<p>I'm late to this thread but I might be able to offer another perspective from that of the OP's article, since I am middle class and have a middle class kid at Princeton with similar family "wealth" as the student in the article. </p>
<p>My kid is not a student who had been prepped or prodded to go to "an Ivy" or any school or type of school in particular, but came from a regular family, a regular public school. Having a curious, creative, and bright mind was probably just the luck of the genetic lottery. The high school guidance counselor, when asked how could one know what colleges one might get into said, "You know, there is a shot at Any college." That was end of sophomore or beginning of jr year. So I got the Fiske book, and my kid went through it cover to cover and bookmarked lots of schools that fit needs/wants, and went to websites. When we (my husband and I) asked, Ok, which schools do you most want to see, and some of them were selective private schools, both universities and lacs, I thought my spouse was going to keel over. Visions of dollar signs danced in his head. Luckily some of the choices were state schools, else we might have lost him. </p>
<p>So, we visited many schools. My kid liked Princeton best of all-- a good place for creative intellectuals these days, the people were friendly and helpful, small classes,great teachers, a beautiful place with city access. And we could afford it. We had saved for college, are glad to be able to help pay, and are really grateful that there will be no debt. At least for undergrad! (And, fwiw, if there is a problem making summer earnings contributions--which doesn't apply to us but perhaps to lower income students who contribute to family income--Princeton has provisions for alleviating this.) </p>
<p>As a middle class student at Princeton, my kid is not "stressed" to be among the half of Princeton students who are receiving aid, but LOVES Princeton. In fact, this is a kid who heretofore was pretty stingy with the word "love" but will freely use it to refer to Princeton. To be inspired by profs and peers is a wonderful thing. As to money, there is not much that is needed for students on campus, at least that has been our experience. So I guess I am verifying what Aparent has said about this. There are tickets that are handed out at the beginning of the school year for free admission and discounts to events, the college sponsored trips (like to NYC, to see a broadway play) are twenty-something dollars I think, my kid is often offered free or pittance tickets to other concerts of big-name acts that come to Princeton or in NYC, there are all sorts of parties and concerts on campus--they are free, the museums are free to students, the lectures--headliners in politics, the arts, sciences, etc etc--are free and copious, and it would, I think, be virtually impossible to attend all of them. The theatre in town costs $6 with student ID and has first-run movies, some foreign films and documentaries. There is more than enough to do that costs little or nothing. </p>
<p>But yes--at Princeton, there are wealthy students. (At my state university there are too.) Is this any surprise? If money were no object, which school would you send you kid to? HPYSM? Cal tech? Williams/Amherst/Swat? Chicago? Columbia? Mich or UVA out of state? Bryn Mawr? Any number of schools, most of which will have some wealthy students. Some students will take fancy vacations, or have fancy cars. Maybe this would bother some people. Others might look at it from the point of being able to have the same fine education, despite financial status. Yes, there is work study and there has been summer work, but while it does take up time, my kid doesn't mind working and is pleased to be able to contribute to funding the education (feels it a duty really), has had some really interesting jobs that have been great experiences and a way to meet lots of different sorts of people. In the classrooms and in the dorms, wealth is not what is valued, but intellectual and creative contributions, and friendships. Maybe my kid is fortunate in friends, acquaintances, profs--but the education is incredible, and money has not been an issue. </p>
<p>Sometimes one side of a story makes for a good article but here is a view from the other side, lest any parent whose kid has the desire and abilities to attend Princeton or any other competitive (or percieved "elite") school be scared off before even looking or trying. How much is about wealth and how much is about attitude?</p>