<p>Do different regions in a state make a difference? </p>
<p>For example, I live in southeastern Washington, which is pretty rural. Very few people from my area apply to or go to elite schools, which is quite different compared to an urban area like Seattle. I know Washington ranks in the middle of 'underrepresentedness', but will colleges factor in the differences in competitiveness/rigor across the state?</p>
<p>I don't know. Colleges really like to be able to say 'students from all 50 states and xx foreign countries'.</p>
<p>As for rural northwestern New Jersey having an advantage, I highly, highly doubt it. That's where I am, but my county is one of the five wealthiest in the nation. At my high school, and most of the surrounding ones, 99+% go to 4-year colleges. Parents are highly educated, etc. There are just so, so many New Jersey applicants.</p>
<p>"Do different regions in a state make a difference? "</p>
<p>i do think that coming from underrepresented regions regardless of state will be a small tipping factor at the very top colleges, but at the very top colleges only because it's so competitive. at any other college, they're just looking to get kids from all 50 states, regardless of the region they're from. but an ivy might consider that you're from rural washington, just like how if you're from southwest texas, because in reality, you're just as underrepresented as someone from wyoming or south dakota. but because adcoms aren't geography buffs, your underrepresentedness will be translated into the few opportunities that you had in your area and in your high school, the few AP courses offered, and other factors that point out being disadvantaged.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>but because adcoms aren't geography buffs, your underrepresentedness will be translated into the few opportunities that you had in your area and in your high school, the few AP courses offered, and other factors that point out being disadvantaged.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>"Underrepresentedness" also translates to different upbringing, experiences and perspectives, which is much of what they are talking about when they talk about "diversity" - life is very different on a west Texas ranch, or a Idaho potato farm, etc.</p>
<p>I'm not planning on doing this (It wouldn't be feasible because of my parents' jobs anyways), but say if an applicant moved to an underrepresented state such as Wyoming during their Junior year, would the colleges see that as a "ploy" to get in?</p>
<p>no. lol. i dont think anyone voluntarily moves to wyoming anyways....</p>
<p>"Who would have thought unappealing,sleepy Jersey send so many students to Ivy."</p>
<p>quit stereotyping.</p>
<p>Actually, a great many people move to Wyoming voluntarily. Maybe you haven't seen Jackson Hole?</p>
<p>Yes, I have been there (Ive been to Teton and Yellowstone) and I know people ski there...but I doubt many people move there...considering the population of Wyoming barely changes from year to year.</p>
<p>You would be amazed how many are from California, Texas, and Arizona. Housing is among the highest in the nation because of demand. The population can't grow much because it is landlocked by federal land. Turn over is high due to cost of living and low paying jobs.</p>
<p>about it being "advantageous" to be from one state or another:</p>
<p>i'd prefer to live in/near a Northeastern city and take the so called "hit" in college admissions than give up so many oppertunities and be from an underrep'ed state.</p>
<p>The biggest issue in Jackson Hole right now is that there are SO many people moving there that there's not enough room for them. We either have to go up or out in order to accomodate the huge influx of people, but almost no one is willing to do either. Everyone wants it to stay their own quiet, beautiful, little mountain town and believe that no one should be allowed to move there after they themselves do. </p>
<p>The town of 8,000 gets over 2 million tourists that go through it every year and more and more of them decide that they want to make Jackson Hole home. </p>
<p>Many people that are dying to live, work, or experience Jackson Hole end up making a 2-4 hour commute (in the SUMMER) everyday because they simply cannot afford the outrageous JH housing prices. The majority of the teaching staff in our public schools has been forced to do this.</p>
<p>How does being from Alaska factor into the admissions process?</p>
<p>Largest city though (250,000-300,000 people)</p>
<p>Am I not at any advantage/disadvantage?</p>
<p>Damnit, sucks to be a Californian.</p>
<p>I think Alaska is really underrepresented so that may help you. It won't matter that you are from Anchorage.</p>
<p>I live in a Detroit suburb. Does it help to be in the Detroit area, which in my opinion is really underrepresented at everywhere but local and state schools?</p>
<p>I know in the admissions office that whatever region you're from, the admissions officer in charge of that region has to read your application. And then another random admissions officer reads it again. I think this is the case of most schools. I don't know if this particular info helps anyone though. </p>
<p>But my question is, what about RURAL VA, very rural VA, about a road away from going into West Virginia? Not where the magnet schools are like Thomas Jefferson up in the North. These officers do notice that you're from a rural area, right? In your opinion guys, are chances actually greater? </p>
<p>I personally don't think being from a rural area helps that much. If there's another applicant from your state that's better, for example in VA, and they already have quite a few Virginian applicants, I can't see why they would turn down the better applicant (probably from the North), even if you were from a vastly different area where no one has applied to an ivy ever. Because as you can see, their stats are simply based on how many from each state got accepted, not which areas of the state they came from.</p>
<p>My rural Alabama high school has sent its share of students to the Ivies, and I'm sure their location probably helped them out</p>
<p>"i'd prefer to live in/near a Northeastern city and take the so called "hit" in college admissions than give up so many oppertunities and be from an underrep'ed state."</p>
<p>Exactly. There are socioeconomic reasons why these states are underrepresented in the first place that go beyond the "best students all go to flagships" explanation. (None of the following is meant to be stereotyping). Northeast/California incomes are generally higher, their SAT score averages are higher, and the entire educational atmosphere is different. Almost every valedictorian in the Northeast dreams of attending HYP (the Long Island newspaper printed a list of the valedictorians and almost of all them were going to an ivey, stanford, duke, georgetown, or mit). Since the cultures of the two coasts are very similiar, as long as a Californian student is fine with distance, adjusting will be a lot easier than for someone from Wyoming.</p>
<p>Of course, many rich students who have grown up always hoping to attend HYP and had plenty of oppurtinities still benefit from being from underrepresented states. This is probably even worse than a rich URM benefitting from affirmative action, but its life!</p>