Exposing the Gaps in Princeton’s Facade of Economic Inclusivity

I am not too proud to admit, I chose to apply to Princeton because I thought it looked pretty. Applying to, much less being admitted to, an Ivy League seemed like a pipe dream, unrealistic to the point of irresponsible. When I told my mother I was going to apply to an Ivy League school she reacted much like a parent whose child tells them they want to be a movie star despite never auditioning for a school play– “are you sure about that?” Trying her best to subtly suggest alternatives. “Is it really worth your time?” “I heard your cousin got nearly a full tuition scholarship at *insert small, local school here*, why don’t you look into that?”

So it seemed reasonable that I chose which Ivy League to apply to based on something as arbitrary as looks. It’s like online shopping with clothes you know you could never afford to buy. Not Harvard, the buildings weren’t as pretty, not Yale, it seemed too big, not Dartmouth, it was too isolated, and so on. Naturally, I was swayed by the castle-like architecture of Princeton, and I applied with little hope of becoming a student but with many romanticized daydreams of studying in stern intellectual buildings.