A Tale of Two Teens

Sarah and Jake were both high school seniors, but their experiences in the college admissions process couldn't have been more different.

Sarah was born into a wealthy family of investment bankers and lived in a luxurious doorman building in New York City. She attended a prestigious private high school, where her parents spared no expense in providing her with the best education and resources available. They hired private tutors to help her excel in her academic subjects. 

As a result of all this support, Sarah was able to maintain high grade and a great education.  

Jake, on the other hand, had a very different experience. He lived in the same doorman building as Sarah, and his father was the building's superintendent while his mother was a teacher. While they were not poor by most standards, they couldn't afford to send Jake to private school or hire private tutors.

Jake had to rely solely on his own work ethic to get through high school and he didn't have someone to show him study techniques or time management skills.

Despite these challenges, Jake was a dedicated and hard-working student. He maintained good grades and participated in extracurricular activities.

As Sarah and Jake began their college careers, it was clear that their respective journeys had been very different. Sarah had had access to all the resources and support she needed to excel in high school and get into a top-tier college, while Jake had had to work hard and rely on his own merit to get into college and to continue to teach himself study and organizational methods.

Throughout college, Sarah continued to receive support from her parents, who paid for her tuition and expenses and provided her with a generous allowance. She was able to focus on her studies and extracurricular activities without worrying about financial pressures.

Jake, on the other hand, had to work part-time jobs to help pay for his tuition and living expenses. He also had to take out student loans to cover the remaining costs. 

This added an extra layer of stress to his college experience, as he had to balance his coursework with the demands of his job and the burden of debt.

Despite these challenges, Jake was determined to succeed. He worked hard and excelled in his classes, eventually graduating with honors. He was proud of what he had accomplished and knew that he had earned it through his own hard work and determination.

Sarah also graduated with honors and went on to pursue a successful career. She got a job at one of her mother's friend's investment banks, thanks in part to the connections and support that her parents had provided her with. She was grateful for the support and resources that her parents had provided her with throughout her education, and knew that it had played a significant role in her success.

As they looked back on their college experiences, Sarah and Jake couldn't help but think about the ways in which their respective backgrounds had shaped their journeys. Sarah knew that she had been lucky to have the support and resources that she did, while Jake recognized the challenges he had faced and the extra effort he had had to put in to overcome them.

Despite the fact that Sarah was ultimately more financially successful than Jake, the two had become friends during their time living in the same building and were happy for each other's accomplishments. 

They couldn't help but wonder what might have been if they had had the same opportunities and advantages, but in the end, they were grateful for the experiences and lessons that they had learned and were excited for what the future held.