This is all 3-4 years out so you don’t really need to make this call right now, do you? He may apply to places that put weight on being 1st gen, he may not. You may be ready to finish in 2022, you may not.
If it’s close and he applies to places where it matters, i suppose a delay would help, unless it cost you money or whatever.
I think it’s a more powerful supplement or part of an essay. The role model and value of higher education in your family. That he can list first gen but he is proud to soon be a second gen, more important on how this will shape his efforts at x college and add to the community with this inspiration.
Finish when can and let the process play out. Life has a way of throwing curveballs, hopefully not but don’t take tomorrow for granted.
Just my two cents and congratulations to you in my eyes!
@OHMomof2 True! What got me thinking about this is the fact that next year I know I am going to have several months at work that will be extremely demanding. I was debating whether to take that semester off school. So if I do decide to delay graduation, I’d probably take a semester or two off next year, rather than the year he’s graduating.
And thanks everyone who has given input. I really appreciate it! It sounds like the schools where this would most likely be a factor are the highly selective schools, and I’m not sure yet what things will look like three years from now for my son. Obviously I want to give him the best chance possible (knowing 99% rests on him), so that, combined with my load at work next year, I’m leaning towards taking a semester or two off next year. I think that is the best option all around.
Thanks again!
If I remember the questions my S answered re parent education, the question was
'Highest level of education completed" - In your case, at the very least, he would have to answer with some college or junior year college etc.; IMO, it would be dishonest to suggest otherwise. And if you are slowing down your graduation to potentially gain advantage for scholarships/over other students etc., that is ‘gaming’
I’m sure your son would take great pride in declaring you a college graduate !
I would absolutely not put your graduation on hold for some very very slight advantage your son my gain at certain colleges. Move ahead with your life.
@momo2x2018 Yes, my son would absolutely put “some college” for my education level if I don’t have a degree by then. I never considered having him answer any questions dishonestly. He still falls under the definition of “first generation” even with my having attended some college.
I think there is some confusion about what’s considered to be “first generation” which may be what’s leading to people feeling this is dishonest.
Here is the definition from the US Department of Education, just so it's clear:
First-generation:
An individual, neither of whose parents completed a baccalaureate degree;
or
An individual who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree.
or
An individual who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.
If your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) attended college but do not have a bachelor’s degree (i.e., did not graduate), you are considered to be first-generation.
I honestly feel he more correctly falls in the category of “first generation” than not, so I don’t see this as gaming the system. Best case I will be getting my degree as he’s heading into his senior year of HS (meaning his entire upbringing other than senior year of HS was with parents who had not graduated from college). Obviously getting my degree is great, but getting it as he’s nearing the end of HS doesn’t change the fact that we were limited in the opportunities we could provide him through much of his life.
Anyway, just want to make sure this point about what’s considered “first generation” is clear, as I would absolutely expect him to be fully honest about my own education during the application process and would be happy for him to share any inspiration he found in watching me work hard toward getting my degree. There’s no reason he can’t share that and still be “first generation” if I haven’t completed my degree by then.
"None of us know exactly how much first gen impacts the admissions process, we do know that it must since many colleges love to point out how many first gens they have. "
I agree with this, I was at a presentation at a selective college and the adcom was gushing about the first-gen percentage, so it’s important. If the percentage of first-gen is increasing at a particular college you’re interested in, say the number in 2010 was 10% and the number today is 15%, you can take it that it’s a hook, not athlete or urm, but a hook. But as others have said, if the average ACT for a college is 34 and you have a 20, first gen won’t help there.
"It’s ok for the Kushners to donate big bucks so Jared goes to an ivy league school, but heaven forbid a parent delay graduating college by a few months. "
Well there was more than money for Kushner, his dad also had political connections and got Ted Kennedy to call Harvard, we all know the Kennedy’s are royalty at Harvard so once that call was made, Kushner was in. I agree that if you think Kushner was ok and this parent is not, that would oooze hypocrisy.
…actually, a lot of people don’t think it’s “ok”- for the Kushners or anybody else, (whether we have heard of the person or not).
Note that some colleges use a different definition of “first generation”. For example, California community colleges define it as neither parent attended college, even though California public universities define it as neither parent graduated college with a bachelor’s degree.
I don’t think it is unethical to delay your graduation. I would just ask yourself, if the perfect job for you opened up in, say, June 2022, but it required a college degree, would you regret having delayed your graduation?
I would delay, especially if you are busy at work, so that you can answer that question honestly and get the benefit. Nothing wrong with that…folks, it’s not lying if it’s true.
You are already in college (and congratulations on that!) so technically he’s not a first generation IMO.
good question. No answers here. But, you could start digging around and looking at different colleges he might be interested ( perhaps start an application and see if the question comes up) – and perhaps check out different scholarship applications this upcoming year - to see who asks that question, and who doesn’t. For some places it might be important, for others, not.
Duke and a number of schools would consider OP’s son first generation. It all comes down to what the schools define as first generation
What are your son’s stats? What kind of schools is he thinking about. Honestly, my hunch is that the more elite the school, the more important first-gen is in the admission process. I don’t think it would offset below-par GPA/scores. But it might provide a tip for a qualified student applying to elite universities.
My kids would never, ever go for that type of thinking. You should see them when I don’t bring the cart back at the supermarket. Or when I’m not so nice to someone they tell me to be kind and they use the phrases we taught them. The best one is cleaning up at restaurants. “Don’t leave that for someone else to do” If I said I was going to game the system in some way so they could get into college they’d say, Please don’t. Or something else that would embarrass me.
I personally do not think this is gaming the system. There are kids who don’t want to report URM status too. If that’s the case, they do not have to do so. This is up to OP and son. By holding off on her graduation, she is leaving open a possibility. Whether it comes to anything or not, we can’t say. But it is possible. If she graduates before her son the process, any possibilities of first generation are over.
It’s not gaming the system. If OP hasn’t graduated from college when her son applies then they’ll check “some college” or whatever the box says. It’s the truth. OP isn’t required to graduate any earlier than fits her plans.
I assume all of you people who are accusing OP of gaming the system haven’t done anything – test prep, put money aside in a 529, paid for sports or other ECs, laid out money for AP courses, sent your kids to prep school – that might give your kids an advantage over students whose families can’t afford to pay for those types of luxuries. Just because those advantages are for sale on the open market doesn’t make them more acceptable than what little advantage OP may get from delaying her graduation.
@austinmshauri thank you. This is my viewpoint exactly. I had no idea this question was going to be so controversial!
@FafsaQuestions, You’re welcome. You have to remember that there are different types of contributors here. Some of us already have all our kids in college. Others have kids who will be applying at the same time as your kid. Take opinions with a grain of salt.