
The Privileged Poor exposes elite colleges' hidden failure of low-income students, challenging the myth that admission equals inclusion. Featured in The New York Times and Washington Post, Jack's eye-opening research reveals: what happens when universities invite diversity without creating true belonging?
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Standing in a college elevator, four students chat casually about coffee when one suggests, "You should come with me to Italy!" while another offers Argentinean beans from her room. For some, this exchange is utterly ordinary. For others, it's a gut-punch reminder that they don't belong. Elite universities have flung open their gates to low-income students through generous financial aid, yet something crucial gets lost between admission and graduation. Not all poor students experience college the same way, and this hidden divide shapes everything from classroom participation to career prospects. Some navigate these wealthy spaces with surprising ease, while others feel like permanent outsiders. The difference isn't about intelligence or determination-it's about something far more subtle that most diversity initiatives completely miss.
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