<p>I Questbridge friend showed me this article (they talked about it at a QB meeting). Pretty interesting and I think would apply to some middle class kids too. I am not really worried. I think a lot of AA kids have been raised to be pretty strong and confident, at least around my family. I was thrilled to get our hand me down car at 16 even though kids at my school are known to get brand new BMWs lol!
But my QB friend is a little worried about being overwhelmed. She had never been on a plane until the college flew her up after her match. Kids she stayed with in the dorm once there had no idea what QB was and no ability to answer her questions about on campus jobs (she will have work study for extra money), public transportation, etc. They were headed to a friends vacation house in Italy for the 2nd half of a break. A different world for my friend, but I think she will be okay.</p>
<p>I was pretty poor when I went to a rich school. I had a tennis partner who was an ambassador’s son and drove an AMG Mercedes-Benz. What I found was people are people and the cool ones don’t act like they have a silver spoon in their mouths. Join the black student association/union/assembly. You’ll find lots of kids from all economic backgrounds. </p>
<p>It’s all good. You are only a fish out of water if you flap around aimlessly like a fish out of water. There will be an experience gap but that is really all it is, an experience gap. You can make a really nice bucket list from what you hear about the experiences of others. </p>
<p>If you feel jeoulousy or anger toward people of means, you won’t learn a thing. If rich people look down on others, they won’t learn a thing either. Each will lose out in the end.</p>
<p>My daughter (not QB or AA) was on full aid and got along fine, but she was a bit more worldly than your friend. Most colleges have jobs posted online. She can probably look now and see some, but more will be listed at the beginning of each semester. My dd had very interesting W/S jobs with professors, calling alumni for donations and being a TA (a highly respected position In her dept.)</p>
<p>Also she didn’t run into problem with people wanting to eat out and stuff because the cafeteria was a big social hub at school. But she had enough money from her aid to do some things. And she had a few dresses from Nordstrom rack for occasions when she needed it. Although some dress well, most people in college are pretty to extremely casual dressers, sweats, pajama bottoms and all.</p>
<p>She didn’t go off with people on vacations, but there was one time when she was studying abroad that she did get an invite to a special occasion house.</p>
<p>A lot of people don’t know what QB is. It hasn’t been around that long and really isn’t widely known. </p>
<p>It’s an emotional thing. I was poor at a rich college, but there was plenty of company as half the kids were on financial aid and even those kids whose parents were full pay were often pounding salt to make ends meet as it was a stretch for their families. There was a lot of money flowing for some kids, but not for most of us. </p>
<p>It’s miserable being poor at a poor college, more so, IMO, but misery loves company and maybe that’s what makes it more bearable to some. Not me. There were more benefits, more opportunies , more just about everything at the “rich” college. I didn’t need the company of the poor to make me feel better. I wanted those goodies that are only at the "rich"college or more easily obtained there. But it’s a psychological issue and some people can’t stand being the low man on the totem pole and would rather be in with the crowd. If you are that way, yes, it can make you feel might bad when you realize you can’t afford what a lot of kids take for granted.</p>
<p>But you know, there are alot of kids from well to do families that I know who are going to a local college because they got great scholarships there and they ARE living the good life as they have cars, money, all of the benefits since they opted to commute and go for free. This school does not come close to meeting financial need and there are lots of kids there who can barely make it with inadequate aid. That’s even tough IMO than going to a true “rich” college. </p>