<p>@SholtoPinn
One of my best friends is low-income and applying through Questbridge. His dad died of cancer when he was 5 years old; his mother had polio as a child and is physically disabled because of it. Nevertheless, she works 2 jobs 50+ hours a week just to make about $25,000. In order to participate in extracurricular activities, he works 20 hours a week on top of taking 4 AP classes, just so he can pay for his activities.</p>
<p>Can you even imagine how much harder he has to work than the average student just to participate in an EC so he can go to college. He’s not getting any unfair advantage in the applications process; he’s being given due consideration for the hardships he’s had to endure for 18 years. It’s not because his parents are lazy, or don’t want to work hard and make more money. Did I mention he has 3 younger siblings?</p>
<p>I don’t know how much money your family makes, but I think it’s safe to assume that you haven’t had to grow up with a single parent and a family income of less than $30,000. And a “measly $20,000” is the difference between eating a proper meal every day and eating canned beans and bread. It is the difference between having a house and being homeless. It’s the difference between being able to buy your own clothes as opposed to getting them secondhand. A difference that, in short, a person can never truly appreciate until he has seen and experienced it firsthand.</p>
<p>If you cannot appreciate the trials these students have had to endure just to stay in school with so much going on at home, you are entitled to your opinion. But DO NOT disrespect these people by belittling their struggles.</p>