The Daily Princetonian recently published the results of a survey done by the school’s “Committee on Background and Opportunity” (COMBO). The Committee found that students’ experiences at Princeton varied with their self-reported socioeconomic class.

This isn’t exactly earth-shattering news, nor is it a phenomenon unique to Princeton — renting on 44th and Chestnut is not the same as living in the Radian, dinner at Pod costs way more than a sandwich at Frita’s and 50-cent night on campus is different from bottle service downtown.

But in addition to a discrepancy in “student experience” there was also “some discrepancy among members of the same [self-reported] income bracket as to which social class they belong to.”

Uhhh, by “some discrepancy” COMBO means that of the students who reported “upper-middle class” status, some had parents who earned $25,000 per year and some had parents who earned $1 million annually. So upper-middle class means just above the poverty line… or… a millionaire?

Homer Simpson lives in Evergreen Terrace, “the nicest upper-lower-middle class section of Springfield” and it seems that Princeton’s students (okay, and probably everyone else too) are equally confused. (more…)