<p>Great posts frrrph. </p>
<p>radicalolita, it IS possible to have lived in two different situation that apparently you think is impossible for a person to experience. There are many people who have lived poor, disadvantaged (read: difficult) lives before setting out into the world and becoming successful (and in a very real sense) becoming advantaged. My father is someone who has gone through that. Now which part of his life do you think he preferred? His childhood when he had to live next to the cows because his house burnt down and his family couldn't afford to buy another house for the next 6 months? Or now where he has a roof over his head and does not ever have to worry about becoming homeless?</p>
<p>Tell me AGAIN that you think getting straight As in school is harder than many of the difficulties faced by people like my father! You think your life is horrible because you have the privilege of worrying about your grades? Oh PLEASE, you are the personification of what "spoiled" means. Honestly, SCREAM TO THE WORLD that you think getting As are SO MUCH HARDER than overcoming your family's financial barrier! Of overcoming the fact that you, as a student, still needs to send money home during college because both of your parents are too poor and too old. TELL ME how getting a B- is in any way more significant to your health than knowing that violence often occurs in your school and your community?</p>
<p>YOU have the FOUNDATION to be successful. To worry about grades, to worry about Ivy League and how they look at UW GPA and which essay topics they might like... Many, many people simply do not have that. </p>
<p>Getting straight A's in school is in no way harder than facing a threat to your basic human needs, no matter how crucial you may believe getting an Ivy acceptance is to your wellbeing. </p>
<p>And by the way, you need diversity in universities so people like you can get a wake-up call.</p>