Most parents like mine, who had never gone to college,
were either intimidated or oblivious (and sometimes
outright hostile) to the intricacies of college
admissions and financial aid. I had no idea what I was
doing when I applied. Once, I’d heard a volleyball
coach mention paying off her student loans, and this
led me to assume that college was like a restaurant —
you paid when you were done. When I realized I needed
my mom’s and my stepfather’s income information and
tax documents, they refused to give them to me. They
were, I think, ashamed.
Almost painful to read that. Hit close to home a little too much. Sometimes I wonder whether it's simply willful ignorance by the upper class to ignore the realities of the poor class.
