80 grand is not poor dummy. |
Well said. If we could save enough for 40k/yr ea for college for our kids on 80-140k income, someone on 250k could save enough for full freight. I don't think many of the well-off people who envision themselves as middle class realize how much they have/spend on other things that we don't. Also, there seem to be way more rich people at my kid's college than poor, middle class. I don't get why people think poor people or URM kids are somehow taking all the Ivy spots. That is ridiculous. At my kid's school it is largely wealthy or well of white and Asian kids. |
It is that way at most of the elite universities. The 150-300K is well represented. See earlier posts in the thread. In fact they are overrepresented vs the percentage of population they are. And yes, I agree that if you saved $160K for each of your kids while earning only 80-140K during those 18 years, you have demonstrated exactly why many of us say it's largely about choices. Most in the "donut hole" range do spend on what most lower income/lower middle income would consider "luxury goods"---they just don't realize it because everyone around them is choosing to do it as well. I grew up poor (think 2 incomes only bringing in $30-40K at max, there were at least 3 years added up overtime from age 8-18 where there was NO income as parents were unemployed and literally did side jobs to pay the bills while job searching-- I got free school lunch during those times and food stamps). Yet somehow my parents manage to pay ~$4k/year plus travel so about $5K for me each year of college. They also entered retirement 10 years ago with 3/4M in savings somehow (no pension, just 401K and IRAs). My parents scrimped to save every penny because they knew college was a way to a better life for their kids and they wanted to fund their own retirement. We ate out 1x/month, at somewhere like Olive Garden/Sizzler. I never flew until I went away to college. Our house and cars did not have AC (it was hot as hell in the summer). |
Why do low incom kids think they should get aid to attend expensive private schools? I don't think they do. I think the colleges WANT them. The colleges think that private colleges are entitled to spend their endowment $ to provide financial asisstance as they see fits their vision. Do you think private colleges aren't entitled to make those decisions? If so, why not? |
So the low income families are entitled (based on a decision made by the schools rather themselves) to a free private education while the middle income are not (and therefore cannot realistically access it). So some people are entitled and some are not |
+1. Yes. The colleges have deemed some more worthy than others. |
This. |
What on earth makes you think that private colleges care what low-income students think or want? |
What is an irresponsible job? You know, when I was a young lass, we didn’t have treatment for tuberculosis or polio. Isn’t it so unfair that there’s treatment for those conditions now? |
Stupid analogy |
I think the bigger point is, people who really got nowhere financially are rewarded by the schools, whereas people who did claw their way into a very moderate amount of success or just financial security are essentially excluded. It’s popular now for “privilege” to be the explanation of the difference between 100k and 200k- failure is sanctified while success however modest is inherently exploitative. But in reality there are other variables that drive these outcomes than unearned privilege. Like working your ass off and saving |
Do you hear yourself? |
Exactly! It's not the kids thinking they are "entitled" at the low income level. It's the colleges that want to broaden their freshman class diversity on many levels. Why shouldn't private universities be allowed to do this. |
Yes, it's a PRIVATE institution. They can choose to spend their money however they want. |
The colleges have "deemed" it important to include students from a variety of backgrounds, including socioeconomically. They have decided that these "lower income" kids would never be able to attend without this assistance, and they are 100% accurate about that. You find issue with the fact they have "deemed" it possible for a kid from a $200K+ family to attend without any or much assistance. Shockingly, they expect someone who is in the upper 10% of families to be able to find a way to save for a product they desire. You are upset you have chosen not to save or save enough. Seriously, do some of you go around complaining that people get food stamps and low income housing? |