Parent Education Levels Reporting in Common App - Held against Applicant?

[Anonymous]

Astounded by the level of detail the common app seeks on parents. Will high parental education level (grad school, phd etc) be held against the applicant?

[Anonymous]

It may tip the scale for a mediocre student but high-achieving (academically) parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It may tip the scale for a mediocre student but high-achieving (academically) parents.

Thx. You mean against (not for) a mediocre student with high achieving parents, right?

[Anonymous]

overthinking

[Anonymous]

No, why would it?

[Anonymous]

Reframe the assumption. For need-blind schools, high parent education levels, depending on type, often indicate a likelihood that the applicant is full pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may tip the scale for a mediocre student but high-achieving (academically) parents.

Thx. You mean against (not for) a mediocre student with high achieving parents, right?

No, opposite. Having high achieving parents is a good thing. Maybe you can give internships to dc’s future classmates. But overall it’s an insignificant factor unless you’re really notable.

[Anonymous]

I think only helps if confirms kid is first gen. Otherwise neutral ( unless legacy, and that depends on a lot of other variables obviously)

[Anonymous]

If the school is pro-actively looking for first generation college students, yes then they will prioritize them over your kid whose parents have college degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think only helps if confirms kid is first gen. Otherwise neutral ( unless legacy, and that depends on a lot of other variables obviously)

+1. This. It shows a kid is first Gen, which helps that kid. But not filling it out doesn’t help your kid by getting them into the first Gen pile.

[Anonymous]

Just like everything else, there are snobby college admissions officers that will go for the academically prestigious -family candidate over the modest one.

[Anonymous]

Can I lie and get away with it?!

[Anonymous]

Will having highly educated parents be seen as being "over-privileged"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I lie and get away with it?!

Which way would you be lying?

I can see benefits to both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will having highly educated parents be seen as being "over-privileged"

But don’t colleges want kids who come from privileged families? Afterall they need to make sure they accept students whose families can pay the bills. Look at the data.