UMIAMI IS NOT A RICH KID HAVEN!! I Don't Know Where These Stereotypes Come From. Read

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Miami - Florida
1

<p>Okay. I'm a freshman at the University of Miami and I don't get what the hype about "rich-kid haven" is all about.</p>

<p>Please read this whole thing over. I hope this post will change everyone's perception about what really is considered 'rich' in our society.</p>

<p>First off: Cars. Yes, I walk around the student parking lots. What do I see? Mercedes after Mercedes, BMWs galore, Lexuses to fill the moon. So? Is that enough to say that UM is bangin rich? NO! Did you know that a 2006 Mercedes can be paid for with monthly financing of $450 for 4 years? Have you been to cars.com? Did you notice that some used Mercedes can be bought for the price of a new Honda? In fact, my parents are buying me a Mercedes for my birthday this Fall for only $450 a month. The down payment is only the price of a Jetta. Hey, we're not rich. We have a household income of $180K. That's upper-middle class. We don't consider ourselves rich at all. We're just "well-off." Hey, I even wear designer sunglasses. But I'm not rich!</p>

<p>Second: Do you have any idea how many kids at UM are on scholarships? I was talking to my friend from New York the other day. He drives a 2006 BMW Z4 (bought it for $40,000). I asked him why he chose UMiami. And his reply? "Because of the scholarship." Woah. Hold on. Rewind for a second there. This kid's family lives on Long Island, he drives a BMW, and he actually needs FINANCIAL AID??? And I thought U-Miami kids were all spoiled brats? Nope, not at all. Get it straight people. Just because some kid lives in a big house, drives a BMW, doesn't classify him as 'rich'! He's just 'well off'.</p>

<p>Third: So where do the <em>real</em> rich kids go to college then? Princeton, Yale, Georgetown, just to name a few. But what about the underachieving rich kids, you ask? Well, do some research, and you'll find that a PLETHORA of Ivy-League acceptances are in the 1200 SATs range. In fact, a recent testimonial by a Cornell University freshman described his peers to be either high school atheletes or belonged to rich and famous parents. Only a small portion were actually over-achieves. Yes, it sucks that the rest of us have to work extra hard to get to where we want to go. Yes, I hate to admit it, but the <em>real</em> rich kids get easy admission into top schools like Princeton (who doesn't give out ANY financial aid) and Georgetown (lots of these kids have parents who are famous politicians).</p>

<p>Okay, quick review:</p>

<p>Upper Middle Class Kids (not 'rich') = Go to Private schools like U-Miami and get scholarship money.</p>

<p><em>Real</em> Rich kids = Go to Private schools like Princeton and Georgetown and get NO financial aid.</p>

<p>Admit it. Most of us at UMiami are here because we can pay for it simply because of that sweet scholarship we got. Most of us on scholarships probably live in a big house, has a 6-figure household income, and drives a nice car. Then why are we so compelled to come here solely based on scholarship? Because we're "well off" but not <em>RICH</em>.</p>

<p>Understand?</p>

<p>Fourth: My parents own a company and they frequently do business with top multi-millionarie executives. My dad knows a multi-millionaire and he told him that I was going to U-Miami. The guy just looked at him with a blank stare and said, "I'm not so sure I've heard much about that school." Maybe that guy was really poorly informed. Who knows. But the point is, that U-Miami is NOT widely known in the <em>real</em> rich culture as a rich/preppy school. Only the false "rich, snobby" mis-perception is known.</p>

<p>Fifth: Did you know that my uncle drives a Mercedes, owns a 6000 sq. feet house, and has to support 2 of my cousins? Does that make him <em>rich</em>? NO!!!. It puts him in the upper-middle class range. In fact, his household income is only $150K. Did you know my cousin recently bought a BMW? Guess what college he goes to? University of Maryland, College Park. Why? Because it was a PUBLIC school so he can ACTUALLY PAY FOR IT. In fact, he picked Maryland over Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, and Brown. Okay. So how does a kid who drives a BMW, lives in a big house, and yet, can't pay for a private-college education? I have the answer: BECAUSE HE SIMPLY CAN'T PAY FOR IT!! Why? Because hes NOT RICH! Don't let these fancy cars/big houses fool you!</p>

<p>Sixth: A common mis-perception: Yesterday a couple of friends and I were walking to class. We saw a girl wearing Lacoste and a Polo skirt. She had her collars popped, was wearing white designer sunglasses, was talking on a Razr Cellphone. One of my friends says, "look at that spoiled rich girl." Woah, hold on there buddy. How in the world does that image represent a <em>REAL</em> rich girl??? Look, does Donald Trump's daughter walk around popping her collars? With the exception of Movie Stars, most kids who belong to top CEOs of famous companies DO NOT show off their status like that. Seriously, how many kids here at UM can you name belong to famous parents or the CEO of Morgan Stanley?</p>

<p>Seventh: Do you current students notice that HALF this campus is PRE-MED? Now, why would someone go spend 8 years working hard for a Dr. degree when their parents are there? I'm not saying kids should be spoiled. They should work hard too. But the point I'm trying to make is, that Pre-Med is not for rich kids. Pre-Med is for middle-class kids who WANT to be rich later on. Get the difference? Real rich kids (like the Duke Lacrosse kid on TV who majored in Economics), major in something easier than pre-med, like Economics because they know that once they graduate, their parents have enough connections to help them succeed, without going pre-med.</p>

<p>Lastly: I think I've made enough points here. If you still can't figure out the difference between <em>rich</em> and "well-off" then you probably need professional help.</p>

<p>Here's a quick table for your reference:</p>

<p>Upper-Middle Class (Well off, but NOT RICH):
- 6-figure household income, but no more.
- Has a big house (value over $1 Million only cause of recent inflation and housing boom - this is bound to crash sooner or later)
- Drives a Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus (probably with financing)
- Sends their kids to private schools like U-Miami, Vanderbilt, Amherst
- Parents are probably doctors (not famous doctors), lawyers, real estate, computer engineers, or own a small-business.</p>

<p>The <em>REAL</em> Rich Class
- At least a 7-figure household income
- Has a big house
- Drives a Mercedes, etc etc....Probably even a Ferrari
- Sends their kids to private schools that give NO financial aid, like Princeton, Yale, Georgetown, etc etc...
- Parents are probably CEOs with $1 Million salaries + BIG Compensation, doctors (big surgeons), high-powered lawyers (with at least $500K salaries), real estate, or own a really successful business.
- These people probably live in places up North or down South such as Hutchinson Island, FL (there is a small community on HI where top AOL and CNN executives live).</p>

<p>feel free to discuss.</p>

2

<p>No offense, but you are approaching this from the view of an upper middle class WASP from somewhere in the northwest. For many people (I admit, not me by any means), $450 a month for a car is not possible; the down payment that is similar to a Jetta is not possible. I admit, I have a family income that is very similar to yours, and while I do not view my self as rich, people who are not as blessed as me will.</p>

<p>You should try to walk in other people's shows too, and understand, not rant. </p>

<p>(A Lacoste polo with the collar popped. Eww, popped collars are so 2005!)</p>

3

<p>I was not really ranting, but I was actually feeling bewildered at how common this mis-perception is.</p>

<p>I know that some families cannot support $450 a month. I was going to add more material to my post, but CC only lets me edit my post within 20 minutes.</p>

<p>I'm going to add it here: Yes, some new Mercedes can be financed with $450 a month, and that kind of money is not possible with many families in the 150k income range. </p>

<p>But, go on <a href="http://www.Cars.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.Cars.com&lt;/a> or a similiar auto-sales website. I can GUARANTEE you that you will find a 1995-2000 Mercedes that costs only $12k - $25k. I'm not kidding. So it still is very possible to be not wealthy and own many things that make you look wealthy.</p>

4

<p>The actuality of being a rich kid is not what bothers people. It's the illusion. When people where designer clothing, with popped collers, and walk/talk/act/drive/think like Paris Hilton and her ho-friends it gives off an image of American-ism that, while widely broadcast on the airwaves, is also widely frowned upon. The actual income and status is irrelevant. If you make no money or all the money in the world and you have a popped collar and wear UGG boots, your image is a disgusting celebration of wasted money. It's not the wealth that is disapproved of, it is the personality.</p>

5

<p>I think you made quite a bit of assumptions yourself. </p>

<p>I'm from an upper-middle class family, but there's no way my parents could pay for a private school for 4 years. We drive "nice cars." My parents buy lexuses because they're dependable. They just bought me a 2000 RX 300 for the same price as a friends new jeep Liberty. </p>

<p>Most anyone would go to a school that gave them the most scholarship money, despite where/which one it is.</p>

<p>Yes, I have heard the assumption that Miami is full of snobby kids and nice cars. I'm from a suburb of Oklahoma City where the median income is $77,000. $30,000 higher than the national median income. When my dad asked how this would bother me, i told him it was no different than where I live now, if that is the case. </p>

<p>The only thing that bothers me are the so-called rich kids that go there to party. I don't drink and don't plan on partying, especially if i'm there on scholarship...or even if my parents pay for it. I'm not going to waste someone else's money by going to school and partying for 4 years.</p>

6

<p>
[Quote]
The only thing that bothers me are the so-called rich kids that go there to party. I don't drink and don't plan on partying, especially if i'm there on scholarship...or even if my parents pay for it. I'm not going to waste someone else's money by going to school and partying for 4 years.

[/Quote]
</p>

<p>I agree, entirely.</p>

7

<p>I agree too. But the main point I was trying to make, is that the perception that UMiami is full of spoiled rich kids is not true. Just because they drive nice cars and wear designer clothing doesn't make them rich. Like what Kensir said, it has nothing to do with income, but the way someone presents themselves.</p>

<p>I'm just trying to make people realize that these mis-perceptions are what wrongly labels people and colleges like UM to be rich and spoiled.</p>

8

<p>The problem is not "rich" kids, but kids with an attitude of entitlement. Change the word "rich" to "spoiled" or "superficial" and you have where the stereotype comes from. It may or may not have anything to do with the actual amount of money one has or one's family has. It does, however, have to do with values and character.</p>

9

<p>Kensir and Music,</p>

<p>i dont drink or do the whole party club scene, and neither do my friends. there are actually a lot of us here who actually dont fit the stereotype..if you get involved in things you care about, you'll find your own group of friends who also dont succumb to the spoiled party-goer image. My biggest advice to anyone coming to UM is get involved, especially with the Student Leadership Center.</p>

10

<p>redsox, how do you like UM?</p>

11

<p>i love it. i like the whether, and I love how diverse the campus is. i like that its a big school, but still small enough where you bump into ppl you know everywhere, i like the class sizes, and I like being involved in the programs I am in. UM offers a ton of oppurtunities for students if they get involved, and that provides a real sense of community. It's been a very positive experience for me. Miami was never my first choice, but outside of my home state school, UM gave me the most money, and although it wasnt my number one when i started out, I'm really glad I came here.</p>

12

<p>Good to hear! =) I'm going down Friday to visit.</p>