<p>I actually don't think low income is a hook. We see URMs and legacies getting in at greater rates than unhooked applicants, but there aren't any published studies that low income students are getting in at greater rates. A lot of low income students don't bother applying to some of the top universities. They don't think they'll get in or believe they won't be able to afford it.</p>
<p>I don't think they 'lower' the bar for low income students. There are a lot of low income students that are not getting into the top colleges simply because admissions don't believe that these students can handle the rigor of the college. </p>
<p>I didn't ask about URMs, but I can bet that they won't say anything on the matter.</p>
<p>I don't think context necessarily means 'socioeconomic'. There are lots of kids from my school, my friend's school, my brother's school that are poor, very bright but cannot get into these top colleges simply because the competition is so intense. I don't think they get any significant boost. Maybe it does, but I don't think it is to any significant degree like URM or legacy boost is.</p>
<p>murkywater: Low income does help on its own in the process of admissions.
It is in built in the holistic approach. The lower the income the lower the bar as the resources available to the students are considered lowered.</p>
<p>So if 3.9/2250 GPA/SATI also falls into an income group of < $50K then it will compete with 3.95/2300 with an income group of > $200K.</p>
<p>A URM boost is 3.7/2150 while a legacy boost is 3.85/2200.</p>
<p>I agree w/ParentOfIvyHope. Low income is a diversity factor as much as the super genius guy in rural Montana. Like I said, Yale is wooing under represented groups. Not that they're lowering the standard -- it's just they think there are diamonds in the rough that otherwise might get overlooked</p>
<p>I was under the impression that being low-income helps somewhat during the admissions process. If it doesn't, then I don't know how I got into the schools I did. :)</p>
<p>College Board's Descriptor Plus is one way that socioeconomic factors could be readily folded into the admissions evaluation process as a plus factor. The College Board can provide "neighborhood" and "school" information on prospective students, or on applicants. The college may not know exactly YOUR income or family education level, but if they use Descriptor Plus, they will know the general profile or families in your high school and neighborhood.</p>
<p>"So if 3.9/2250 GPA/SATI also falls into an income group of < $50K then it will compete with 3.95/2300 with an income group of > $200K.</p>
<p>A URM boost is 3.7/2150 while a legacy boost is 3.85/2200."</p>
<p>I don't understand what you are saying here. The low income student has to match the high income student's statistics, while the URM and legacy do not. That is not a significant boost. The low income student may be picked over the high income student, but the low income student had to reach the same standards as the high income student. That isn't "wooing" low income students.</p>
<p>virtuoso_75, did you write your essays on any particular adversity faced by low income?</p>
<p>hoedown, do you have to pay for Descriptor Plus or does the college opt to look at it or not? I'm sort of confused here.</p>
<p>Anyways, the responses on this thread are awesome.</p>
<p>I think POIH meant
Stats of 3.9/2250 GPA/SATI(income group of < $50K ) =equivalent= stats of 3.95/2300 (with an income group of > $200K) =equivalent= stats of 3.7/2150(A URM boost) =equivalent= stats of 3.85/2200(a legacy boost). </p>
<p>So in short , the following list is the stats for different subgroups that are considered to be equivalent.</p>
<p>1) URM boost 3.7/2150
2) Legacy bost 3.85/2200
3) Low Income 3.90/2250
4) High Income 3.95/2300</p>
<p>That makes no sense that legacy is given a more significant boost than low income. Low income means that you've generally faced more adversity, while legacy status just means that your mom or dad was privileged enough to attend college. Colleges are so two-faced.</p>
<p>Well as someone said, you should consider that a greater percentage of URMs apply to ivy's than the percentage of low-income students. Furthermore, I am willing to bet that most of the URMs that do apply are not low income also. </p>
<p>This is, ofcourse, speculation, as all of our generalizations are. Though this is an interesting discussion. It would be nice if they posted a general percentage of the number of low income students accepted and the number that applied.</p>
<p>murkywater: do you know why legacies are given any boost at all? It's because their donor and potential donor parents will be more happy with the alma mater. More $ is given, the school (and non legacies) benefit.</p>
<p>One may not agree with this policy but that's why legacies are given some level of special consideration.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it's also the fact that many kids of graduates of these top schools will themselves, have very good opportunities and therefore, will be more qualified as HS seniors than a representative selection of the seniors in general.</p>