Most of the time admissions officers assume the student that is applying is a citizen, LPR (Legal Permanent Resident), legal foreign student, etc. There are a couple of things undocumented students should keep in mind when applying for colleges:

• Do not lie. When in doubt, ask a knowledgeable counselor or advisor about how to answer application questions. Students feel confused when asked to list their immigration status on the application. None of the choices are "undocumented," so they often choose "permanent resident" or "I am in the process of becoming a permanent resident." Lying about your status could make you deportable and may count against you if there is a future opportunity for legalization.

• Whenever possible, do not mention or show evidence that you are undocumented.

• Watch out for signs showing that the admissions office is categorizing the student as an "international (legal foreign student)." When this happens, try to rectify it. Internationals students usually provide documentation that demonstrates they are legally permitted to study in the US and their presence may be reported to various government agencies. To avoid this, the student may have to say that s/he is undocumented.

• If an admissions officer appears unfriendly, take the college's contact information. Call at a later time and ask to be connected to either a minority or an international student admissions counselor. they may be more willing to help.

Filing the college admissions application is similar to any other application. If an undocumented student is applying to a public university, s/he should file the domestic (U.S. Citizen) student application. For private colleges, ask the admissions office about how to fill out the forms.

• On most applications, there will be a handful of questions about the student's immigration status. Some examples are "What is your SSN?" and "What is your visa status?" Do not answer these questions: leave them empty or enter zeros. Online applications are hard to complete because schools use an automated system that refuses blank answers. Use your best judgment in deciding which questions to skip. Ultimately, if the online application does not work, file the paper application or ask the admissions counselor for help

If an undocumented student applies to local colleges, the schools may require the student to appear in person at their offices to turn in the applications.

• An undocumented student should never show admission officers her/his original passport if he/she has one. Prepare a photocopy of the first page (the one with the picture) and present it if they request an ID. If the student has a student ID, they should bring that.

• NEVER provide more information than is asked for!