<p>and, why do they ask if your parents have degrees?</p>
<p>If your parents never went to college, you are less likely to have grown up in an environment that emphasized education and are probably unfamiliar with college admissions. Schools will give you a bit of a break.</p>
<p>To see if you’re a first generation student or legacy usually…both of which would be helpful to you. If neither, then just more random stuff they may use somehow, but no one really knows.</p>
<p>so, then it’s a good thing that if I get into one of the universities i’m applying to I’ll be the first person in my family (extended included) to be in a university?</p>
<p>One reason is that they use this information for reporting and research purposes. Some federal grants, for example, require information on the percentage of students whose parents have attained certain levels of education.</p>
<p>Another reason is that many universities have special programs, scholarships, or a slight preference for students who are first generation students. Having parents who have not attended college typically works in a student’s favor, contrary to what some people might believe.</p>