<p>In polite society people don't talk about or allude to their financial status...</p>
<p>Oh I apologize, I guess I'm not part of your "polite society," nor do I want to be. I can talk about whatever I please, thank you very much.</p>
<p>lol... yep kiki you can..</p>
<p>yeh college is damn expensive.... :S
but columbia's worth it eh?</p>
<p>"polite society" is a bourgeois lie designed to hide and mask class conflict.</p>
<p>Polite Society is the only thing that separates us from the beasts!</p>
<p>I can just see it:</p>
<p>Tiger (slouched rudely in his chair): How much do alls y'alls make?</p>
<p>who is this tiger you speak of?</p>
<p>a beast.</p>
<p>duh.</p>
<p>It's kind of like asking someone how much they weigh or how old they are or if they're pregnant...yes obviously anyone can exorcise their first amendment rights to free speech but these subjects are considered taboo for a reason...it's rude.</p>
<p>I don't really see why it's rude to state why college is going to be a financial strain for my family. I'm happy for all of you that don't even need to apply for financial aid, but sometimes I feel the need to vent over the fact that this is so hard on middle class families. I'm sorry if you feel that's offensive, but I don't understand why you would.</p>
<p>it's hard on me too, kiki. being middle class, it's like you're in between the two extremes, and no one is willing to help. and I don't understand either why it's rude to state that.</p>
<p>Thank you Sam, a voice of reason in this matter. I guess you have to be in our boat to understand this.</p>
<p>Yes it's hard being in between those two extremes with 80% of Americans. I'm not saying it's rude to discuss why college is a financial strain, but to get subtly ****ed at other people for not having that problem is uncalled for. By the way, I do have that problem and I will work my way through college/get sutdent loans. But I recognize that being financially successful is a huge part of the American dream and nobody should ever apologize for it.</p>
<p>It's not the actual degree of success, it's the attitude. Chris doesn't have to worry about aid, yet she's still understanding of people who do.</p>
<p>Hmmm...I'm just curious, what family income range would be considered "middle class"?</p>
<p>My parents in 2003 (the tax return years) both just got better-paying jobs so my family income increased significantly, but that's just last/this year...will Columbia assume that i'm don't need aid financially?</p>
<p>i dunno...you'll hafta take that upw ith them...all i know is that they won't give me aid</p>
<p>WHO CARES. obviously, you aren't THAT poor if you have internet access.</p>
<p>"WHO CARES. obviously, you aren't THAT poor if you have internet access."</p>
<p>Haha, $10/month says I am.</p>
<p>So what is considered middle class? anybody??</p>
<p>well my parents combined make just over 100k, but were financially not doing well at all right now. Do consider I have three siblings. It's people like me, stuck in between poor and rich that really suffer. If you're poor enough you can get full tuition, and if you're rich enough...well that's obvious. Obviously being rich is ideal since you have to make very little to get it all paid. I would say make $40k and up, and you could land in this "troulbe" spot I as well as I bet some others find themselves in.</p>
<p>Yes i'm sure the combined 100k+ salary is true sufferring. I'm sure your parents can at least pay some yearly tuition and you can throw in an extra 10-15 thousand by working part-time. The rest you'll just have to take out loans at great interest rates.</p>