<p>Point well taken, Mustafah. But this debate was being argued from a purely statistical point of view from some commenters, which is the wrong way to look at it. I am completely aware of the inferences one can make from certain statistics, I just wanted to point out that there is more than facts and figures to this entire argument; the cultural aspect was largely being ignored.</p>
<p>With your point being made, the most accurate statistic that could be used would be the percentage of wealthy students who are sensitive to the issues lower-class students face with concerns to spending and money. Because that statistic does not exist (and would be rather hard to map out anyways) there are other things from which we can gauge this level and gauge the level of comfort a poorer student may feel at Princeton.</p>
<p>For one, Princeton is well known for financial aid, even beyond the initial full ride that lower class students recieve. There are numerous social opportunites that students can take advantage of if they come from a poor background. Financial aid exists for eating clubs. There are numerous university-sponsored trips to NYC, for Broadway shows and such, that are either free or come at a reduced price to the student. And many social opportunities, such as extracurriculars or parties, come at no cost or very minimal cost to the student. </p>
<p>With your point about a “bland” dormroom, (and other pieces of evidence that a student does not have money, such as clothing or technology) I can tell you this: Creativity is free. I know that my parents aren’t going to want to spend $1000+ on furniture and decorations for my dorm. The only solution is to be creative- along the same lines that a starving artist would be creative. Equate it to fashion: you can buy style at both Bergdorf’s and The Salvation Army. The execution of your resources is more important than the cost it took to obtain them.</p>
<p>If a student is truly concerned about being socially outcast due to their financial situation, and if they are bothered by a friend who keeps making comments on certain things or asks why they won’t go out, then there should be no reason to be ashamed of telling them your situation. Which comes back to my original point: The wealthy students at Princeton probably are not snobs when it comes to wealth. They may not completely comprehend the extent of your personal situation, but they will be (or at least should be) understanding of it.</p>
<p>And HarvardHopeful#1: Of course there are: “diverse and interesting perspectives presented in a mature and sincere manner.” We are all applying to Princeton, after all.</p>