Should I Note My School's "Disadvantaged" Status in the Additional Info Section of My Common App?

Applying to College
1

Hi everyone,

Before I send in my application, would it be wise at all to note my school’s disadvantaged status in the “Additional Info” section? I feel like it is pertinent information since the school is struggling to say the least (low standardized testing scores, over half of students economically disadvantaged and over 30% special needs, etc., in a highly competitive state at that). However, I do not want to come across as whiny or petulant. What should I do? Thanks in advance (:

2

I don’t think it would seem whiny or petulant, but that of course depends on how you word it.
You can write this if you want, but colleges will definitely see the context of your school in the report your counselor sends.

3

Generally admissions officers have a high school profile that would show these socio-economic stats. GC letters also state this type of info. You don’t need to draw attention to it.

4

@Oregon2016 The high school profile that my school sends out doesn’t address this info at all. In this case would it be acceptable?

5

No, the GC letter and the regional admissions officer should have this data. If your school has had applicants in prior years to the colleges you are applying to, the AO should have this data. Demographic data drive much of recruiting/marketing in higher education.

If your family situation is below the norm for your school then it may be worthwhile to explore that in your essay (during the Great Recession many kids wrote about the financial tsunamis that hit them) but it really isn’t to your benefit to point out that many other kids come from families that are struggling.

6

I would not send it. It will come off as complaining.

7

Colleges can assess a school’s academic environment through its school report, which is usually submitted by the school counselor as a part of college application protocol. Anything beyond that is unnecessary.

8

Thanks for the responses everybody!

9

You wouldn’t know how to phrase this, how the bullets are stated. I’m surprised you say it’s not in the school report. It’s usually something school admins are quite aware of, (plus local demographics,) from their own and state/regional tracking.

If this omission is because the school sends very few to college (or only local public colleges,) you can ask your gc to mention it or link a public report. You might even find it for him/her via google, but it should come from the school.

10

I think that if your GC or school doesn’t send a letter, it is neither whiny nor complaining to send some pertinent stats to fill in the gaps. Important information may include:

  • Number of AP course that are available
  • Whether they have an honors program and whether you were chosen for that (low income schools sometimes have special programs for the handful of high performing students)
  • The number of ECs available at your school and how you participated (low income schools tend to not have as many ECs as they cost the school money to pay teachers for supervision, for example, and equipment)

In absence of a school report or GC it’s possible to quickly and neatly lay out these facts in a non-whiny way as additional info and I think it’s vital to do so.

11

School reports contain demographic info not normally available to students. Info such as % of kids on Federal free/reduced lunch programs (indicating relative poverty level), % seniors who enroll in 2 or 4 year colleges, % ninth graders who graduate in 4 years, typical GPA of topmost students, typical rigorous schedule of topmost students.

OP: if you’re in the United States, your counselor office will be regularly submitting this doc with every student’s application to every college.

12

But not all include that or even state, eg, the number of APs available or what they are. Usually, that’s a hs that rarely sends kids away to colleges that need and want it.

OP’s going to be reviewed based on her/his record, first.

You really can google and find this detail for many high schools or, at least, districts. But it should come from the school, to be presented by them.

13

@lookingforward I actually have found a performance report made by my state’s department of education which contains all demographic info, but from the school report made by my school itself that I was shown, there’s no mention of demographics really or performance of different student cross-sections. You’re right in that this school very rarely sends students to institutions beyond local state universities. Thank you! From all the comments, it seems like my best course of action is just to ask my GC if that type of info has been submitted as personal reassurance, as I honestly am doubtful that my school has the foresight to send that info (lots of red tape and holes in the system unfortunately, although the situation is slowly improving, thankfully). Thanks again everyone!