Can't I be accepted too?

By: Shayna Butler 

                    In a recent TED talk by Sugata Mitra, his research in poor countries shows that children, from all backgrounds can learn. He focused his research in poorer countries, gave them a computer with a topic and walked away. Came back two months later, and the children had learned something. 

Anyone can learn! Given the right resources we all can learn and we all can succeed. A friend of mine grew up very rich, went to a private school, parents paid over 50k just for high school alone. She went on to college and dropped out, and ended up at the local diner as a server. She had every advantage to get her college degree at a great school and make good money. Just because you have the right resources doesn't mean you're going to do well. Now I have another friend who grew up in center city, went through the public school system and ended up going to med school. Why such a difference? My friend went to the public library every day and studied, read, and used the free computer to do her homework. 

However, at the end of the day there is still a huge line between the two. One is rich and one is poor. The rich girl graduated high school with a nice g.p.a and went to an Ivy League University for a couple of years. The poor girl graduated high school with a 4.0 and a ton of extracurricular activities. She ended up at a state college and graduating there at the top of her class! But why didn't she ended up at a nice ivy league school? There is was no funding for her to go. (She worked while going to school, saved up money and just made it to med school!)

Here is a list of Economic Diversity in colleges on who receives Pell Grants:

Source:http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/poor-students-at-rich-colleges/

There is something seriously wrong with this picture. Just because you're white and I'm not or you're rich and I"m not. Does NOT mean you should be able to be chosen over me or it doesn't mean I can't learn as well as you. I can't help but feel, that if the Ivy League schools allow poor people into them, then they won't be "Ivy League" anymore. Who the hell cares? Harvard has 20,000 students and only 14% of them need financial assistants paying for a $38,400 tuition payment and that's not including extra costs, or living expenses. 

Allowing someone ANYONE to attend ANY school and get a degree will allow people of all sorts to succeed in this country and make an impact! How can we change this? 

America the Land of Contradictions

Submitted by Imane Khaddouch

          Poverty is a universal phenomenon that exists in all nations and can be obviously seen in our quotidian life through hungers and homeless people. Even in the most sophisticated countries, like The United States, there are many people who struggle to maintain the basic standard of living, while a little  portion of society monopolize wealth, prestige and power. According to Schaefer, the U.S Census Bureau reported that “one in five households has trouble meeting basic needs, from paying the utility bills to buying diner.”             
          The American society is a mixture of different races and cultures who brings with them the hope to find better opportunities to live better and realize the American dream. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize even the moderate dreams because of the inequality of opportunities or sometimes the hard luck. But, the inevitable truth is that there are many people who are ingrained in poverty and live a marginalized life.  In fact, even middle class people can experience poverty when they can’t afford their credit card bills, home mortgages and medical bills (in the absence of health insurance). Furthermore, many hardworking people lost their beautiful houses through mortgage foreclosures as they can’t pay their monthly mortgage, which is unfair punishment.

Poverty  continues to rise by over 40% as result of spending cuts and sharpest fall in incomes in 35 years, IFS Report Warns

The picture shows the high income inequality that helped early societies spread.

 Homelessness is one of the most dramatic aspects of poverty that is a real reality in the American society; however, wealthy people enjoy the luxury life. Every time you walk in the street, you will see victims of poverty, who are usually elderly people, who don’t have a permanent shelter or even food. Paradoxically, upper class families spend a lot of money to buy pets` food. Furthermore, the working class also struggles to afford a decent living because they support a huge family or they get low wages.
the following video talks about how the U.S poverty rate continues to raise.

The stratification of the American society becomes more and more obvious.  The inequality of access of education and medical coverage increase the gap between the upper class and the lower class.  Indeed, poor people should be aware of their rights as American citizens and have equal opportunities as the wealthy people have. On the other hand, they also should consider the importance of getting higher education, which is the key of success in the U.S. It is shameful to blame poor individuals about their situation, instead, we should give them a hand to improve their social situation and give them the hope to have a better future for them and their children.