I don't know that we need to get too worried about individual financial situations.<br/><br/>It's school housing.  For characters like Mikaela and Olivia the school purposefully placed them in housing that would most likely accommodate them for whatever reason.  For everyone else, the characters got lucky and were placed in a very "plush" house.  Winners of a housing lotto, or possibly beneficiaries of unexpected water damage, smoke damage, or what have you that made their originally assigned housing unlivable.  Scholarships can often cover school and housing but not necessarily food, gas, clothes, or books.<br/><br/>I don't believe the huge different in economic status is going to matter much unless the game does turn into a long term game, which I hope it does.  At which time, I trust players to make it one of those underlying issues within the house that can cause rifts or "drama".