Parents at Ivy Leagues and expensive colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a factual matter, many of the DC privates skew more wealthy and upper middle class than most Ivies and certain other selective private universities. Many of the most selective private colleges are proud to publish the percentage of their incoming classes that are from Pell-Grant eligible families. Federal Pell Grants are available to students from families making less than 2.5X the national poverty rate, which equates to about $65,000 per year (compare to DC metro median income of about $110,000). So these kids are quite poor by DC standards. The recent published stats for Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Duke... all range between 15 and 20% Pell-Grant eligible students. This percentage is much higher than the representation of "deep need" students at places like NCS, Sidwell, STA, Potomac, and others.

Another indication of wealth distribution is the percentage of students at the private colleges receiving any aid (tuition assistance grants ranging from small amounts up to full-ride, which is the case for the Pell-Grant eligible students above). This number is 45% or more at the most selective colleges (46% at Duke and an astounding 70% at Harvard). By comparison, none of the local private Independent schools has more than 30 or 35% of their students on aid. I will grant that this is an inexact comparison because the cost of a private university is higher than an independent secondary, and thus the threshold for receiving aid is at a higher income level. This does, however, provide some sense for the composition of the socioeconomic diversity between the two populations.

How folks choose to dress is better answered by others on this forum.

Interesting... I do know that the well endowed privates give aid to those making in the 100-150,000 range (maybe more) and colleges don't give aid to this economic group.

[Anonymous]

This seems ridiculous to me. We have a 5 person household, our DD goes to Yale, we brought in 43k last year, and when I went to CT I dressed in clothes that were clean and ironed where appropriate. The only "brand" name stuff is from the Gap.

Nobody talked down to me, and everyone was friendly and warm.

[Anonymous]

What pp? Your kid goes to Yale and you made $43k last year? How does that work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What pp? Your kid goes to Yale and you made $43k last year? How does that work?

With income under $50K, this family qualified for Pell grants and probably got a full ride at Yale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What pp? Your kid goes to Yale and you made $43k last year? How does that work?

It works with scholarships and financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What pp? Your kid goes to Yale and you made $43k last year? How does that work?

It works with scholarships and financial aid.

Do you think you are unusual in that most families are quite wealthy or does everyone kind of blend in? I hope your daughter likes Yale. Congrats to her for getting in.

[Anonymous]

At schools like H/Y/P , families with HHI below 60,000 generally get a full ride -- tuition, room, board, etc. Limited FA is available for families with even over $180,000 HHI in some circumstances. Info is available on web site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems ridiculous to me. We have a 5 person household, our DD goes to Yale, we brought in 43k last year, and when I went to CT I dressed in clothes that were clean and ironed where appropriate. The only "brand" name stuff is from the Gap.

Nobody talked down to me, and everyone was friendly and warm.

A five-person household with a HHI of $43k, wow, you're probably very resourceful.

Congratulations to your DD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What private school OP? This is incredibly superficial.

It was Sidwell, but I don't get your comment. It's superficial for rich people to have nice clothes and look attractive and well groomed? Generally speaking, rich people go to expensive colleges. I just wasn't sure if the parents tended to flaunt it or if they are more understated.

Wait a second -- you saw "beautiful people" at Sidwell? Where? In 10 years of PA meetings, parent peer groups, sports events, plays, graduations, etc., I've never seen "beautiful people" at Sidwell. I mean, it's a nicer, saner parent body than most folks think, but visually, it's really forgettable -- appropriately-dressed middle-aged parents, which is, incidentally, what I've seen at move-in days and family weekends at the Ivy my kids attend.

[Anonymous]

I also see the ultra casual -- just jumped off my boat! look from the men, and the just came straight from the tennis court! on women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What private school OP? This is incredibly superficial.

It was Sidwell, but I don't get your comment. It's superficial for rich people to have nice clothes and look attractive and well groomed? Generally speaking, rich people go to expensive colleges. I just wasn't sure if the parents tended to flaunt it or if they are more understated.

Wait a second -- you saw "beautiful people" at Sidwell? Where? In 10 years of PA meetings, parent peer groups, sports events, plays, graduations, etc., I've never seen "beautiful people" at Sidwell. I mean, it's a nicer, saner parent body than most folks think, but visually, it's really forgettable -- appropriately-dressed middle-aged parents, which is, incidentally, what I've seen at move-in days and family weekends at the Ivy my kids attend.

What you think is "appropriately dressed" is expensively dressed/beautifully dressed to us minions who don't have $38,000 per year for HS and $60,000 plus per year for college. You probably take for granted nice suits and haircuts and cars and vacations and homes that I consider the province of what I call "beautiful people." No, they aren't models but they are 1%ers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What pp? Your kid goes to Yale and you made $43k last year? How does that work?

It works with scholarships and financial aid.

Do you think you are unusual in that most families are quite wealthy or does everyone kind of blend in? I hope your daughter likes Yale. Congrats to her for getting in.

Everyone blends in for the most part. There's an odd rich-person issue every so often, but for the most part everyone is really trying to get along while still being competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What private school OP? This is incredibly superficial.

It was Sidwell, but I don't get your comment. It's superficial for rich people to have nice clothes and look attractive and well groomed? Generally speaking, rich people go to expensive colleges. I just wasn't sure if the parents tended to flaunt it or if they are more understated.

Wait a second -- you saw "beautiful people" at Sidwell? Where? In 10 years of PA meetings, parent peer groups, sports events, plays, graduations, etc., I've never seen "beautiful people" at Sidwell. I mean, it's a nicer, saner parent body than most folks think, but visually, it's really forgettable -- appropriately-dressed middle-aged parents, which is, incidentally, what I've seen at move-in days and family weekends at the Ivy my kids attend.

+1. LOL!! And I most definitely am one of the visually, forgettable ones!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What private school OP? This is incredibly superficial.

It was Sidwell, but I don't get your comment. It's superficial for rich people to have nice clothes and look attractive and well groomed? Generally speaking, rich people go to expensive colleges. I just wasn't sure if the parents tended to flaunt it or if they are more understated.

Wait a second -- you saw "beautiful people" at Sidwell? Where? In 10 years of PA meetings, parent peer groups, sports events, plays, graduations, etc., I've never seen "beautiful people" at Sidwell. I mean, it's a nicer, saner parent body than most folks think, but visually, it's really forgettable -- appropriately-dressed middle-aged parents, which is, incidentally, what I've seen at move-in days and family weekends at the Ivy my kids attend.

+1. LOL!! And I most definitely am one of the visually, forgettable ones!

As am I -- and this is certainly our children's wish for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What private school OP? This is incredibly superficial.

It was Sidwell, but I don't get your comment. It's superficial for rich people to have nice clothes and look attractive and well groomed? Generally speaking, rich people go to expensive colleges. I just wasn't sure if the parents tended to flaunt it or if they are more understated.

Wait a second -- you saw "beautiful people" at Sidwell? Where? In 10 years of PA meetings, parent peer groups, sports events, plays, graduations, etc., I've never seen "beautiful people" at Sidwell. I mean, it's a nicer, saner parent body than most folks think, but visually, it's really forgettable -- appropriately-dressed middle-aged parents, which is, incidentally, what I've seen at move-in days and family weekends at the Ivy my kids attend.

What you think is "appropriately dressed" is expensively dressed/beautifully dressed to us minions who don't have $38,000 per year for HS and $60,000 plus per year for college. You probably take for granted nice suits and haircuts and cars and vacations and homes that I consider the province of what I call "beautiful people." No, they aren't models but they are 1%ers.

I dunno -- you see a lot of Dads in Dockers. Perhaps the most visually memorable costume I ever saw was the Dad who wore and old seersucker jacket and worn Gucci loafers to pre-graduation event . . . oh, and the teacher who is known for breaking out his white, disco-era suit on occasion (actually, come to think of it, there are at least 2 teachers whom I've seen so attired).