What it's like to be poor in an Ivy League(or any elite/respectable private college)

[ucbalumnus]

@outlooker

I’m not as poor as you seem to be while leaving for college. We’re a family of 4 and my dad is the only one who works. He makes about 55k, which is poor, but not extreme poverty level. Hopefully I can afford to wear nice clothes and electronics; but I would have pretty much no spare cash after that.

That level of income is about the median household income in the US.

However, at some of the best known private colleges, about half of the students do not get financial aid, which often means household income over $200,000. Just use your money wisely and spend it only on what is of value to you, rather than spending for status symbols to impress others.