They especially like to try this on new college grads, especially ones who want a startup experience while still being able to tell Mom and Dad they can tell their friends their kid works at well known company X.

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"A kid growing up in the 'hood has different expectations than a kid growing up in Newtown, " said Bocanegra, who works with ex-offenders at the faith-based nonprofit Community Renewal Society in Chicago.

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' And that's a struggle within Alicia because she's not a kid anymore and she's not naive about how the world works.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

My friend who works in a college admissions office offers this example: A high school kid submits a transcript pock-marked with As and Cs, while another posts solid Bs.

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His long hair, tanned skin and girlfriend-who-works-in-fashion go a long way toward completing his cool-kid persona.

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