Social Securities # QUESTIONS

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

<p>Hi, </p>

<p>I am a rising senior, and I have seriously looked over the Common App (not the financial aid section nor FAFSA) before it officially opens for the class of 2013 this August 1st. </p>

<p>I’m curious as to why it is required to put my social security number. Exactly, what kind of personal record will my social security show?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>My citizenship?</p></li>
<li><p>When I first came to the U.S? (For international/foreign students not born here)</p></li>
<li><p>Where and what jobs I have worked before? (even though I am under 18 and has not been asked to file income tax)</p></li>
<li><p>Where my parents work?</p></li>
<li><p>How much my parents make? (I’m sure families are linked by SS, but what if my family has a divorce, will it show too?)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>In addition, I know that some colleges will be able to verify students’ AP test scores by using their SS. That’s valid: </p>

<p>“* Some colleges and universities use Social Security numbers as student identifiers when assigning AP credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP scores. While the College Board does not require you to provide your Social Security number, you may want to check with the college or university where you are sending scores to see if they prefer for you to provide a Social Security number on your AP Exam answer sheet.”
[AP:</a> Exam Day](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>What to Bring on AP Exam Day – AP Students | College Board)</p>

<p>However, what more can the digits of SS tell? Please help me answer the above questions. Thank you for your help.</p>

2

<p>I work at a university that does not use the Common App. We request the SSN, but do not require it.</p>

<p>We request it because:</p>

<p>1) if the student applies for Financial Aid, or receives a scholarship, we need it
2) if the student works on campus, we need it
3) to assist with matching - names can be common, or can change. People move. They enter their birthdate incorrectly, or not at all. They also enter their SSN incorrectly, but if we have a Jon Richards and a Jonathan Richards, and their SSN is the same or maybe the same except for two transposed numbers, and the addresses are different, and for one we have a date of birth but the other we don’t, it can help match items. For example, the admission application is from Jon Richards, and we receive a transcript for Jonathan Richards, if the SSN is the same we know it’s a match. If the SSNs are different it could still be a match, due to entry error, but it can really help.</p>

<p>Also, if we don’t have a SSN, the student won’t receive a 1098T form, which can be used when filing taxes.</p>

<p>We don’t do anything with it like attempt to determine your former jobs or date of citizenship or your parents’ info. But we can’t give you any money if we don’t have it, due to federal requirements, whether financial aid, merit scholarship, or a paycheck. And it helps match up your test scores, transcripts, application, etc to the correct file, so we don’t keep telling you we don’t have an item you’ve sent.</p>

3

<p>Thank You!!!</p>