Exposing the Gaps in Princeton’s Facade of Economic Inclusivity

When it came to decision day, with the unexpected letter of admission, the choice seemed obvious–go with the Ivy League castle. After all, we’ve never had anyone in the family go to a castle, as my mom would gush. Most importantly, the castle ironically happened to be the most affordable place to go. The castle practically paid me to go. The castle would help me afford to visit my family over winter break, a luxury that I couldn’t get elsewhere. In the end, my choice to choose Princeton didn’t feel like a choice at all. It was an obligation–an opportunity that was realistically impossible to deny.

Flash forward a few months to move-in day, my first time witnessing the campus, in all its stone-arch, colonial-style-window glory.