School Tier Ranking based on Privilege

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this group well. This is where their kids go:
W&L
Bucknell
Colorado College
Wake Forest
Trinity
Middlebury
Hamilton
Bowdoin
Duke and Dartmouth if legacies

You are missing a few schools but this is a pretty good list.

What people should be asking themselves it "what do the wealthy and connected in the Finance, PE, Big Law crowd know that we don't" given that they send their kids to SLACs? I know of a friend group at one of those schools where the families are Tech Exec, PE, PE, IB, Big Law, Big Law, CEO, CFO, CRO. No generational wealth but a lot of wealth.

I used to teach at one of the less-competitive schools on this list. The answer to PP's question is that wealthy parents will spend the money to pay full tuition get their kid lots of hand-holding and attention at a SLAC, because that's the difference between a borderline kid failing out and graduating with a solid B average; or a good-but-not-great kid getting Bs v graduating magna cum laude. The smartest kids from these families still go to HYSP.

[Anonymous]

DP: And at least my old school was need-aware for admissions. I know some of the ones on this list are need-blind, I imagine that creates a different dynamics. But our admissions office was pretty straightforwardly courting the less-than-brilliant kids of rich families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this group well. This is where their kids go:
W&L
Bucknell
Colorado College
Wake Forest
Trinity
Middlebury
Hamilton
Bowdoin
Duke and Dartmouth if legacies

I would add- wash U, NYU, Swarthmore, Georgetown

[Anonymous]

Don't Forget The Military Service Academies

https://exeter.edu/academics/college-counseling/college-matriculation/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this group well. This is where their kids go:
W&L
Bucknell
Colorado College
Wake Forest
Trinity
Middlebury
Hamilton
Bowdoin
Duke and Dartmouth if legacies

You are missing a few schools but this is a pretty good list.

What people should be asking themselves it "what do the wealthy and connected in the Finance, PE, Big Law crowd know that we don't" given that they send their kids to SLACs? I know of a friend group at one of those schools where the families are Tech Exec, PE, PE, IB, Big Law, Big Law, CEO, CFO, CRO. No generational wealth but a lot of wealth.

I used to teach at one of the less-competitive schools on this list. The answer to PP's question is that wealthy parents will spend the money to pay full tuition get their kid lots of hand-holding and attention at a SLAC, because that's the difference between a borderline kid failing out and graduating with a solid B average; or a good-but-not-great kid getting Bs v graduating magna cum laude. The smartest kids from these families still go to HYSP.

Nonsense, it’s personal choice. The kids at the top dozen SLACs punch with any kid anywhere all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a wild thought: how about our department of education stops favoring the unions and puts some money instead into the underprivileged high schools so the colleges don't need have so many unprepared kids?

Take a look at NYC, where the per capita spending per pupil is one of the highest in the nation.
Yet dismal results.
Money doesn't solve everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Believe it or not Ole Miss has a preppy privileged feel. Lots of private school educated kids, private jets, fancy cars, designer clothes, unlimited budgets and "old" money. Not at all what you would expect.

What is Ole Miss?

You're not from around here are you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That preppy & privileged feel is fading significantly at Princeton. My DS says that it only really exists with the athletes & legacies at the eating clubs. Otherwise, Princeton heavily favors and targets underprivileged kids for admission.

Does your DS think it’s good that it’s fading?

Curious to hear. I’m a Princeton alum, BIPOC, and I think the targeting underprivileged kids has gone a bit too far. Sadly, it’s resulted in professors diluting standards to get kids who are not well-prepared academically to graduation.

You need a good mix of kids from different socioeconomic backgrounds for a first class university.

Princeton doesn't need to choose between preppy and unqualified. You can find highly qualified non-preppy kids in the oft-neglected MC/UMC stratum. (DC MC is US UMC)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a wild thought: how about our department of education stops favoring the unions and puts some money instead into the underprivileged high schools so the colleges don't need have so many unprepared kids?

Underprivileged high schools often get more money per student. Furthermore, nationwide per pupil spending has increased faster than inflation even as performance has declined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't Forget The Military Service Academies

https://exeter.edu/academics/college-counseling/college-matriculation/

If you factor in the chance of getting a nomination

USNA, USMA, USAA have the same acceptance rate as HYP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't Forget The Military Service Academies

https://exeter.edu/academics/college-counseling/college-matriculation/

If you factor in the chance of getting a nomination

USNA, USMA, USAA have the same acceptance rate as HYP

Nominations vary widely in difficulty depending on where you live. In some regions they aren’t that hard to get.