<p>Which fields of the optional section do most colleges expect students to fill in? In other words which optional fields aren't optional? Thanks.</p>
<p>I think we need a bit more information to discern specifically what to tell you...</p>
<p>but in general, the word "optional" isn't just arbitrarily put on some fields. if those fields were legitimately required, they would label them as such. in short, optional = optional</p>
<p>the fields i'm referring to are:</p>
<p>social security number
us armed service veteran
city/state/country of birth
primary language
marital status
ethnicity</p>
<p>I think those are truly optional. I wouldn't give out my SS number unless absolutely required to do so...</p>
<p>You need to give your SS number if youre applying for fin. aid though, so that may or may not be "optional" depending on the person.</p>
<p>Could you provide the number in the supplements but not the main application?</p>
<p>Some colleges will state that the SSN helps them match application info. Now that only works if you are consistent about putting it on all materials sent to the schools (Secondary school reports, mid year reports). While I agree, I never like to give out mine or my children's SSN, a person who worked in admission at NYU told me to do it, it helps them make sure that everything gets placed in the proper files so to speak. If you go to college websites, many of them will tell you that if your child is denied admission that all documents with SSN or other personal info are shredded (or properly disposed of with regard to the security of the information on the document). So, now we put SSN on all info.</p>
<p>Don't put ethnicity if you are white or asian. It isn't going to help you and its an optional area of information</p>
<p>i'd love to not put my ethnicity. but my name basically just SCREAMS...ASIAN!!!!!!!!! lol</p>