What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school? • Hacker News Board

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#91

Post by vezzy-fnord » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:35 PM UTC

mattmanser wrote: post #85

vcxzxcv wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this post. I'm debating applying to a state University right now. Coming from a poor background (and still being poor) I find it hard to relate to a lot of my peers. You speak of "dropping baggage", and for me, this is next to impossible because of my poor dental health. As soon as I open my mouth people assume I must be some meth head. My mom has dementia and can barely take care of her self and my dad is…

Leave your teeth to decay? Clean your fucking teeth. Grow up and do something about it. You are now in control of your destiny. You can program, so you can make money if you can figure out how to get jobs. Pretty much the whole world is crying for programmers, get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. Stop being a victim.

Presumably there's jawline issues (overbite) and the teeth aren't properly aligned, besides the hygiene. Those invariably require long-term dental intervention, as I have personally experienced.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#92

Post by taurath » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:42 PM UTC

mc32 wrote: post #21

stegosaurus wrote: post #9

I attended an elite UK university having had a poor upbringing. This article reads painfully to me. I don't have the words to describe why, but I can try. The closest I can come is to say that this idea of inclusiveness is terminally broken. It's a sort of bandage over a huge chasm of differences. For a poor person to become wealthy requires them to discard their baggage. Change the accent, the clothes, the pop cultu…

I dunno. I went to a state uni and worked my way thru school. Yeah I get it, there were times your feel out of place. People able to go to nice places during holidays, etc. But my god, I didn't feel inferior just because I could not afford those things. Sure there were times dates consisted of taking a trip on mass transit somewhere you have never been just to see what's there. But hell, you're going to school so you…

This is about connections later in life that can have huge economic benefits. Connections to someone who's starting a business and needs a co-founder is much more "economically" valuable than someone who's going in as a regular software developer. Same person, same skillset, different connections, very very different economic outcomes.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#93

Post by patrickmclaren » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:45 PM UTC

mattmanser wrote: post #85

vcxzxcv wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this post. I'm debating applying to a state University right now. Coming from a poor background (and still being poor) I find it hard to relate to a lot of my peers. You speak of "dropping baggage", and for me, this is next to impossible because of my poor dental health. As soon as I open my mouth people assume I must be some meth head. My mom has dementia and can barely take care of her self and my dad is…

Leave your teeth to decay? Clean your fucking teeth. Grow up and do something about it. You are now in control of your destiny. You can program, so you can make money if you can figure out how to get jobs. Pretty much the whole world is crying for programmers, get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. Stop being a victim.

You have stated exactly what the commenter needs to accomplish without a single consideration as to how to change their mind to do so, which in this case is likely the more pressing issue.

Instead of telling someone who is doing X and failing to stop doing X and start wining, it might be more helpful to suggest a realistic next action. In this case, perhaps apply to some very local universities for a CS degree, keep family close, and research community dental clinics with affordable payment plans.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#94

Post by JoeAltmaier » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:45 PM UTC

stegosaurus wrote: post #23

mc32 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno. I went to a state uni and worked my way thru school. Yeah I get it, there were times your feel out of place. People able to go to nice places during holidays, etc. But my god, I didn't feel inferior just because I could not afford those things. Sure there were times dates consisted of taking a trip on mass transit somewhere you have never been just to see what's there. But hell, you're going to school so you…

Ah, but you see, that's my point. It's not inferiority, or lack of confidence. I didn't 'feel' out of place. I was out of place - the whole thing was out of place. The article seems to focus on the 'bad', as if there's an injustice perpetrated against poor students. But it doesn't work like that. The people just inhabit different worlds, the mutual understanding is limited, it requires effort rather than being automa…

SO, its natural and right that schools should be tailored for the rich? That's not an injustice? Remember, these are tax-exempt institutions.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#95

Post by vcxzxcv » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:45 PM UTC

mattmanser wrote: post #85

vcxzxcv wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this post. I'm debating applying to a state University right now. Coming from a poor background (and still being poor) I find it hard to relate to a lot of my peers. You speak of "dropping baggage", and for me, this is next to impossible because of my poor dental health. As soon as I open my mouth people assume I must be some meth head. My mom has dementia and can barely take care of her self and my dad is…

Leave your teeth to decay? Clean your fucking teeth. Grow up and do something about it. You are now in control of your destiny. You can program, so you can make money if you can figure out how to get jobs. Pretty much the whole world is crying for programmers, get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. Stop being a victim.

I don't think cleaning them is going to make them grow back or reverse the decay that's already happened. My dental health is the result of not having dental insurance for most of my life.

I brush three times a day and I quit drinking soda and eating candy a while ago.

>Grow up and do something about it.

Uhh.. I am.

>get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you.

I'm doing what I can. I plan on building a "resume" over the summer.

Just so you're aware, even though it sounded like it, I was not complaining about my situation. I'm not looking for help, just thought I'd add my perspective to the thread.

I actually don't think I would change much about my early life at all. Part of me feels that if I hadn't struggled with being poor I would not have had the motivation to become a programmer, and I enjoy programming.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#96

Post by kelukelugames » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:46 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #56

dsp1234 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously a side note, but I did a test on a topic similar to this. My SO convinced me to try out a custom shoe place (highly reviewed, and recommended) on the theory that if I was only going to buy one pair of shoes, that I should at least have a quality pair to wear around. The results from that (sole) experiment were that the shoes lasted longer but not so much so that they beat out multiple pairs of cheaper shoes…

That's why most people don't take their economic advice from works of fiction.

Chris Rock had a character on SNL. He was a militant black panther giving stock advice. It was great.

Does anyone have the name or any clips?

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#97

Post by taurath » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:50 PM UTC

mathattack wrote: post #83

vcxzxcv wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this post. I'm debating applying to a state University right now. Coming from a poor background (and still being poor) I find it hard to relate to a lot of my peers. You speak of "dropping baggage", and for me, this is next to impossible because of my poor dental health. As soon as I open my mouth people assume I must be some meth head. My mom has dementia and can barely take care of her self and my dad is…

Hang in there! I don't mean to sound trite, but if your personal situation allows you to go to college, do it. It will pay off in the end. I stress personal situation. You'll always be able to fix your teeth later - after college you will be able to get a good job with good health insurance. (& that can help fix a lot of things) I'm not sure about your personal situation with your parents - I can't moralize on that.…

Also may I say, as someone in a similar situation who chose to quickly get into work - do not only look at the economic benefits, but also the social benefits. You will meet so many people just going through college that are just like you, its a wonderful way to gain friends that will improve your whole life. In college the people you meet will be friends or at least acquaintances for a lot of your life. At work the second you or their leave a company you will likely not speak very much at all.

Of course, it depends on the person as well - but know that that friendships and meeting people like you is one of the biggest reasons to go to college and does factor into your decision. There aren't a lot of institutions out there where you'll be able to do that outside of a job. Of course, with student loans being as they are, I'm not quite sure whats worse.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#98

Post by learnstats2 » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:53 PM UTC

cperciva wrote: post #57

This very much reminds me of my time in Oxford. I was there on a Commonwealth scholarship (referred to by many at the time as "Rhodes light") which paid for my tuition plus about £550/month of living expenses; this was enough to keep me alive, but it certainly wasn't generous. My friends were very obviously split into two groups -- poorer students from state schools who were first-generation Oxbridge attendees, and r…

>but financially I was far closer to the first-generation students

I suggest you have understated your relative wealth.

UK students at Oxford today are entitled to £478/month living expense (in 2015 money), which they get mostly as a student loan, to be repaid.

Taking into account inflation, or looking at the equivalent scholarship today, I believe you were almost twice as well-off as the typical student from a poorer background.

[I don't doubt there were students twice as rich again, but I question the suggestion that you weren't treated generously in this context]

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#99

Post by nicholas1849 » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:55 PM UTC

mattmanser wrote: post #85

vcxzxcv wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for this post. I'm debating applying to a state University right now. Coming from a poor background (and still being poor) I find it hard to relate to a lot of my peers. You speak of "dropping baggage", and for me, this is next to impossible because of my poor dental health. As soon as I open my mouth people assume I must be some meth head. My mom has dementia and can barely take care of her self and my dad is…

Leave your teeth to decay? Clean your fucking teeth. Grow up and do something about it. You are now in control of your destiny. You can program, so you can make money if you can figure out how to get jobs. Pretty much the whole world is crying for programmers, get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. Stop being a victim.

Comments like yours deserve a lifetime ban. You seriously do not have to be so rude. You don't have to take it personally. And you don't have to make it personal.

Re: What is it like to be poor at an Ivy League school?

#100

Post by lotsofmangos » Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 10:57 PM UTC

vcxzxcv wrote: post #95

mattmanser wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Leave your teeth to decay? Clean your fucking teeth. Grow up and do something about it. You are now in control of your destiny. You can program, so you can make money if you can figure out how to get jobs. Pretty much the whole world is crying for programmers, get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. Stop being a victim.

I don't think cleaning them is going to make them grow back or reverse the decay that's already happened. My dental health is the result of not having dental insurance for most of my life. I brush three times a day and I quit drinking soda and eating candy a while ago. >Grow up and do something about it. Uhh.. I am. >get over your social anxiety and meet people who will pay you. I'm doing what I can. I plan on buildi…

One thing to keep in mind is that there are many places around the world that have excellent dentists at far cheaper prices than you will get in the USA.

I know a few people in the UK who have travelled abroad for cosmetic dental work as it saved them thousands.

Edit - here's the kind of prices you get in Eastern Europe http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/private-treatment-abroad/which-co...

Though it may be cheaper for you to try and find somewhere in Central America, or the Caribbean.