A large part of my “hook” for college applications is being a first-generation student from a low-income family, who was raised predominantly by my single mother.
My main college essay hints at my mother’s job as a cashier, indirectly implying low-income, and one of my supplements directly mentions being “low income.” I know colleges look for socio-economic diversity, so I thought this could work in my favor, but I’m starting to worry that need-aware schools can deny me admission based solely on the fact that I would need a lot of financial aid in order to attend. (I was recently deferred from Villanova early action, which surprised me considering that I thought of it as a match school, so now I’m just overthinking all the aspects of my application.)
Regardless of whether a school is need-aware or need-blind, is it possible for family income to affect my admission?