How much does geographic diversity help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound jealous, OP.

Yes, I am. My nephew for example is the oldest and with his stats, really similar to my kid, I think he is in the top few kids at his school. It also just seems easier for him in terms of stress and competition versus the close in dmv schools. It also is just so different culturally… where most kids in my child’s peer group are wanting to go to these top most selective schools my nephews peer group is mostly aspiring to go to Ute, byu, Arizona or maybe one of the uc schools.

Put things in perspective. You could have lived in rural Utah, but obviously you decided that surburban DC made more sense for your family. Your kids have had a very different upbringing than their cousins on many levels.
Don't hone in on this theoretical way that your choice of a hometown could influence where they go to college. That is not helpful to anyone.

Focus on helping YOUR kids identify likely, target and reach schools where they could be happy. Stop being competitive with your own family members.
It is not a good look.

[Anonymous]

A lot.

[Anonymous]

I applied to New England SLACs from a state in the Deep South and got into schools that were better than my stats. Looking at my school directory when I started, the only other person from my state was a senior. States love to say all 50 states and x number of countries and certain states are hard for them to get

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound jealous, OP.

Yes, I am. My nephew for example is the oldest and with his stats, really similar to my kid, I think he is in the top few kids at his school. It also just seems easier for him in terms of stress and competition versus the close in dmv schools. It also is just so different culturally… where most kids in my child’s peer group are wanting to go to these top most selective schools my nephews peer group is mostly aspiring to go to Ute, byu, Arizona or maybe one of the uc schools.

So? I bet your nephews friends are great kids who will all do well in life. Does that annoy you too?

Different poster - WTF is wrong with you? OP is reasonably concerned realizing her kids are facing an unfair disadvantage. I have come to some of the same realization over the past year - that we may not have done our HS kids any favors locating in this area. There are probably mean, taunting people like you in other areas but somehow these large, hypercompetitive areas also seem to really aggravate and inflame jerks like you.

Why is it "unfair?" You probably got a better education out of the deal. Colleges want diverse communities. That is their prerogative. Stop whining

[Anonymous]

I also think that at those bigger universities, like Georgetown, it won’t matter as much… but the SLAC schools that many people not adjacent to the 95 corridor haven’t heard of will have a major impact. For instance, a top college like Bowdoin or Swarthmore probably have never had an applicant from souther Utah, much less a full pay qualified kid.

[Anonymous]

People keep referring to “rural” Utah or wherever, but they are not understanding that once you live in an in-demand state, there is no requirement that you live in the middle of nowhere. I know people in Park City UT, Whitefish MT, Portland ME, etc. These are all really nice smaller cities with great restaurants, shopping, arts and good schools. These families are not suffering economically or artistically and yes, their kids will get a place at top schools before ours do.

[Anonymous]

^^^ And they are all full pay kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what state is middle of no where rural America? From what I gather it seems to be more about state than "middle of no where." Colleges love to be able to say stuff like "we have students from all 50 states and 200 countries"...if it's middle of no where Ohio or Illinois or Minnesota (among others) I would say no because those states have large metro areas that will produce a lot of well-qualified competitive applicants from good publics or private schools so colleges have their pick of a large group of who they want to admit from that state. now, if we're talking Wyoming or North Dakota...those states have much lower population and not really that many competitive high schools/kids gunning for competitive colleges so there would be fewer applicants so more likely to be admitted to get that geographic diversity.

Rural southern Utah - city of 80k but hours from anywhere else. My sister is a physician and her husband a surgeon, so they are not under privileged by any means.

St. George isn't rural

[Anonymous]

I remember hearing Harvard admissions people saying the single biggest thing you can do to help your kid get into Harvard is to move to Alabama. I'm sure that is true. The court case about Harvard admissions that isn't going to the supreme court has revealed how much geographic diversity helps (interestingly it helps more or less depending on race - Asian applicants get fewer geographic diversity points because Harvard says they aren't "really" from there - but that is another topic).

Geographic diversity helps a lot but it isn't a slam dunk. My friend does alumni interviewing in a rural state and she is surprised about the kids she interviews who seem impressive and don't get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what state is middle of no where rural America? From what I gather it seems to be more about state than "middle of no where." Colleges love to be able to say stuff like "we have students from all 50 states and 200 countries"...if it's middle of no where Ohio or Illinois or Minnesota (among others) I would say no because those states have large metro areas that will produce a lot of well-qualified competitive applicants from good publics or private schools so colleges have their pick of a large group of who they want to admit from that state. now, if we're talking Wyoming or North Dakota...those states have much lower population and not really that many competitive high schools/kids gunning for competitive colleges so there would be fewer applicants so more likely to be admitted to get that geographic diversity.

Rural southern Utah - city of 80k but hours from anywhere else. My sister is a physician and her husband a surgeon, so they are not under privileged by any means.

St. George isn't rural

St George is a lovely small city, with really no suburbs and is 2+ hours from anywhere else. It’s like beautiful nowhere land all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember hearing Harvard admissions people saying the single biggest thing you can do to help your kid get into Harvard is to move to Alabama. I'm sure that is true. The court case about Harvard admissions that isn't going to the supreme court has revealed how much geographic diversity helps (interestingly it helps more or less depending on race - Asian applicants get fewer geographic diversity points because Harvard says they aren't "really" from there - but that is another topic).

Geographic diversity helps a lot but it isn't a slam dunk. My friend does alumni interviewing in a rural state and she is surprised about the kids she interviews who seem impressive and don't get in.

That’s crazy. Larlo Smith who moved to Huntsville 3 years ago because his dad is a scientist isn’t “from there” either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember hearing Harvard admissions people saying the single biggest thing you can do to help your kid get into Harvard is to move to Alabama. I'm sure that is true. The court case about Harvard admissions that isn't going to the supreme court has revealed how much geographic diversity helps (interestingly it helps more or less depending on race - Asian applicants get fewer geographic diversity points because Harvard says they aren't "really" from there - but that is another topic).

Geographic diversity helps a lot but it isn't a slam dunk. My friend does alumni interviewing in a rural state and she is surprised about the kids she interviews who seem impressive and don't get in.

As an Asian person born and raised in an underrepresented state (and raising my kids in a different underrepresented state), I know this is true, and it makes me angry, and I hope this lawsuit finally does something about it. Of course, my multiracial kids won't be checking the Asian box, but-- how many generations do we have to live here to be considered Real Americans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hearing Harvard admissions people saying the single biggest thing you can do to help your kid get into Harvard is to move to Alabama. I'm sure that is true. The court case about Harvard admissions that isn't going to the supreme court has revealed how much geographic diversity helps (interestingly it helps more or less depending on race - Asian applicants get fewer geographic diversity points because Harvard says they aren't "really" from there - but that is another topic).

Geographic diversity helps a lot but it isn't a slam dunk. My friend does alumni interviewing in a rural state and she is surprised about the kids she interviews who seem impressive and don't get in.

That’s crazy. Larlo Smith who moved to Huntsville 3 years ago because his dad is a scientist isn’t “from there” either.

But, he's not Asian so it's Fine.

[Anonymous]

My daughter was offered in state tuition at Binghamton cause they needed more Maryland kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember hearing Harvard admissions people saying the single biggest thing you can do to help your kid get into Harvard is to move to Alabama. I'm sure that is true. The court case about Harvard admissions that isn't going to the supreme court has revealed how much geographic diversity helps (interestingly it helps more or less depending on race - Asian applicants get fewer geographic diversity points because Harvard says they aren't "really" from there - but that is another topic).

Geographic diversity helps a lot but it isn't a slam dunk. My friend does alumni interviewing in a rural state and she is surprised about the kids she interviews who seem impressive and don't get in.

As an Asian person born and raised in an underrepresented state (and raising my kids in a different underrepresented state), I know this is true, and it makes me angry, and I hope this lawsuit finally does something about it. Of course, my multiracial kids won't be checking the Asian box, but-- how many generations do we have to live here to be considered Real Americans?

PP here. Yeah when I read that is what Harvard said to defend the policy, I was shocked. The level of anti-Asian discrimination in college admissions that everyone just seems to accept is crazy. I'm not Asian but it still horrifies me.