4 ms·

I'm sick of hearing this meme that Ivy league universities automatically mean you were born wealthy. Top universities have, by far, the most generous financial

I'm sick of hearing this meme that Ivy league universities automatically mean you were born wealthy. Top universities have, by far, the most generous financial aid you can get out there.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
rubicon33 10y ago
I'm really skeptical that the financial aid you speak of is as accessible as you think it is. Speaking completely anecdotally, someone very close to me chose not to go to Stanford, simply because her family couldn't afford it. And that was with a scholarship. I've never asked her about financial aid, and if she investigated it. My guess is though that she fell into the category of middle class... aka, too rich to qualify for financial aid, too poor to afford $100K+ a year college.
- closeparen 10y ago
  Upper middle class, maybe. This can happen when your household income is $200k. Not $55k (national median) and certainly not below. Higher ed financial aid leaves middle-upper middle class kids in a tough spot because their parents don't feel like they have income to spare, but the financial aid office doesn't feel they need charity. But this does not really happen to socioeconomically disadvantaged children, only those too far into the upper middle class. The line where this happens is a lower income in mediocre private schools, and a higher income on good ones.
  - chongli 10y ago
    Higher ed financial aid leaves middle-upper middle class kids in a tough spot because their parents don't feel like they have income to spare, but the financial aid office doesn't feel they need charity. But this does not really happen to socioeconomically disadvantaged children, only those too far into the upper middle class. They've got this thing nailed down to a T. Upper/middle kids can't go because their parents can't afford it. For a variety of reasons, lower income kids can't get the marks to get in to these schools so they never reach the point where financial aid would matter. This lets these schools preserve their elite enrolment while providing nominally generous support.
    - morgante 10y ago
      > For a variety of reasons, lower income kids can't get the marks to get in to these schools so they never reach the point where financial aid would matter. Again with the sweeping generalizations which are completely incorrect. Because all low income kids are too stupid to get good marks, right?
    - tzs 10y ago
      The income distribution at Harvard doesn't fit your theory: http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions.html http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions....
      - chongli 10y ago
        About 14 percent of the incoming freshman said their families earn above $500,000 Sure it does. If everybody in the US had equal access to primary and secondary education and Harvard had income-blind admissions, do you really think that number would be so high?
        morgante 10y ago
        Harvard does have income-blind admissions. Admissions officers don't look at your financial aid information when you apply and it's not a factor. Of course, there's still the factor that wealthy parents can pay for a better education. Also that intelligence is largely hereditary.
        chongli 10y ago
        Harvard has 30 percent legacy admissions. Those are definitely not income-blind.
        morgante 10y ago
        While I agree that legacy admissions should probably be phased out, they're still "income blind." Knowing someone's a Harvard graduate does not mean you know their income.

I'm sick of hearing this meme that Ivy league universities automatically mean you were born wealthy. Top universities have, by far, the most generous financial aid you can get out there.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

rubicon33 10y ago

I'm really skeptical that the financial aid you speak of is as accessible as you think it is. Speaking completely anecdotally, someone very close to me chose not to go to Stanford, simply because her family couldn't afford it. And that was with a scholarship. I've never asked her about financial aid, and if she investigated it. My guess is though that she fell into the category of middle class... aka, too rich to qualify for financial aid, too poor to afford $100K+ a year college.

closeparen 10y ago
Upper middle class, maybe. This can happen when your household income is $200k. Not $55k (national median) and certainly not below. Higher ed financial aid leaves middle-upper middle class kids in a tough spot because their parents don't feel like they have income to spare, but the financial aid office doesn't feel they need charity. But this does not really happen to socioeconomically disadvantaged children, only those too far into the upper middle class. The line where this happens is a lower income in mediocre private schools, and a higher income on good ones.
- chongli 10y ago
  Higher ed financial aid leaves middle-upper middle class kids in a tough spot because their parents don't feel like they have income to spare, but the financial aid office doesn't feel they need charity. But this does not really happen to socioeconomically disadvantaged children, only those too far into the upper middle class. They've got this thing nailed down to a T. Upper/middle kids can't go because their parents can't afford it. For a variety of reasons, lower income kids can't get the marks to get in to these schools so they never reach the point where financial aid would matter. This lets these schools preserve their elite enrolment while providing nominally generous support.
  - morgante 10y ago
    > For a variety of reasons, lower income kids can't get the marks to get in to these schools so they never reach the point where financial aid would matter. Again with the sweeping generalizations which are completely incorrect. Because all low income kids are too stupid to get good marks, right?
  - tzs 10y ago
    The income distribution at Harvard doesn't fit your theory: http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions.html http://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions....
    - chongli 10y ago
      About 14 percent of the incoming freshman said their families earn above $500,000 Sure it does. If everybody in the US had equal access to primary and secondary education and Harvard had income-blind admissions, do you really think that number would be so high?
      - morgante 10y ago
        Harvard does have income-blind admissions. Admissions officers don't look at your financial aid information when you apply and it's not a factor. Of course, there's still the factor that wealthy parents can pay for a better education. Also that intelligence is largely hereditary.
        chongli 10y ago
        Harvard has 30 percent legacy admissions. Those are definitely not income-blind.
        morgante 10y ago
        While I agree that legacy admissions should probably be phased out, they're still "income blind." Knowing someone's a Harvard graduate does not mean you know their income.