OT: Getting into top colleges when graduating from a smaller/poorer state

[Guest]

So this is a longer term idea that I've had for my kids. We currently live in the Pittsburgh area but could very easily move to WV. Since WV is a less populated state and has a lower median income, I'm wondering how much that factors into college admissions. I figure if my kids graduate from a school there it might give them a leg up due to geographical diversity. Anyone have any insights on that? 

[Gregmal]

Somehow I have a feeling this topic may get interesting lol 

[Dinar]

Very good idea.  A friend from college (BS/MS in molecular biophysics/biochemistry + BS/MS in computer science, all in 4 years) is planning to move his two kids from NJ to California before high school so it is easier for them to make it to East coast schools.  When I was in college, it was a lot easier for kids from Hawaii/West Virginia/North Dakota  to make it to good schools than from NYC/Bergen County/Fairfield county.  Administrators openly acknowledge this.

[lnofeisone]

I definitely think you'll improve your chances of getting into a private school but the downside is elimination of getting into a good state school at reasonable cost. Penn State >> WVU in just about every meaningful way. 

[cubsfan]

Hey, if you are Asian , just forget about it.

 

Otherwise, take the Elizabeth Warren route - claim 1/200th American Indian - and you're a

cinch to get into the Ivy League.

[Gamecock-YT]

I know a couple of instances where families would move during the sophomore or junior year of high school to less competitive high schools or counties so that the child would have a competitive advantage applying for quota scholarships/admissions: for instance in south carolina you can get a more valuable scholarship for being in the top 5% of your high school class so you can go from a mid-tier rank at a top flight public school to top of the class at a lower tier school and capture the increased scholarship.

 

I think University of Texas holds automatic spots for every Texas high school too:

 

Freshman Admission

The initial legislation, passed into law in 1997, offered automatic admission to eligible students in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In 2009, the law was modified for The University of Texas at Austin. Under the new law, the university must automatically admit enough students to fill 75 percent of available Texas resident spaces. Each fall, the university notifies Texas school officials of the class rank that current high school juniors need to attain by the end of their junior year in order to be automatically admitted.

• Summer/Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 applicants: Top 7%
• Summer/Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 applicants: Top 7%
• Summer/Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 applicants: Top 6%
• Summer/Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 applicants: Top 6%
• Summer/Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 applicants: Top 6%
• Summer/Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 applicants: Top 6%
• Summer/Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 applicants: Top 6%

Edited May 6, 2022 by Gamecock-YT