<p>Excuse me if I come off the wrong way, but why does everyone think it's advantagous to come from a low income family? If anything, I believe that it would be a disadvantage because many colleges with large applicant pools(such as ivys,) it would be just as easy to accept a rich kid whose parents are more likely to dish out donations than a poor one, which the college would eventually have to dish out finanical aid. Now back to my original question, why/why isn't it/ an advantage to come from a low income family?</p>
<p>Bump Bump Bump It Up</p>
<p>It's a small tip factor at top schools that are seeking diversity. It's a bigger factor for URMs.</p>
<p>Most schools (if not all) should have need-blind admissions, which means you are not judged by how much money you have.
There are some that believe that applying for finaid does hurt your chances, but that's just speculation...</p>
<p>Actally, the vast majority of colleges are NOT need blind.</p>
<p>To clarify...most of the highly ranked schools are need blind.</p>
<p>It's considered a hook at most ivy leagues. One from a poor family obviously has to have a lot more self-motivation than one from a rich family... Most wealthy students from the NE have been "prepped" by their parents since the moment of birth to be perfect so they can get into an ivy league...</p>
<p>The top schools are in fact need blind because their endowments are through the roof...</p>
<p>
[quote]
To clarify...most of the highly ranked schools are need blind.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Still wrong, but closer. :)</p>
<p>I'm a kid from a high income family with virtually no EFC. It's not income that matters so much as available funds.</p>
<p>"The top schools are in fact need blind because their endowments are through the roof..."</p>
<p>Yes--- </p>
<p>Also, they don't get too many students that apply with incomes of <40,000... So, like I said before, it can even be thought of as a hook.... Focus an essay on how you had to work at a store all-year around making minimum wage to save up for college and or support your family... Talk about how hard it was to maintain a 4.0 gpa, get close-to-perfect test scores, and maintaining other ecs like volunteer work, some dedicated clubs, etc...</p>
<p>"I'm a kid from a high income family with virtually no EFC."</p>
<p>Now, that would REALLY suck.</p>
<p>Why? Outside scholarships + financial aid = I'm fine. You don't have to go to a state school if you have a small amount of money to pay out of pocket.</p>
<p>It's not a hook, but a small advantage.</p>
<p>What i really want to know is, will Ivys and Ivy calibur institutions who claim they want diversity really give poor kids an advantage. </p>
<p>Lets face it, all ivy schools have Recruiting officals on their Board of Admissions. Atheltic Recruitment, Minority Recruitment, International..... But none for poor people. Who on the admissions staff advocates for the poor. And will it really be a tip factor like URM status and Athletic Recruitment is. </p>
<p>Plus if they are need blind that means they dont look at incomes. But that contradictorily and adversly affects their ability to seek the poor students. How will they know a kid is poor unless the kid talks about it. Even if you check to see if they are first in family to go to college or have a college fee waiver you are still guessing. </p>
<p>Also i am for Affirmative Action, but look at the population. The 2005 Census Preliminary numbers show that America is 14% black, 15.6% Hispanic, 4.26% Asian, 6.5% other, and the rest white. But we have Affirmative Action so the colleges can reflect that.</p>
<p>BUT GET THIS, AMERICA IS 13.9% BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. And in total is 19% "Poor". But NO college right now has stated they Practice True Socioeconomic Affirmative Action.</p>
<p>In fact Harvard probably has less than 2% from below the poverty line, so shouldnt they start some sort of affirmative action so they can at least try to equalize there pop proportion to that of the national pop proportion. It will help them reach out to minorities also, but wont disenfranchise the white and asian populace, since 31% of poor are black, 30% Hispanic, and 33% white, with the rest classified other.</p>
<p>AND IN THE END NO ONE SHOULD BE AGAINST SOCIOECONOMIC AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SINCE IT IS TRULY ONE OF THE MOST CLASSIC FORMS OF SOCIAL REHABILITATION (GIVING TO THE POOR).</p>
<p>Since this post popped up, would I, being first generation (my parents nor no one else in my family went to college), bilingual (fluent in a slavic language), have a slight advantage due to "diversity."</p>
<p>Yes- you get a slight advantage if you're a first generation college-goer. Don't think the bilingual thing helps much though.</p>
<p>I'm first-generation and also the child of an immigrant, but I have no clue how to let them know my mother's an immigrant. Some applications ask for parental birthplaces, but not many, I don't think.</p>
<p>"Don't think the bilingual thing helps much though."</p>
<p>Lol... I'm tri-lingual --- English, German, Spanish... And no, I haven't been exposed to German and Spanish.</p>
<p>Yes, but if I'm 100% Polish American, speak the language, my entire family lives, etc--what do I do, so it does work in my favor? Write about it in my essay?</p>
<p>Well if you have a 2310 as opposed to a 2350, you may get the benefit of the doubt. Does being Polish American make you a URM, not even close!!!!</p>
<p>This has become insane taht everyone wants to consider themselves a URM. If there's any doubt the world has discriminated against you, i.e. if you have whire skin, you're not a URM!!!! Polish? Russia? Asian? It's obnoxious!!!!</p>