A writer in the NY Times notes:
Unfortunately, if not surprisingly, abundant evidence shows that universities are more responsive to requests from their highest-paying customers. With tuitions rising ever higher and government subsidies only a fraction of what they once were, universities are dependent on money from affluent families. That model pushes schools to cater to the demands of privileged students and their families, even though doing so increases inequalities between those students and the less privileged peers whose tuitions the wealthy families essentially subsidize. And the more that schools cater to privileged families, the more entitled those families may feel to make demands. Fixing these kinds of inequities would take a massive shift in the way the country supports families and funds both public K-12 schools and higher education. Even in the absence of that kind of shift, though, universities can do more to help students succeed in their classes, regardless of the level of privilege they bring with them or the types of majors they pursue. That means investing more in faculty hiring, to allow for smaller class sizes, and in academic advisers and other student support staff members, who are often deeply underpaid. It also means ensuring that students aren’t facing pressure to try to overload on courses in order to graduate early and save on tuition, room and board. That they don’t have to worry about having enough food to eat or a place to live or access to health care (including mental health care) or reliable technology. That they don’t have to juggle class work with working long hours for pay. And that they don’t have to circulate formal petitions to get the support and respect they deserve.
The above is written by some Sociologist, most likely never took OC and probably struggled through statistics at that. The two points highlighted are worth taking notice.
First, in all my years I never was pressured to take notice or parents wealth or position. In fact when at Columbia I had a student whose father was the CEO of a major US corporation. Needless to say it had no effect, and not even noticed, except amongst some students.
Second, my Junior year I spent $5 a week on food and $35 a month on rent. Rutabagas, dry milk, tea. Possibly a couple of apples. 25 credits a semester, no parental support and straight As. No cell phone etc! One was driven by succeeding and competing. Technology, none at all. Borrowed a type writer.
Life is juggling, so get used to it.
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