Surprise! You're Rich!
U.S. News has an article this week called "Class Consciousness" that is about the alleged "invisible minority" at our nation's colleges - low-income students. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? I thought so too, until I read this passage:
"At the Nation's 146 most selective colleges and universities, according to another study last year, there are 25 high income students (from families making $77,000 and above) for every first-generation student from the lowest bracket."
Are you kidding me? They're calling a family that makes $77,000 per year "high-income?" Hey, I suppose I should at least give them credit for revealing their completely idiotic classification scheme, as most papers would have probably left out the parenthetical, but again... I have to ask, are you f**king kidding me?
Anyone can come up with a scary sounding 25-1 ratio if they make ridiculous classifications. This isn't reporting, this is just plain propaganda. I can't believe I paid for a subscription to this garbage.
Posted by jkhat at May 1, 2005 02:20 PM
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| # May 1st, 2005 3:22 PM chummer |
| The median family income in MA (home to quite a few of the top colleges) is $82,561. Thus, more than 50% of families in MA would qualify as "high-income." Source here.
CT, NJ, MD, NH, and MN also qualify as having greater than or equal to 50% of their families being "high-income." Life is good and the economy is on fire. Should we buy our next SUV in gold or silver? |
| # May 1st, 2005 4:43 PM david |
| Whats the lowest bracket? |
| # May 3rd, 2005 2:47 PM PackerFan63 |
| High Family Income: ($77,000)
Dad the Fireman: $31,000 Mom the Office Manager: $36,000 Billy the Part-Time Bagger: $4,000 Sally the Part-Time Video Clerk: $6,000 Where do they manage to stash all that cash? |
| # May 6th, 2005 11:38 PM mbrlr |
| That may be based on the inequity of our minimum wage. Check it out against the British minimum and European minimums. If we have so many very poor, I suppose we should have a low level at which we declare someone wealthy. Makes things look better on paper. |
| # May 7th, 2005 7:19 AM kris |
| Ha! We don't have so very many very poor. I think everyone's familiar with the stats about America's "poor" vs. Europe's average citizen. I don't have time to cite it now, but I'll find a link later today. |
| # May 7th, 2005 10:12 AM mbrlr |
| Oh. Really? Plug in medical costs if you plug in nothing else and we're...well, think of an ancient Anglo-Saxon word you know, and it ain't "Beowulf". Unless you're already rich and one of GW's friends. Then it's party time!
Come to East Arkansas and tell the many, many poor (no quotation marks) folks in the Delta how much better off they are. I'm sure they'll listen politely. |