Dear Dartmouth,

I never really felt “poor” until I came to Dartmouth. Once I arrived, I could not escape constant reminders of this fact; classmates of mine were able to hire movers, break rules without being worried about fines, and spend money at restaurants freely. After eventually forming a small group of friends from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, I realized that my experience was not unique, but also not widespread. For those of us without adequate support networks – financially or otherwise – our experiences were clouded by isolation and culture shock. At Dartmouth, we were incredibly small fish, in a small pond, filled with barracudas. 

Over the last few decades, the College has implemented several significant changes in its admissions process with the intention of increasing the number of first-generation low-income (FGLI) students on campus. One of the most successful programs to emerge from this desire has been FYSEP, the First-Year Student-Enrichment Program, which began in 2009. FYSEP invites FGLI students to Dartmouth for a four-week pre-orientation program before their freshman year, aiming to help these students during the transitionary period into college. During a conversation with FYSEP Director Jay Davis, we explored some strengths and weaknesses of the young program, as well as new ways for empowering students to make changes outside of institutional spaces.

Olivia Reyna-Lovelace, a ’21 from Houston and FYSEP participant, had some thoughts on the role of institutions like the College in alleviating different burdens. Although she was able to attend a “magnet” high school (a selective high school with a focus on a particular subject, like STEM or the arts), Lovelace found her high school counselors unequipped to help her during the college application process and could not afford help outside of school. Other than her father helping her with math on occasion, Lovelace stated that she has “never had a tutor in [her] life.” 

Her transition to Dartmouth was aided by FYSEP, though complicated by feelings of impostor syndrome and guilt for leaving her family behind. Causing further stress was the fact that Lovelace required money to pay her thousand-dollar student contribution (common for students who have zero family contribution) as well as to buy small necessities on campus. Unlike students who received allowances or care packages, Lovelace has “always worked several jobs nonstop since [she has] gotten here,” which has been a tremendous stressor for her in addition to applying for law school and internships. 

On the other end of the spectrum, a conversation with Physics and Astronomy Major Catherine Slaughter ’21 revealed how much of a head-start peers from wealthier backgrounds may have, as well as some of the barriers that prevent greater understanding among students. Hailing from a wealthy Chicago suburb, Slaughter and her siblings had access to SAT/ACT tutoring, and attended a small private school with counselors and classes devoted to ensuring students would get into “good” colleges. While she also faced some issues transitioning to college, she clarified that these issues were mostly social and not academic or financial. 

Slaughter made clear, however, that she does not feel guilt because of how she grew up, as “guilt is not a productive emotion”, but rather feels anger and sadness for her friends who worry about things she has never had to think about. One example she provided was friends skipping meals during finals week because they are out of DASH dining credits and cannot afford more. In the social realm, Slaughter says that “[she] can go into just about any space on Dartmouth’s campus, and [she] will find people who see [her] as an equal and a peer”, an experience that may not necessarily ring true for marginalized people on campus.

The ability to concentrate solely on her studies is a luxury, Slaughter emphasizes, that is not available to all students. She explained that through her work with the Dartmouth Emerging Engineers program, she became aware of the fact that financial insecurity can hinder a student’s ability to concentrate, no matter how much they study. “At the end of the day,” she explained, “you can teach an FGLI student everything they need to do, and they can do all of those things perfectly, and they could still struggle because they have to be concerned about money.” Slaughter accepts that a larger social shift is necessary, but, like Lovelace, sees the largest barriers as institutional ones; FGLI students have little voice in administrative matters and currently do not have an effective method to communicate grievances to the College. Under the premise that FGLI students should be “grateful” just to attend a school like Dartmouth, significant and addressable difficulties in thriving on campus persist.

Yours truly, 

Attiya

Featured Image by Farnoosh Abdollahi on Unsplash

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