why does common app ask about family

Why should my student use the Common App? I'm filling out the common application and I'm currently on the family section. His father got married to a woman who has three kids older than my son and the first one behaved in a delinquent fashion and didn't go on to college. Avoid Admissions Deadline Traffic Jams. What Class Rank Do I Need to Get into a Top School. These parents are also more likely to understand the importance of application boosters like extracurricular activities and summer programs, and may be more able — and willing — to pay for them. The activities section is one of the most important parts of your application, particularly if you are applying to very selective colleges. Learn about application fees, fee waivers, navigating financial aid, and how to find scholarships. My son is applying to national universities around the top 20 level. You still need to have a strong profile comparable to other admitted students for top-tier schools. In other words, when they evaluate your grades, your writing, and, especially, your SAT or ACT scores, it’s helpful to know about the intellectual climate in which you (presumably) live. You can create more than one application. Below are a few easy-to-use resources that we've put together to help families support their students through the college application process. Please click here for information on the wildfires impacting California, Oregon, and Washington State. If you cannot find the occupation or category, select “Other.” If a parent is retired, choose the occupation she had while working, and choose “retired” under the employment status heading. Students who come from highly educated, affluent families have different circumstances and experiences compared to students whose parents did not attend or graduate college. For starters, colleges are using this information for demographic purposes. The family organiser can use their own device to approve or decline the request. Common Application Mistakes to Avoid 1. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we see from families about applying to college. What is Cumulative GPA? Info Box Common App alerts Please click here for more information about the announcement that Common App is removing the discipline question starting in the 2021-22 application year. And, if you need additional help with Common App, please contact our solutions center team for 24/7 application support. With Ask to Buy, when kids want to buy or download a new item, they send a request to the family organiser. Common App Questions: To Answer or Not To Answer: The only questions that a student is required to answer on the Common App have a red ‘*’ next to them. Because first-generation college students often have fewer resources available to them during the application process, as well as throughout their high school experiences, admissions committees evaluate their applications differently. Most of these advocates – school counselors, community mentors, advisors, and college admission and financial aid officers – will offer their advice freely and generously, so don’t be afraid to reach out and use their expertise.Â. No one knows your child better than you, so you should follow your instincts and let past experience serve as a guide. If you have a particularly compelling story about your parents’ education, you may want to expand on it in your essay, if it relates to the topic you have chosen or in the additional information section. FAQ About the Race/Ethnicity Section of the Common Application, A Guide to the ‘Demographics’ Page of the Common Application. The Common Application will not ask applicants about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some aspects of applications, such as whether or not candidates are underrepresented minorities (URM), give students a “hook” in the admissions process, offering them a boost that they might not have gotten otherwise. How can I help my student understand how to pay for college? You are not required to fill out any of this information if you don’t have it or don’t wish to do so. Info Box Common App alerts Pease click here for more information about the announcement that Common App is removing the discipline question starting in the 2021-22 application year. We've got answers. We'll send you information to help you throughout the college admissions process. Many students who apply to these schools have top GPAs and test scores, so extracurricular activities are one of the best ways to differentiate yourself from the rest of the applicant pool and make yourself stand out as an exceptional candidate. You may want to make your story the subject of your essay. We’re committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. She dreams of having a dog. The cost of college can be daunting. Laura Berlinsky-Schine is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she majored in Creative Writing and minored in History. Since they are looking for a diverse freshman class, they want to know the percentage of their students whose parents attended college, as well as the general background of the incoming class. Read more to learn about the 5 most important things to do. If you have started working on the Common Application, you may be wondering about the Family section, which asks several questions about your parents and siblings, including if and where they attended college. However, the Common App actually has several other sections designed to collect more directed information about the applicant. Furthermore, students whose parents did attend college are likely to have a better understanding of the admissions process, which in turn gives their children better insight into what admissions committees are expecting from them and their applications. Whether your child will be the first person in your family to go to college or your child comes from a long line of college graduates, there are two truths about the application process that cause apprehension for families. Family: This section is where you’ll answer questions about your household, your parents, and your siblings. extracurricular activities and summer programs, Reporting Honors and Awards in the Common App, How to Fill Out the Common App Activities Section. Going in, many students already know that the Common App will ask them to list the standard components of a college application: grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, and personal statements. You can also visit the paying for college section of our site for links to even more resources. How does Common App work? However, you have an army of advocates who want your child to go to college and are ready to advise you. Info Box Common App alerts Pease click here for more information about the announcement that Common App is removing the discipline question starting in the 2021-22 application year. The Profile section also includes the Common App’s fee waiver request form, which you can learn more about on the CollegeVine blog in our post How to Receive a Common App Fee Waiver. For example, if one or both of your parents are immigrants, have low-paying jobs, or don’t speak English as their first language (or at all), colleges want to know, because it indicates that you have faced greater obstacles than some other applicants. We will ask for your parents occupation, employment status, and education level. The first topic choice in the Common Application asks about your background or identity, so if you have a meaningful story to share, this is an excellent place to do so. Join thousands of students and parents getting exclusive high school, test prep, and college admissions information. Many colleges collect this information for demographic purposes even if you are an adult or an emancipated minor. Here are his answers: 1. Understanding Application Fees & Fee Waivers, Applying for scholarships with Scholar Snapp. As with your parents, this information is gathered for demographic purposes. Work on your Common Application during less congested hours. No other college application system matches the diversity of institutions accessible through Common App, which is why more than 1 million students, counselors, advisors, and teachers rely on us every year. First-generation college students often enjoy a slight boost in their application because of the difficulties they may have faced in applying to college. Does this mean they will already have this information, so she doesn't need to comment? You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. The Profile section asks you to provide some basic information about yourself and the institution where you work. If you need to enter more than five siblings, please use the Additional Information section, located in the Writing section. These percentages nearly match my experience as a counselor, with the exception of Prompt 2 (very few of my clients write about failure) and Prompt 4 (more than 10 percent of my clients write about solving problems). It says: "Please list both parents below, even if one or more is deceased or no longer has legal responsibilities toward you. College application guide for first-time students applying to college with Common App. For the Common App, you'll need to reflect on what you have learned from your activities and how they have helped you develop. With nearly 900 member colleges and only one application, Common App is comprised of a rich and diverse membership – colleges that are public, private, large, small, secular, and religious. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and works as a freelance writer specializing in education. How involved should I be in my child’s college preparation and application process? See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. As with your parents’ education, colleges want to know your parents’ occupations for demographic purposes. Discover schools, understand your chances, and get expert admissions guidance — for free. The software grinds … Please click here for information on the wildfires impacting California, Oregon, and Washington State. While the premise of the Common App is simple, it generates a lot of questions. No other college application system matches the diversity of institutions accessible through Common App, which is why more than 1 million students, counselors, advisors, and teachers rely on us every year. With nearly 900 member colleges and only one application, Common App is comprised of a rich and diverse membership – colleges that are public, private, large, small, secular, and religious. Not only is the Common App a major time saver, you can use your account to collect all the materials required to apply to college. This prevents students from repeating the details of their background, education, activities, and testing over and over again, for every school on their list. However, most colleges won’t report ranges of donations or exact figures that influence admissions decisions. This is because colleges want to reward family loyalty, as well as encourage donations, which parents and grandparents are more likely to give if their children and grandchildren continue to attend their alma mater. If you have an older sibling you attended a college to which you’re applying, this may also provide a hook in the admissions process, giving you a slight boost. Additionally, some schools weigh legacy status more heavily than others. Start your search today by exploring all the colleges that accept Common App. (For this question, you have the option of listing a guardian, that you are the ward of the court or state, or other if you do not live with either or both parents.) Think carefully about leaving out your parents’ information. A development case refers to the child or grandchild of a major donor to the college. You have an important role to play in your student’s journey to college whether or not you’ve been to college yourself.Â. Here's what you need to know as a parent or guardian to help them get over the finish line. We support a centralized or "common" online application system for more than 800 colleges and universities worldwide that enables more than 1 million students - a third of whom are first generation - to apply to college. This may include contact information, high school coursework, honors and awards, list of extracurricular activities, application essays, and test scores (fun fact: the Common App superscores your ACT® test results). The main reason that applications ask this question is to give admission officials a bit more insight into where you’re coming from. Colleges request a large amount of information from applicants, and we simplify the process by collecting much of that information in one place. My son self-identified as white on the app, but I want to be sure to give accurate information. You may add siblings, half siblings, or step siblings only. Keep in mind that if you are a legacy at a particular school, your admission is not guaranteed. Consequently, I asked Scott Anderson, the director of outreach at The Common Application, Inc., to field some of the issues that students often encounter. That doesn’t mean, necessarily, that you shouldn’t answer them but understanding the ramifications if you do are important. Be sure to check out some of CollegeVine’s blog posts on other aspects of the Common App: Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? There are few cases in which their information will hurt your application, and in many cases, it may help it. Why should I consider using the Common App? It might be that your child believes that college is not for them, or they aren’t aware of the many opportunities it might offer. Please click here for information on the wildfires impacting California, Oregon, and Washington State. The prompt allows students to write about just about anything they find extremely important in their lives. I printed out the common application for college and one of the questions asks the applicant where his siblings went to school. But remember: there is a difference between helping and over-stepping.  College will require your child to be independent and self-reliant – and managing the process of applying to college is his or her first step towards a successful, fulfilling education. If that it is the case, select “I have limited information about this parent” under the first question in each parent section, “Parent 1 type” or “Parent 2 type.”. Then we noticed that the Common Application asks if parents are divorce, and what the divorce date was. Info Box Common App alerts Pease click here for more information about the announcement that Common App is removing the discipline question starting in the 2021-22 application year. If you have concerns regarding the financial aid process or your role in it, you are not alone. They are different from chores in that you are meeting an important need for your family as opposed to simply lending a hand. In contrast, students who come from less affluent families and have parents who did not attend college may not have had as many opportunities afforded to them. Admissions officers are going to be particularly interested in seeing how you have been involved in leadership positions and that you have dedicated a significant amount of time and energy to your activities. Otherwise, why do they ask? The Common Application (Common App) is a non-profit membership organization representing nearly 900 diverse institutions of higher education.We connect applicants and those who support them to a wide array of public and private colleges and universities across all 50 U.S. states, and 20 countries. Our Why College Matters page can help explain the value of a college education – and so can an array of other advocates like school counselors, teachers, principals, advisors, coaches, community mentors, and college admission and financial aid officers. Family responsibilities come in many forms and can be permanent or temporary. It is worth noting that development cases don’t refer to applicants who simply come from affluent families. Common App is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to access, equity and integrity in the college admission process. Think in broad or general terms when selected form the list of occupations, since a parent’s specific job may not be available as a choice. The scales are tipped even more in the applicant’s favor if both of her parents attended a certain college. All others are not required. Congratulations! The Common Application (informally known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of more than 800 member colleges and universities in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, Japan, and many European countries. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free. The applicant’s family must have made a large-scale donation — typically in the six-figure or higher range — to be considered a development case. (Note: The Advisor role does not allow users to complete and submit forms.) For example, if a child wants to buy an app, the family approver can see the app … Next, the application will ask you information about each parent, including name, country of birth, occupation, and education level. It also enables students to stay on top of deadlines and manage school-specific tasks – without leaving our system.Â. It isn't part of a financial aid section, just the general applications. A legacy student is technically any relative of an alum. Please click here for information on the wildfires impacting California, Oregon, and Washington State. Colleges are looking to gain insight into your background and circumstances. It is important to understand the applicants’ backgrounds in order to evaluate their applications fairly and contextually. However, a legacy status may be a deciding factor in the case of a borderline candidate. For many parents and guardians, particularly those who have not been to college, it's difficult to know where to start. This information also offers greater insight into students’ applications. You’ll also be asked whether these relatives are living or deceased. Use this resource to empower your student as they take this important step and reach higher. Why Does the Common Application Ask Where my Parents Went to College? Help students understand how to apply for financial aid and scholarships, Understand the difference between different types of financial assistance, Learn about application fees and fee waivers, Provide tips for finding scholarship opportunities. College vs. University: What’s the Difference? August 1st means that The Common App is now open and it’s time to start the application process for college. Here's how you can help your student plan ahead. Here are a few tips for families to help their students along the journey to college. Hi, my son is finished with his common app, but before we turn it in I wanted to ask a quick question. Your student is finally ready to apply to college. So why exactly do colleges want to know about the rest of your family’s education? The Common Application asks some other demographic information about your parents, but only requires you to include their marital status relative to each other and with whom you make your permanent home. An email sent by the Common Application to its members Tuesday noted that they were split on the issue. We know you might have a lot of questions. If your child is someone who requires structure and guidance, offer to help. 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