Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

My DS's friend group at an ivy is also drawn from alums from the schools in bold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

My DS's friend group at an ivy is also drawn from alums from the schools in bold.

Interesting.

I've only heard of all the lDC privates, the NYC privates, the Boarding school privates, and Harvard-Westlake and The Urban School in SF. I haven't heard about the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

My DS's friend group at an ivy is also drawn from alums from the schools in bold.

Interesting.

I've only heard of all the lDC privates, the NYC privates, the Boarding school privates, and Harvard-Westlake and The Urban School in SF. I haven't heard about the others.

*DC privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

My DS's friend group at an ivy is also drawn from alums from the schools in bold.

Interesting.

I've only heard of all the lDC privates, the NYC privates, the Boarding school privates, and Harvard-Westlake and The Urban School in SF. I haven't heard about the others.

Same!

[Anonymous]

hell yes they do!

don't go to private college for connections. go to private K-8, that's where all the magic happens!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:hell yes they do!

don't go to private college for connections. go to private K-8, that's where all the magic happens!

FACTS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

What is "Kate," and where are St Paul's, Exeter and Andover?

For LA, sub in Poly for Marlborough. Crossroads isn't in the same tier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

What is "Kate," and where are St Paul's, Exeter and Andover?

For LA, sub in Poly for Marlborough. Crossroads isn't in the same tier.

I think PP made a typo and must have meant the "Cate School", which is in CA.
Yeah the forgot the Philips' schools but the rest of the list is pretty legit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

What is "Kate," and where are St Paul's, Exeter and Andover?

For LA, sub in Poly for Marlborough. Crossroads isn't in the same tier.

I think PP made a typo and must have meant the "Cate School", which is in CA.
Yeah the forgot the Philips' schools but the rest of the list is pretty legit.

What about Philly, NJ, and Boston privates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To follow up on PP's comment of cliques of private school kids who find each other over the summer:

DC (GDS, Sidwell, St. A, Cathedral), NYC (Trinity, Riverdale, Horace Mann, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, Spence, Chapin), LA (Harvard Westlake, Brentwood, Marlborough, Crossroads), SF city (Urban, Lick, UHS), SF Bay area (Nueva, College Prep, Head Royce, Menlo, Harker, Castilleja), Chicago (Latin, Parker, North Shore, Lake Forest), Boarding Schools(Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Groton, Choate, Kate, Hotchkiss).

What is "Kate," and where are St Paul's, Exeter and Andover?

For LA, sub in Poly for Marlborough. Crossroads isn't in the same tier.

I think PP made a typo and must have meant the "Cate School", which is in CA.
Yeah the forgot the Philips' schools but the rest of the list is pretty legit.

What about Philly, NJ, and Boston privates?

Boston privates are a tier above DC….Roxbury Latin, Milton, Winsor, Noble & Greenough etc.

[Anonymous]

This should be it’s on thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This should be it’s on thread.

???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been thinking a lot about what 'prestige' really means in college admissions. From what I’ve observed, many mc parents are fixated on elite private schools — likely because they want to feel part of an exclusive group, and are drawn to features like smaller student-to-teacher ratios. But when it comes to actual education quality, there’s no significant difference between top public and private schools. What really sets these elite institutions apart is the concentration of wealth, which creates the illusion of prestige. Ironically, though, middle-class students often can’t afford to participate in the exclusive networks and activities of their wealthier peers.

A so-called elite school can actually be cheaper because they are able to offer significant aid even to middle class students. That is absolutely one of the reasons they are so competitive. And then the financial burden of paying tuition exists for every college from the bottom to the top.. so people want to use that money to go to the highest quality institution they can access.

I still don't see a significant financial advantage in attending a private elite university over a state flagship. The only real difference I’ve noticed is greater access to faculty (student/teacher ratio)

If your family income is less than $250,000 per year and you have "typical family assets," you are not going to get a tuition bill from Princeton University if you can get yourself in there. That is what a lot of people would call a significant financial advantage.

Fixed it for you. I've run the net price calculator and we would be full pay at Princeton with a HHI of $150k. Not boo-hooing having assets, but this misconception drives me crazy.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This should be it’s on thread.

What does this sentence even mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been thinking a lot about what 'prestige' really means in college admissions. From what I’ve observed, many mc parents are fixated on elite private schools — likely because they want to feel part of an exclusive group, and are drawn to features like smaller student-to-teacher ratios. But when it comes to actual education quality, there’s no significant difference between top public and private schools. What really sets these elite institutions apart is the concentration of wealth, which creates the illusion of prestige. Ironically, though, middle-class students often can’t afford to participate in the exclusive networks and activities of their wealthier peers.

A so-called elite school can actually be cheaper because they are able to offer significant aid even to middle class students. That is absolutely one of the reasons they are so competitive. And then the financial burden of paying tuition exists for every college from the bottom to the top.. so people want to use that money to go to the highest quality institution they can access.

I still don't see a significant financial advantage in attending a private elite university over a state flagship. The only real difference I’ve noticed is greater access to faculty (student/teacher ratio)

If your family income is less than $250,000 per year and you have "typical family assets," you are not going to get a tuition bill from Princeton University if you can get yourself in there. That is what a lot of people would call a significant financial advantage.

Fixed it for you. I've run the net price calculator and we would be full pay at Princeton with a HHI of $150k. Not boo-hooing having assets, but this misconception drives me crazy.

+1

How significant are your assets? I don't think they factor in a primary residence. Do you own multiple homes?