<p>As someone who knows both Khadijah and financial aid, I’d like to point out that college budgets really do not account for all of the costs of attending college, the assumption being that either parents, savings/loans or work will make up the difference. Clearly, Khadijah does not have those resources. For example, every college student needs a decent computer, but that is hardly built into the budget. And all of the social activities that help make the Harvard experience “the Harvard experience” are not included in that budget. Add in costs for tutoring, eyeglasses and other items, and you’ll see that a full scholarship (which BTW includes a healthy does of loans and work-study) doesn’t cover the costs of Harvard.</p>
<p>In addition, when Khadijah’s story first came out in the LA Times, many readers offered assistance. The website was a response to that.</p>