Anonymous wrote:She should look up the origins of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" because it is widely misunderstood and misused.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

They’ll know she’s full pay from private HS; if your kid is a “scholarship kid” with low income and hardship the CCO letter handles it. And they place those kids well. Selective colleges know who’s low income from a private school- it’s not a secret.

Your home address isn’t necessarily dispositive here.

Just be authentic. The personal essay should be about your values, your outlook, what you bring to situations. If you are not low income pretending to be low income is a horrible look. I wouldn’t also talk about playing polo or traveling the world - things like that should never be discussed in a personal essay.

Can you clarify the bolded?

Out family is not low income, but well below the average for our private school where we receive about 80% aid. Will the CCO mention that? Will it hurt my kids or help them?

Is your HHI above $200k?

If so, no brownie points for you.

Yeah- I couldn’t send my kid to a $50k-60k/year HS either and I didn’t even get any aid from private HS—so consider yourself a step ahead of many.

You are a donut hole, welcome to Dunkin’s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

They’ll know she’s full pay from private HS; if your kid is a “scholarship kid” with low income and hardship the CCO letter handles it. And they place those kids well. Selective colleges know who’s low income from a private school- it’s not a secret.

Your home address isn’t necessarily dispositive here.

Just be authentic. The personal essay should be about your values, your outlook, what you bring to situations. If you are not low income pretending to be low income is a horrible look. I wouldn’t also talk about playing polo or traveling the world - things like that should never be discussed in a personal essay.

Can you clarify the bolded?

Out family is not low income, but well below the average for our private school where we receive about 80% aid. Will the CCO mention that? Will it hurt my kids or help them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today's YCBK talks about how the tax bill (endowment tax, Pell Grant, student loans, college reimbursement, 529 plans, Medicare and overall impact of bill on college admissions) will impact the coming cycle.

In the past, he did discuss an inclination towards full pay (he did say that a few months ago bc of funding cuts).

Where are you seeing this? Last posted episode is dated July 14.

I see it in Apple Podcasts? Transcript there too.

From Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews: How Will The New Tax Bill Impact Students and Colleges, Jul 21, 2025

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up very poor (government cheese , no dentist etc) til my mom remarried when I was 17. So I don’t know why people here are so confused. A lot more likely than, we’re rich but my parents sent me to a title 1 school for giggles.

But you probably didn't go to a private high school.

I did. We moved to a new state. I was going into senior year. Even leaving a bad situation it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to stay behind but there were zero responsible adults so had to switch. I should have figured out a way to graduate early.

The private wasn’t fancy but it was the only private in new place. And my mom and stepdad didn’t care that much about fancy schools.

I don't think, "My mother was a gold digger" is a great essay topic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up very poor (government cheese , no dentist etc) til my mom remarried when I was 17. So I don’t know why people here are so confused. A lot more likely than, we’re rich but my parents sent me to a title 1 school for giggles.

But you probably didn't go to a private high school.

I did. We moved to a new state. I was going into senior year. Even leaving a bad situation it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to stay behind but there were zero responsible adults so had to switch. I should have figured out a way to graduate early.

The private wasn’t fancy but it was the only private in new place. And my mom and stepdad didn’t care that much about fancy schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today's YCBK talks about how the tax bill (endowment tax, Pell Grant, student loans, college reimbursement, 529 plans, Medicare and overall impact of bill on college admissions) will impact the coming cycle.

In the past, he did discuss an inclination towards full pay (he did say that a few months ago bc of funding cuts).

Where are you seeing this? Last posted episode is dated July 14.

Anonymous wrote:Today's YCBK talks about how the tax bill (endowment tax, Pell Grant, student loans, college reimbursement, 529 plans, Medicare and overall impact of bill on college admissions) will impact the coming cycle.

In the past, he did discuss an inclination towards full pay (he did say that a few months ago bc of funding cuts).