First coined by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the term refers to the collection of social norms and assumed ways of being that are valued in specific contexts. At Renowned, such norms include the idea that students are supposed to network with faculty or feel entitled to ask for help. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds often have a disadvantage at college because they lack the cultural capital students from affluent or middle-class backgrounds possess, although Jack argues that some cultural capital is learned not at home but in high school, especially the elite ones attended by upper-income and Privileged Poor students.

Culture shock, as defined by the sociologist Kimberly Torres, is the feeling of strangeness and discomfort experienced by someone suddenly exposed to a new way of life or social attitude. Disadvantaged students often experience culture shock when exposed to their wealthier, whiter classmates at elite universities such as Renowned, as they are not used to being surrounded by conspicuous wealth or to navigating the unspoken norms of college life. However, the Privileged Poor typically experience this culture shock in high school, allowing them to more easily adjust to life at Renowned.