Exposing the Gaps in Princeton’s Facade of Economic Inclusivity

For most of us, there are noticeable gaps in everyday life at Princeton. In fact, I think you could ask anyone on campus if there are gaps between low-income students and the rest of the student population, and most would respond in the affirmative, citing the obvious wealth gap. But for low-income students, it’s more than just a wealth gap.

It’s an affordability gap–telling your friends that you can’t go to Nassau Street to get Tacoria because you already spent $15 on laundry detergent at the overpriced University Store or CVS. It’s a comfort gap–feeling afraid of the eating club system because it feels like networking, which you are also afraid of because it's so foreign to you. An experience gap–best said by one of the freshmen who I talked to, referring to those who came from a higher status than them– “these kids haven’t seen shit.” A conversation gap–not knowing what to say when your classmate mentions going to Cancun over winter break. A family gap–not being able to call your mom to get feedback on a paper or problem set, not because your parents are dumb, but because they were never trained to define “motive” in a paper. It’s an opportunity gap–seeing someone who takes the exact classes as you get an internship because they knew someone who knew someone. It’s a motivation gap–taking 5 courses in a semester not because you have to, but because you are afraid to miss out on a funded opportunity. A food gap–being relieved at the reliable sight of food in the dining hall and uneasy at the thought of someone cleaning your plate for you. It’s a knowledge gap–trying to take the BSE general requirements but getting weeded out in the process because your high school didn’t offer AP Physics, Chem, or Calculus. A stress gap–because if you do have to pay some part of tuition, “parent contribution” is your responsibility and really, just a fancy way of saying “student contribution.”