[ineedasername]

About the fast track portion sure, but otherwise, really, no. The median household income in NYC is about $100,000. San Francisco is about $90,000. Even at the high end of your estimate that's falling up to 25% short of $180k.

Also it's really not proper to take the highest cost of living areas in this situation and say "it's okay they're kind of close to $180,000!"

Taking the outliers as examples to support the idea that the average family meets it is close to the median is really a bad comparison. Most of the country doesn't live in those areas. It would only be an appropriate comparison if Princeton received most if their students from those areas, and they don't.

[caddemon]

I agree with your general point but take a look at the map on this page: https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/admission-statisti...

Princeton definitely does (unintentionally) bias admissions towards major metro areas. It's just way easier to have a good application in these places.

[cm2012]

Median household income in nyc proper is 50k. It's only 100k if you include the burns further out.