhere. Also what country are you from?</p>
<p>If you are low income, do apply to schools that are known to meet aid, do not hesitate to ask for fee waivers and do not hesitate to apply to top schools IF you have the grades and scores for them. They can give you the best packages.</p>
<p>^^i know it hurts…im Asian…
i 've been here for only 3 years…now i dont have a job but i will have one soon to help support my family…
for some reason,im only in top 11% in my school–i will explain it…but my grades significantly goes up in this term… (from a 3.7uw to 3.9/4.0 uw + more challenging courses this year)</p>
<p>If your accepted into a university, I think low income may help with FASA.</p>
<p>It really depends because those schools seperate the admissions and financial aid process but what I can say is the first generation status will help you.</p>