Low Income Student in Need of Guidance

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

Hello, currently I am a 10th grader with a 4.36 GPA. I come from an extremely low-income family (roughly 20k yearly).

8th grade year my family went bankrupt, father got cancer, and my family spent all of our savings to pay for his chemo (nearly half a million dollars).
My freshman year I attended an under-funded school on the Southside of Chicago, in which class scheduling was fixed (meaning I had no options in terms of classes). I took reg. algebra I, reg. biology, reg. English I, reg. World Studies, we had no P.E., art, or language. I managed to be Treasurer of Student Council, Southside Antiviolence advocator, and Student Ambassador. I work summers and after school with my father in masonry to feed my family so my EC’s are rather limited. I finished off the year with impeccable grades.

I decided to challenge myself and pursue an education outside of the community so I applied to a selective enrollment school (ranked highly nationwide too) and got accepted. Since I’m a transfer student, my schedule was for-the-most-part fixed except for the honors science and AP social science. I’ve kept my straight A’s taking AP U.S. History, Honors Chem., math II, reg. American Lit., [jumped to] Spanish II, digital imaging, and PE. Since I was accepted a few weeks after school had started, leadership positions were already decided, and so I enrolled in afterschool American Sign Language through a program at Columbia College. I scored a 35 on the ACT this year. I still work after school and summers because my household needs me, meaning I can’t pay for or attend summer programs.

However, I have chosen my classes for next year: AP Seminar (part of AP Capstone), AP English Lang., AP Spanish Lang., AP Environmental Science, Math III, Math IV, and chorus. I know I will perform and score well in these (that is not my concern). I plan on seizing leadership positions next year and enroll in more ECs. I’m aiming for Harvard, Yale, and Princeton because they’re not only prestigious, but also need-aware. I plan on studying Political Science so that I can help fix the public school system in Chicago. I write poetry and reading is my escape. I write dozens of papers on societal issues, and I attend protests to report on them.

Will the fact that I can’t do programs over the summer affect me?
Given my economic situation, what can I do to increase my likelihood of getting accepted to these elite institutions?
What are my chances?

2

Keep doing what you’re doing. Highly selective schools will evaluate you in the context of your particular situation. You will not be at a disadvantage with many schools, including Harvard, because you were supporting your family while others were saving the world continents away. Keep your grades up, do your best, continue to ace the standardized tests, read as much as you can, stretch yourself academically as far as they’ll allow, participate in the activities that most interest you and about which you most care. Lead where you are able. The rest will take of itself.

3

You sound like an incredible young man! You really are to be commended for what you have done and continue to do. I can’t imagine that you won’t get into a great school if you continue to do what your doing. Best Wishes!

4

Look into Questbridge. It is designed for students like you. Take on your college search actively and research as much as you can about need-based and merit-based financial aid. There are many paths to lead you, not just the ones going to Harvard, Princeton etc. Start figuring out…

  • what kind of environment is best for you to thrive? Large research university or small classes at a liberal arts college?
  • are any other MAJOR(s) aligned with your interests? You mention political science but you might consider not locking yourself in too quickly. There's also education, or urban studies, or economics....
  • geography: how far are you willing to travel?

I encourage you to keep coming back to this website to learn as much as you can.

5

In general, colleges would rather have students like you than more cookie cutter upper income kids. However, a dirty little secret that I learned is that schools can be reluctant to accept students who can do the work but who are perceived as being needed by their families because those students are likely to drop out for economic reasons or to transfer closer to home, which makes the school’s stats look bad. (Yes, I know elite schools have excellent financial aid, but there are so many other expenses, especially if you go to school far from home.) So my advice to you is to explain your situation, but don’t put too much stress on what you do for your family because that will be a red flag. Also, many people from low income background have trouble fitting in with the culture of elite schools. Some schools have made excellent strides in recognizing this and creating programs and services for students like you, and some have done nothing. I encourage you to research this carefully and talk to as many students at the school with backgrounds like yours before making a final decision. But you have time!

6

You are the kind of kid that schools like Harvard are actively seeking. Make sure they know your story. I disagree with the poster above: selective schools are consciously honoring those who must work to help their families, versus doing summer programs and the like. You will hear the term “socioeconomic diversity” as a goal at every elite school.

It won’t matter at all that you haven’t done summer programs. The fact that you work to help your family shows maturity and a great work ethic.

Your whole story will be impressive to admissions, believe me. Just keep doing what you are doing.

You are wise to think about schools with the kinds of financial aid Harvard and others have. Look into Questbridge, yes, but also, understand that admissions at elite schools are truly need blind, and “character” really is an important factor- which you have in abundance.

Hope your Dad is okay.

7

Having a job is a time-honored EC.

I’m sure that your GC will be able to explain your situation to its best advantage and will indicate that you have taken the most rigorous classes available to you.

You sound like a young man of impeccable character and integrity, as well as a super student with a great GPA and test scores. I have no doubt that you will go far and that admissions officers will be impressed.

Good luck moving forward and best wishes for you and your family. Aim high, but be sure to include some admissions/financial safeties in the mix, just to cover your bases.

8

Wow! Congrats on all your accomplishments!! I agree with other posters that you’re definitely the type of person elite schools want. I just wanted to remind you to look at match and safety schools in addition to Ivies and other reaches. Unfortunately schools like HYP are a crapshoot for anyone and it’s important to be able to have other affordable options that you’d be happy attending. I’d also suggest that you check out the University of Chicago: a major focus of their app is essays (good for someone with a interesting story and a love of writing), their financial aid package doesn’t contain loans, access to the city you want to work in, etc.

9

Yes, perhaps I misspoke above. Schools will love that you had a job rather than did summer programs and that you are a hard worker. Just don’t say things like “I support my family financially.” or “They rely on my income.” or “I fill out forms and visit social services on their behalf.” If you can say that you did this in the past but now you don’t because your family’s situation has improved, definitely say that. But don’t make it sound like your family leans too much on you currently at the time you apply. (What schools say on their web sites and what they say behind closed doors are two different things.)

10

^ UNYMom’s post.

Thinking back to my S’s questbridge app, he emphasized the amount of moral support (not necessarily financial) he got from us, his family. Resilience was the big theme, and feeling like his teachers and family were on his side, but it was like, “I have had a lot of help along the way AND I also know how to work really, really hard.” He emphasized how he worked to pay for his art classes, summer pre-calc at comm college, etc.

Don’t forget the point that yes, Harvard is looking for students like you, but so are many other schools. Including some you may not have heard of but which could also give excellent aid and where you can thrive.

One of QB’s big selling points is that high achieving low-income kids tend to “underapply”. Like, they apply to Harvard --and a couple of state schools – and the college that someone’s neighbor or cousin went to, but which their family will ultimately not be able to afford. Ironically top schools are often less expensive than state schools for high achieving low income students.

11

Yup, agree completely momcinco. Was talking about all this last night, and learned that there have been academic studies on why people tend to apply to state schools and Ivies, but not nearly as much to the myriad of awesome schools in between. OP, if you follow momcinco’s advice, when the time comes, you will do great.

12

Keep doing what you’re doing! As someone mentioned earlier, travel expenses could become an issue, given your financial situation. Make sure you apply to UChicago and Northwestern, which seem to be in your area.

13

Actually, top schools such as HYP take travel expenses into account (plane tickets are included in the calculation of financial aid, as well as the need to purchase clothes.)
Everyone’s heard about Harvard and since you live in Chicago you probably know Northwestern, UChicago, and UIC . Time to expand your horizons. Get a Fiske Guide from your school library and start reading.
Schools you may like: Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Middlebury, Hamilton, Dickinson, Vassar, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Carleton, Macalester, St Olaf. If some of them catch your interest, go to their website, read a bit, and fill out the “request info” form (as this “counts”, as part of “interest”).

14

I was in a similar situation, and you are not only on the right track strategy wise, but also you have the right focus. My advice:
(1)cast a wide net. Use the internet to research and apply to as many need blind and need aware schools as you can, don’t limit your opportunity by being too selective…there is simply too much competition for those type of schools to get your heart set on 1 or 2. REMEMBER, although YOU select where to apply, THEY control where you are accepted. Some schools have no app fee, others have programs that pay fee for you. Most of these schools have very comprehensive websites with online tours. Some offer FUNDED visits for low income students, if you can go, go. If not, at the minimum, request info. It shows interest, and that helps app.
(2)know and use your hooks. Know the value of URM’s, regional benefits, musical or athletic interests, etc to applications. I was broke, and from TN, so I applied ED1 to Vanderbilt. Vandy probably has a thousand bright and broke kids from TN apply… I didn’t get in. But guess what, EVERY nescac school i applied to, I got in. The TN location that hurt my chances at Vandy, was a hook at small New England Colleges. Not only were the financial aid packages very generous, but they had bonuses i never dreamed of…paid internships, funded study abroad grants, and my personal favorite, UNLIMITED meal swipes:)
(3)learn everything about how financial aid works. Make a master list of your forms and deadlines. Don’t count on your parents or counselors to help you. I had asked my public school (overworked)counselor for help, and their info was often inaccurate or outdated. I received a bunch of misinformation that caused a bunch of last minute problem solving, and removed 4 great options, due to timeline issues. But I still had a lot of options because I cast a wide net. This cannot be overstated, Know everything about how financial aid works for you.

I would wish you good luck, but you seem to be making a lot of good luck for yourself already. Instead, I will congratulate you on the fact that you have so much wisdom in 10th grade:)

15

A few extra points:

  1. You do NOT need to "seize leadership positions," and you absolutely do not need to enroll in more ECs or do any summer programs. You have shown lots of initiative already, and you have some major ECs (including actual work). Your schedule next year is considerably more challenging than ever in the past, and your first priority should be to make certain there is no hint of an issue about your academic ability. You do not have to make yourself look like some affluent suburban applicant, but you will be helped enormously everywhere if your academic performance stays high.
  2. A little contrary to midnight pizza's advice: You should pay attention to the University of Chicago (especially) and Northwestern. Both of them are world-class universities, and most people in the know consider Chicago a close peer of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, with Northwestern not far behind. Most top universities feel that they have a special mission to help local low-income students. Harvard admits lots of them from Massachusetts and northern New England; Yale admits lots from Connecticut; Princeton from New Jersey. I don't know exactly what the status is with Northwestern, but I know the University of Chicago is highly interested in recruiting high-potential local students, especially if they are Black or Hispanic from the Southside, and they have a special fund to make that economically possible for the students. The University of Chicago, and probably Northwestern, too, represents one of your best shots at getting the kind of education and boost you want.
  3. But agreeing with midnight pizza otherwise: Do not get obsessed with three of the four most competitive colleges in the country for admissions. You have a real chance of getting in to one (or all) of them, but admissions there is so fluky that you could also get rejected for no good reason. Meanwhile, there are any number of high-quality, high-prestige colleges that are desperate for applications from people like you, that will bend over backwards to make it possible for you to go there, and that can and will do as much for your life and career as Harvard or Yale. Look at Penn, Dartmouth and Duke. Look at LACs like Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan, Carleton, Grinnell, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Haverford. You may not recognize those names, but trust me, people in power do. The University of Michigan is a world-class university not so far from you, and if you are a URM (that's not so clear) with a 35 ACT, you should have a great shot at a full-ride merit scholarship there.
  4. Remember that teacher recommendations are an important part of your application. Choose people who know you, like you, and can write good recommendations. Now is the time to get on that; your teachers next fall won't know you well enough before they have to write.
16

Congratulations on your attitude, goals, and accomplishments so far.

Questbridge and the Fiske Guide have already been recommended. Both – fantastic. Changed my son’s life.

He pored over every questbridge schools profile in the Fiske Guide before deciding on eight he was willing to commit to. He would up getting his first choice

The thing about the Questbridge Match is that it opens the door of Early Decision (really better than Early Decision!) to students who can’t afford to gamble on a single financial aid offer. The colleges guarantee full rides to top students of their choice who have faced financial challenges.

You the student do up to a dozen ED-like applications at once. The offers are unbeatable (they are published on the website). Of your three top picks, two are Questbridge partner colleges. So you could apply to both at once, along with up to ten more. I agree with JHS and the others, please don’t limit yourself to just your top 3.

17

@GreatKid @notjoe @mamaedefamilia @Snowybuny @badpundit Thank you so very much! I truly appreciate your words of encouragement.

18

@compmom My dad is fantastic. Thanks!
@JHS @UNYMom @Snowybuny @gibby @notjoe @compmom @mamaedefamilia @GreatKid I work about 18 hours a week, which means after school and weekends, sometimes Sundays. I do masonry- so brickwork and concrete (demolition and construction). Where on an application would I include this information? Do I need proof of my time worked? I work with my father (both of us are citizens) along with several immigrants. We don’t exactly have work logs. What about my lack of after school programs?

19

Can’t you still apply to Chicago Scholars? Contact them immediately. Also, wouldn’t you get a free ride at UChicago as a CPS grad? Check that out too.

20

Also Posse Scholarship.

And, might as well read How to Be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport to see that your route is likely the more valuable one.