<p>Dragging this one over here since no response under the Common App.</p>
<p>Why does the common app ask what college a sibling attends? I can see how it might be helpful if you are applying to the same school, but for those schools so concerned about yield, could this information hurt you? If your sibling is at a top school, and you're applying to a lower ranked school, couldn't this hurt you in the selection process?</p>
<p>Over 250 looks, and nothing!</p>
<p>Mmmmmm…I don’t know but I can take a stab at it. Could it be they want to know if the 2nd sibling is attending a private college or a State U. We all know the price of privates are more expensive on paper. My older D’s private LAC cut our EFC in half once D 2 started college. D2’s college wanted proof from private college that she actually was a student enrolled in the college.</p>
<p>Did I answer the question:) In our case it reduced the EFC. Not sure what happens in other situations.</p>
<p>Interesting to ponder…my D2 having just survived the admissions process - her older sister attends a top LAC. Perhaps some colleges assumed D2 would not attend a much lower ranked college? Who knows? Or perhaps they guess you are willing to pay $$$ if older sibling goes to an expensive private? Or would a far away school wonder if you would let the second child go far away when the first is at state school? You could parse this 6 ways from Sunday - but it is something I have never seen discussed here on CC. Congratulations - I think you brought up a unique topic!</p>
<p>Let’s the schools know if you are a first generation or first in your family to attend college. Also confirms the FAFSA info about how many in your family are in college. </p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Thank you, both. Would love to see more comments, though. I don’t think it’s financial as that comes up in the FAFSA and CSS profile. I agree with NewEngMother…could parse it six ways from Sunday, and have been doing that in my head ever since our second one filled out her application.</p>
<p>Not sure, but I’ve been wondering - S applied ED to a school a long distance from home and was admitted. His older sister is currently a junior at a different school of comparable ranking that is a couple of hours from his school. I wonder if the fact he has an older sibling who is attending a similar caliber school a long distance from home might have helped him in his admission. But I have no idea of that was considered or not.</p>
<p>Some schools do give legacy preference of some sort to siblings. </p>
<p>However, I find a lot of questions invasive and not pertinant to the admission’s process. It’s none of their business where the parents were born, where they went to school and how much education they have. I suspect some of the info is doen for statistical studies, sometimes to shed more light on parts of a students app in terms of whether s/he has a lot of inherent advantages,</p>
<p>Because somebody on the committee thought it might be interesting?</p>
<p>Really, don’t read too much into these things.</p>