<p>When Yale says that they're looking for 'socio economic diversity', does it mean that if your family has a low income, but you're a good student, etc. you'll have a slight ede in admissions? Or is this not somehting that they actively seek?</p>
<p>A controversial article that talks a bit about how it works: <a href="http://www.courant.com/hc-yaleclass0610.artjun10,0,304597.story%5B/url%5D">http://www.courant.com/hc-yaleclass0610.artjun10,0,304597.story</a></p>
<p>For what it's worth, the LttE's from alumnae/i in response to the article were about 2/1 against it.</p>
<p>twiggerific--Low income with outstanding academic and extracurricular records will be a slight advantage over upper middle and upper income students with the same. I would encourage low income students to take a college course or two (check out how you can take them free via scholarship; if no colleges nearby, check out classes via internet) to prove that they can hack it outside their high schools. This is a recommendations I'd give to any applicant, but especially to those who attend high schools that Yale might not believe have adequately prepared even their strongest graduates for the rigors of an elite college. If you are low income but attend a good private school through a scholarship or are at a good public school, this will be less of a concern.</p>
<p>To Roughwinds:
Excellent link.
Can you explain what you meant by this: "the LttE's from alumnae/i in response to the article were about 2/1 against it."
Were they against the article or against the practice of seeking out such applicants?
I suspect as the student in the article grows older, she'll appreciate the gift she received more and more. And I hope Yale knows that, and keeps investing in the long term.</p>
<p>I really think it does help if you're really low-income. I think very high test scores are especially impressive if you have a disadvantaged background.</p>
<p>They were against her assertion that she was discriminated against because of her income, or that less affluent students are ignored or mistreated. But still, about a third sided with her, so...</p>
<p>I think she is probably right in some respects, but like you, I also believe her outlook may change as she gets older.</p>
<p>I sincerely believe this may be an isolated case and not representative of Yale. Although some aspects seem logical, I see no reason for a student to be so completely miserable because of her socio-economic standing.</p>
<p>I have no doubt many of the things she experienced exist at Yale, as with many other elite institutions traditionally reserved for maintaining America's upperclass (God, please don't nobody try to teach me how to pour wine correctly). </p>
<p>At the same time, and as with anything else, the responsibility lies a little bit on herself to try and find those people and aspects of Yale that are more positive - and while a confrontational exhibition (like the one she did) is precisely what you need sometimes, if that is the only contribution she made to making fellow working-class kids assertive at the school... I don't know. I sympathize, but I also sense that she went in there determined to not be part of either the instituition or the change of it.</p>
<p>If you let your class bother you, it becomes evident and thus, you will have problems fitting in. I'm from an even lower class than the author of the article, yet I don't seem to have the problems she did. She chose to work as a dining hall worker; I worked in the library and to call alums. Many of my "privileged" friends have jobs. </p>
<p>She let her socio-economic class DEFINE her. I don't. So that's her punishment: she feels outside of the group, she allows herself to be bought by the con that she isn't worth as much because she's poor.</p>
<p>I do not feel sorry for her. I pity her.</p>
<p>Sorry if it sounds harsh, but it's because I see it a lot. I go to Mory's with the best of them; I talk to, hang out and have very close friends who are worth far more than I am in terms of dollars. But I don't let it affect who I am. </p>
<p>The fact that her senior project was about her poverty shows that it never stopped being an issue at Yale because SHE didn't want it to.</p>
<p>Ferny, I got that exact same impression from the article. Maybe it's the girl herself or just the angle the author was pushing for, but it seemed very intent on making the cultural shock she experienced out to be inevitable, solely the environment's fault (as opposed to partly hers), and impossible to overcome. </p>
<p>Coming to Yale from a working-class background IS making a class journey, and I sympathize with that internal conflict. At the same time, it shouldn't be an excuse not to make the best (rather than worst) out of it. Like you said, if you let your class completely define you and your attitude to all the opportunities you're given, you'll probably end up letting all of them slip you by.</p>
<p>I also got the impression she's simply scared. Scared of becoming someone else by virtue of the Yale experience alone, scared of that elite world people like her and you and me are used to being affected by from a distance. To this day I get scared by "real" restaurants and whatnot, but goddamn, are places of power and posh supposed to be reserved for a small group of cronies indefinitely? She got in. She could've helped change the socioeconomic composition and benefits of that institution for people like herself, but chose not to. </p>
<p>I guess I'm walking into it with the opposite angle - me getting into Yale can mean very, very much for other kids that never even dreamed of it, and having positive connections while there will make me better equipped to get to a position where I can have an impact on the marginalized community I'm from later on. For example, I used to hate people that did the 'snob-speech thing', but now I understand the power eloquent, proper wording has. </p>
<p>It's cultural currency -- you need to get comfortable with it, and use it for positive change. I also don't get why she felt she had to take the dining hall job. It's almost a little insulting, this romantic identity of being the underdog (dude, what about those of us who HAD to 'choose' those jobs, and be scared of losing even that?).</p>
<p>frrrph,
I'm impressed with your thoughtful post, and I can only hope that my DD can get to your point on a journey of understanding of class. I don't pity the student in the article, but empathize and only hope that time will give her wisdom.
I'm a mom bridging the generational and cultural divides between income levels. I hope my kid can some day get to the point of appreciating the frugality of grandparents who knew Depression days. The values of "Use it up/wear it out/make it do/or do without," will only become more important in a world that's dealing with scarcity of resources. At the same time, it's important to be comfortable with a nice dinner out or to realize that sometimes a $50 shirt might be worth $50.
It's similar to the old money/new money dichotomy.
And pardon me if I sound glib, but the questions will be a lifelong journey of balancing giving back with taking care of your own. The old saying, "Remember where you came from," is difficult for those immersed in a culture in which jeans and purses routinely cost at least $150, yet the guilt of spending money doesn't go away. The biggest gulf I've seen over many years: the comfort level of wealthier people with the spending of money and time, just for fun. Balancing is the difficult part, as is obvious on many threads here at CC that degenerate into class wars.
A sweet spot exists between identifying with the underdog and being comfortable in an elite culture. Working in the dining hall is a fine pursuit, if it grounds someone in a comfortable place that gives them the confidence to cross other boundaries. Another glib saying, "Cross fields, jump fences," applies to more than academic and professional work.
You're well on your way of finding that sweet spot, and of finding Class. May the rest of our kids be as successful.</p>
<p>One more thought after re-reading the article, and trying to figure out why I walked away with a different feeling than others:
This young student inspired her mom to go back to college, and not just any college. That's quite an accomplishment.
And while she might feel embarrassed now to see her mom stoop to pick up trash on campus, perhaps one day she'll understand that it's not about the work, it's about the world.
Sorry so trite; had to share a different perspective.</p>
<p>How do these test scores look for a low income student
ACT-35
BIO M-800
U.S History-800
Math IIC-800
CLEP BIOLOGY-80 out of 80</p>
<p>^Those scores are good for ANY student.</p>
<p>Would Yale know I'm low income if I live in a moderate income area? Do they, like, glance at the financial aid stuff too?</p>
<p>The financial aid and admissions offices are separate, so my understanding is that admissions won't check in with financial aid. However, the admissions folks are probably pretty savvy about who's low income based on what your parents' professions are, zip code, if parents went to college, etc. They get all this info from your application, not your financial aid forms.</p>