<p>So uh… shortcut, what would you propose?
Harvard, you must remember, is a private institution. As such, all decisions on who gets the money and who gets into the college are solely Harvard’s decision. No-one is allowed to change that.
If Harvard wants to give a 400,000 income person a full-ride, and make the guy making 40k a year pay full tuition, that’s Harvard’s choice. Similarly, no-one should be allowed to change that. HOWEVER - if they did, they’d be losing a whole lot of business - from middle class earners and even some rich people with consciences and stuff.</p>
<p>In addition, shortcut, I propose a question. Is it fair for me to be born into a family that makes 40k a year, but go to school, succeed in multiple areas, get great test scores and not be able to attend Harvard because people who make 200,000 or more are the only ones able to pay? What would that do to the quality of Harvard’s students. It would plummet. Do you honestly think that rich people have a monopoly on intelligence? Hmm? If the only people who could go to Harvard were the rich people, the rich dumb people would rise up to take the spots of the smart poor people. Right there, you have at least 50% of Harvard’s student body (maybe more), gone. Gone to be replaced by lazy idiots. Yeah. That’s what we should do.</p>
<p>All rationalization aside, it sounds to me that the OP is simply bitter that some fortunate students from a lower socio-economic group than he was born into are receiving something he is not. </p>
<p>Hmmm. </p>
<p>These are smart, hard working kids who didn’t happen to choose the right parents. If their financial aid doesn’t seem fair to you, imagine how they feel about one with your lack of character leading a life of privilege?</p>
<p>My dad is within the $90,000 to $120,000 income bracket, and he is by no means a “slacker.” I take great offense to that. He works his a$$ off to make the living he does (which is actually nice - we’re not rich, but we’re living happy lives), and he does all this so that I can make the best of my education. I was accepted to Princeton and am receiving $37,000 per year to go to school there (so it’s $13,000 for my total cost). Obviously, I would not be able to pay the full cost if they didn’t offer that aid, and your opinion about my so-called “slacker” dad who doesn’t make ‘worthy’ money for me to go to such a school really irritates the heck out of me, shortcut.</p>
<p>DocT…what in the world would the point of that be? Reward the kids with disgustingly rich parents? Congrats on being randomly born to rich people?</p>
<p>^ exactly!
Like it or not, shortcut, we’re not in the middle ages anymore where birth determines everything. You never did anything to be landed with parents that are wealthy. Likewise, other kids never did anything to be landed with low-income parents.
Would you be spewing this stuff if you parents made $40k a year?</p>
<p>I think you all are being a bit too hard on this man. </p>
<p>He makes an excellent point. In an economy where it’s obviously so easy to find a six figure salary, any one not making AT LEAST $80k a year is obviously slacking off.</p>
<p>I volunteer for the Red Cross in my spare time, and my superior adviser left his home when he was 16 because his father was abusing him, moved in with his best friend for 2 years, went to UC Berkeley on a slacker loan (that *******), and now spends a good 40-50 hours a week working for the Red Cross at MAYBE $12/hr. He is also not re-reimbursed for all the driving he does, which probably puts him at around minimum wage. In the last year he’s traveled all over the country volunteering himself to make the lives of others easier. On his behalf I apologize if possibly he’s insulted you by forcing a college to give him money he obviously didn’t deserve.</p>
<p>I guess I should also offer my condolences for the travesty my friend’s parents have committed. One being a UCLA graduate, the other being a Harvard graduate, they’ve only spent the last 20+ years teaching at a public high school. Obviously with their degrees and advanced education they could be making far more, but the morons decided to spend their time instead bettering the lives of others. </p>
<p>If only there were only more people like you around, the world would be a better place.</p>
<p>A) Whoever you are, please don’t come to Harvard. I beg of you!</p>
<p>B) I could care less who picks their dorm first here. All the dorms are really very nice here. Anyone who complains about them beyond superficial comments is spoiled and very unconnected with how 99% of college students live.</p>
<p>The kids who were pampered with a 24k gold spoon since they were born are the only ones paying full tuition, while those going to public school, who have a job, who don’t have any sort of private college counselors and tutors get somewhat of a break. the end.</p>
<p>To the OP - I’m not sure if you’re a ■■■■■, or someone who’s very upset with his/her parents for not being willing to pay for Harvard.</p>
<p>If it’s the first case, congrats on your excellent form. If you keep reposting your absurd arguments, I’m sure you can keep this thread going for at least a couple more pages.</p>
<p>If it’s the second case, I’m genuinely sorry about your situation. I’m sure it must be very frustrating that decisions you have little control over (how your family allocates its money) have a dramatic impact on your life + future. That said, there’s no limit to your success + enjoyment if you go take a full ride at a state school. And please stop being an ass and taking out your frustration on the Harvard financial aid recipients.</p>
<p>By the way, price discrimination based on ability to pay happens all the time in the business world. Take a look at how Microsoft charges enterprises for software licenses in third-world countries, for example. </p>
<p>Harvard’s donors (who are the ones paying for financial aid, not the people paying full-freight) seem to be quite happy with the way the university allocates their funds. I think their willingness to donate says a lot - as they’re the ones who will be paying full tuition when their kids go to Harvard!</p>
<p>(sidenote:</p>
<p>
I think you might be the only one who thinks this… Housing lotteries (at least in Adams, where I live) are quite contentious! (I agree with your sentiment, though).)</p>
<p>First off am I right in guessing that you obviously got into Harvard from your cogent and intelligent arguments?</p>
<p>Although my sympathy goes out to those poor wealthy people that are able to afford the ticket price of Harvard I have to disagree with you. You have so many false ideals I don’t know where to begin.</p>
<p>As for your Mercedes analogy, 10 years from now are you going to go back and donate a ton of money to that Mercedes dealership because previous ownership of a Mercedes got you to high places? No? That Mercedes isn’t going to help propel you towards success, a Harvard education however will. Your analogy is false and irrelevant. A Mercedes will depreciate in value and will not help you in the long run. Comparing a car to an education really shows your lack of respect for knowledge and your materialistic attitude. You pay full price because you won’t be coming back to donate money and help the dealership grow. A Mercedes dealership is a business.</p>
<p>Harvard is not a company, it is not a corporation, it is not a pyramid scheme. Harvard is a college that wants the best of the best; NOT the best of the blue blood. And for some reason you keep jumping to the conclusion that the slacker #10 in a class is getting in over the hard working, brilliant, and [obviously] rich #1. I’m not sure why you’re delusional enough to think that the rich kids always end up valedictorian because they work hard- and because they aren’t poor scum like all of the students ranked below them.</p>
<p>The rich kids aren’t paying the poor kids tuition either. Those poor kids that go to Harvard and end up successful and rich are the ones who donate those large sums of money. Also, do you think the students that make major discoveries and the like at Harvard strike it rich from that? No, Harvard owns the patent or rights (or whatever depending on the thing in question).</p>
<p>By the way would your name happen to be Joseph Wurzelbacher?</p>
<p>Shortcut, you sound like a bitter Harvard reject.
I don’t understand how you can compare to Harvard to a Mercedes Car dealership. Harvard is a private institution, they look for people who are the brightest of the brightest, and those who offer more then just grades and numbers, regardless of whether or not they can or can’t afford the tuition. A Mercedes Car dealership is an independent business company. Their main goal is to sell cars and earn profit from it. They looks for people who can afford to buy their cars. What Harvard and the Mercedes Car dealership look in their “customers” are different.</p>
<p>Shortcut: “…the kids who go to state flagships worked harder and ranked higher than the kids who got free rides at Harvard.”</p>
<p>Poor little wooden head. Are you willing to offer documented proof that everyone whose family made under $200,000 and applied to Harvard was ranked below #1 in their school? Can I take a bet on that one? I’ll wager every cent you, your ancestors, and your progeny will every make for as long as the world spins round. C’mon, bet me. </p>
<p>And as for the slacker comments, if I knew your name and where you lived, I would pass along your “slacker” comments to your local fire and police departments so that when you call 9-1-1 they can have a good laugh as your house burns down or you are getting brutally raped because some “slacker” like them won’t come to your plantation to help you out. </p>
<p>Lastly, if Harvard only took students whose families made over $210,000, it wouldn’t be Harvard any more. The average SAT would drop to second tier level because it turned away all those brilliant minds that weren’t born to wealth.</p>
<p>I have never caused harm to so much as a flea. On the other hand, I have heard that some police and fire people have been known to drag their feet when they know a complainant is an unappreciative jerk. And since I am neither a cop or a fireman, again, I am not talking about myself. </p>
<p>At least that is what my pal Tony Soprano’s attorney told me to say…</p>
<p>why are you guys even bothering with this ■■■■■■■■ shortcut guy. he’s a sore loser and has no point or purpose, just ignore the thread and it will fade away. unless u wanna waste ur time debating something that is infinitely ■■■■■■■■ and trivial. or maybe u want to practice your writing skills before going to college.</p>
<p>Shortcut, is it really your situation that your parents make $210,000 a year and won’t fork out that $52,000 a year for Harvard? Because there are a lot of parents who make a LOT less than that who aren’t getting financial aid, either–like me! At that salary level, it should be doable. That is only a quarter of their annual salary, and doesn’t even dip into savings or loans at that point. As you probably know, you could take out about $27,000 in loans yourself, meaning it would be $175,000 total-ish they would have to pay. Did your parents set up a 529 for you? You actually do have a point that the whole system is too expensive. But I think you’re pointing your fingers at the wrong culprit. It would be better if it were all cheaper. The price rise is completely out of hand. But compared to the burden other people are paying, your family is getting off quite easy. This is really a discussion between you and them. If they don’t feel like paying it, well, it’s their money. But personally, I think it’s kind of selfish of them, because unless there are factors that you’re not telling us, they SHOULD be able to afford it.</p>