Hello.
I’m a rising senior, and I had a few questions about university application documentation…
I come from a low income family. My parents have not finished university (meaning, I am a first generation student).
Which documents should I provide to my university to prove my financial situation?
Which documents should I provide to my uni to prove my first generation status?
Thank you for your time.
You do not need to provide any particular document to prove first generation status. College applications usually ask that question and you just answer it, and if they don’t ask, it is something you can just mention in an essay. Colleges presume you are honest.
As to financial status, the college application itself does not require that kind of information or documentation but you could mention it in an essay. If you are seeking financial aid, you will provide a form called FAFSA (see FAFSA.gov) after you have applied and will provide a copy of your parents’ latest tax return. Some colleges, at the time you apply, particularly if applying early decision, require similar information via another form either created by the college or one provided by the College Board (the company that administers the SAT) called the CSS Financial Aid Profile, see https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile.
If you have any questions about the financial aid process, you should post them in the Financial Aid Forum. Do take a look at the informative threads pinned at the top of that forum. You and your parents have a lot to learn about college admissions, and very little time to do it in!
What are your stats? If you’re a very strong candidate, you should look into Questbridge, for high-stats but low-income kids: http://www.questbridge.org/