<p>itry: Everyone who wants to apply, should. The colleges admit based upon their predicted yields, then give out acceptances on the waitlist. So, there ends up being the same amount of entering freshman regardless of how many apply.</p>
<p>^Necessary? It was just a simple question.</p>
<p>Neal same amount of admitted but less competition. That’s just my belief.</p>
<p>What I’m saying is if you can’t afford ivy, even after aid and grants, don’t apply. There are amazing schools besides ivy you can afford.</p>
<p>Let’s say that someone is accepted to an ivy league college and then can’t afford to go because they didn’t get enough financial aid. They would then decline the offer and that would open up a spot for someone else. So their having applied hasn’t affected the competitiveness of the process.</p>
<p>Being rich gives tremendous advantages that a poorer student couldn’t hope to get. An example is in high schools. There is really no debate that an inner city, public school is just as good as an expensive private school. Also, in even the essays the income shows. A wealthier student can talk about their experiences in foreign countries, yet a poorer student’s essay may talk about them working full time while at school. As mentioned already, wealthier students have access to expensive test prep, private college counselors, etc. The gap in opportunities available is staggering. </p>
<p>I recall reading a topic just the other day about a student asking if knowing multiple languages helps in admissions. Of course learning multiple languages is challenging, but they had visits to foreign countries to expose them to the language, private classes, etc. This student had countless advantages as compared to a student that worked full time during school to save for college, did not have very supportive parents, etc. The differences are very obvious.</p>
<p>Also, the environment itself. A wealthier family will be able to experience much more than a poorer family. The parents will be more supportive in how important a college degree is, etc. Whereas the poorer student will not be exposed to that; instead their parents may be too preoccupied with their own job (perhaps multiple jobs?) to beable to support their child in a college process. </p>
<p>Students references by post:</p>
<p>More well off: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/725644-polyglotishniscoscity.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/725644-polyglotishniscoscity.html</a>
Less well off: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/686425-lessons-learned-during-admissions-cycle.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/686425-lessons-learned-during-admissions-cycle.html</a></p>
<p>Disclaimer: I am not saying one is better than the other, instead they had different opportunities that they both took advantage of.</p>
<p>Parents from more affluent communities are more likely to provide the sort of financial support (read: higher taxes) to their schools that helps pay for: 1) better teachers; 2) better college prep curriculum; 3) better test prep opportunities; 4) better college counseling. Residents of more affluent communities also tend to have higher expectations for their children’s post-secondary plans. Parents from more affluent communities are also more likely to be willing to pay for all or part of their child’s post-secondary education, even if that means “full pay.” Add it all up and the more money your family has the more likely you are going to a four-year college after high school.</p>
<p>Case in point: In 5 out of 6 high schools in New York’s Putnam County, about 50 miles north of NYC, more than 60% of high school graduates go on to a 4-year college. Further upriver, regardless of how many students in a given high school earn “Advanced Regents Diplomas,” most graduates go on to community colleges. Closer to NYC, in Westchester and Rockland counties for example, it is not unusual to see 80%, 90%, even 98% of high school graduates go on to 4-year colleges. Money matters. So do expectations. High expectations plus money plus a solid college prep background means a much greater percentage of kids from wealthy backgrounds are going to 4-year colleges than you’ll find in the inner city, exurbs or farm country.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Wow, this thread does an excellent job stating the obvious.</p>
<p>I got it Pea, I didnt know that before. I feel bad that well qualified kids cannot afford to go into top tier schools. But colleges give low income kids an edge in admissions.</p>
<p>I guess that beats doing a poor job of stating the obvious…but then, that was obvious wasn’t it?</p>
<p>no what Im saying is that some people are saying that rich kids have a better chance of getting into top schools when top schools give poor kids an edge. Mainly, its the middle class thats stuck without any advantage.</p>
<p>DO COLLEGES ACTUALLY PREFER TO ADMIT WEALTHY STUDENTS? </p>
<p>Can a student with limited means look as good in the college admission process as a well-off student? I saw a thread yesterday on another forum that reminded me just how much more wealthy some high school students who post here on CC are than others–and that student is probably more in touch with the other side than most college applicants. Today in 2008, are colleges taking into account what level of extracurricular involvement, challenging courses, and “balance” are possible for low-income students, as compared to high-income students? </p>
<p>Here are some links about the issue. The overall picture in the past decade has been that high-ability, low-income students are at a clear disadvantage in the college admission process compared to low-ability, high-income students. (The links below are in approximate chronological order of publication, from oldest to newest.) Is anything changing recently about this? </p>
<p>[BW</a> Online | July 7, 2003 | Needed: Affirmative Action for the Poor](<a href=“Bloomberg Businessweek - Bloomberg”>Bloomberg Businessweek - Bloomberg) </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ffp0621.pdf[/url]”>Error; </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ff0615S.pdf[/url]”>Error; </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/carnrose.pdf[/url]”>http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/carnrose.pdf</a> </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/kahlenberg-affaction.pdf[/url]”>http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/kahlenberg-affaction.pdf</a> </p>
<p>[A</a> Thumb on the Scale | Harvard Magazine](<a href=“http://harvardmagazine.com/2005/05/a-thumb-on-the-scale.html]A”>http://harvardmagazine.com/2005/05/a-thumb-on-the-scale.html) </p>
<p>[The</a> Best Class Money Can Buy - The Atlantic (November 2005)](<a href=“http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/financial-aid-leveraging/4]The”>http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/financial-aid-leveraging/4) </p>
<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: Recruiting a New Elite](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510012]The”>http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510012) </p>
<p>[Cost</a> Remains a Key Obstacle to College Access](<a href=“http://www.equaleducation.org/commentary.asp?opedid=1240]Cost”>http://www.equaleducation.org/commentary.asp?opedid=1240) </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.jkcf.org/assets/files/0000/0084/Achievement_Trap.pdf[/url]”>http://www.jkcf.org/assets/files/0000/0084/Achievement_Trap.pdf</a> </p>
<p>[Legacies</a> of Injustice: Alumni preferences threaten educational equity–and no one seems to care. - Reason Magazine](<a href=“http://www.reason.com/news/show/123910.html]Legacies”>Legacies of Injustice) </p>
<p>[Promise</a> Lost: College-Qualified Students Who Don?t Enroll in College (IHEP)](<a href=“http://www.ihep.org/publications/publications-detail.cfm?id=117]Promise”>http://www.ihep.org/publications/publications-detail.cfm?id=117) </p>
<p>[Colleges</a> reach out to poorer students - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/11/10/colleges_reach_out_to_poorer_students?mode=PF]Colleges”>http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/11/10/colleges_reach_out_to_poorer_students?mode=PF) </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkBGMsvJKRKaL67qxkOCaDByDJFAD94R70G02[/url]”>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkBGMsvJKRKaL67qxkOCaDByDJFAD94R70G02</a></p>
<p>another thing
bad economy=people w/ reduced income or laid off=more applying for financial aid=college lose $=looking for students who can pay more</p>