Small classes, top academics, w/o rich kid vibe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Vassar? I’m suggesting it based on this podcast https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/food-fight

I think Vassar has gotten more economically diverse in the last 15-20 years but it still has a large rich kid contingent. Plant of students who major in English or Drama and don't need to worry about salary post-grad.

[Anonymous]

Emerson
Davidson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally agree about W&M suggestion. One of the few schools that will actually check all those boxes. Down to earth, smart students at a medium-sized, rigorous public college that offers personalized education. Such a gem!

Agree with this. Our kid is a rising senior at W&M and has the same experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid is looking for small classes and rigorous academics, but also wants the socioeconomic diversity that you find at large state schools. Desperately wants to avoid the prep school/country club vibe.

Excellent stats/ECs.

Suggestions? Resources for data on student body income/wealth distribution?

Thx!

Let’s be honest here. The truly wealthy kids (trust fund kids, ultra high net worth families) know who they are and dont need to segregate as there is no need for self affirmation. Most of these kids welcome interactions and friends from all social classes as they have nothing to prove.
The self proclaimed rich and wealthy wannabes are the worst kind. There is a huge difference between these two. This group needs self justification and quite frankly, more often than not enjoys to self segregate with kids that are like them. They are the worst kind.

Disagree.

Disagree all you want. as a member of the first group AND a Psychologist over 20 years working at 2 of top 15 boarding schools in the country’s I have witnessed this behavior first hand.

[Anonymous]

Rice is a wonderful suggestion!
Beautiful campus, and one of the happiest campuses. A lot of opportunity.

[Anonymous]

I would take a serious look at Quaker colleges. There is a deep commitment to economic diversity. When I was a poor student at Swarthmore (working class immigrant family), I loved the fact that policies governing everything from housing to attending concerts were developed to ensure that kids without money could still fully participate in all aspects of college lift. That is NOT true at many colleges. At many colleges, students have to pay $$$ to attend events, live in certain dorms, and even choose specific majors. At Swarthmore, none of those things were out of reach because my parents and I could not afford to pay.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Davidson!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take a serious look at Quaker colleges. There is a deep commitment to economic diversity. When I was a poor student at Swarthmore (working class immigrant family), I loved the fact that policies governing everything from housing to attending concerts were developed to ensure that kids without money could still fully participate in all aspects of college lift. That is NOT true at many colleges. At many colleges, students have to pay $$$ to attend events, live in certain dorms, and even choose specific majors. At Swarthmore, none of those things were out of reach because my parents and I could not afford to pay.

That’s more just a part of being at a wealthy LAC than swat specifically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take a serious look at Quaker colleges. There is a deep commitment to economic diversity. When I was a poor student at Swarthmore (working class immigrant family), I loved the fact that policies governing everything from housing to attending concerts were developed to ensure that kids without money could still fully participate in all aspects of college lift. That is NOT true at many colleges. At many colleges, students have to pay $$$ to attend events, live in certain dorms, and even choose specific majors. At Swarthmore, none of those things were out of reach because my parents and I could not afford to pay.

Agree strongly. My kid’s ivy is the same: events are free, dorms the same cost, and major/number of classes does not affect the tuition. No car needed either which is a great equalizer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid is looking for small classes and rigorous academics, but also wants the socioeconomic diversity that you find at large state schools. Desperately wants to avoid the prep school/country club vibe.

Excellent stats/ECs.

Suggestions? Resources for data on student body income/wealth distribution?

Thx!

Kid at UVA and kid at ivy: the ivy is far less pretentious than the DMV private the kids attended, UVA is about the same average level of privilege as the private school. My UVA kid did not meet anyone on full financial aid who had almost no cash to do anything; my ivy kid had about half of her friends on significant aid and the rest on some. She was in the minority being full pay, and never mentioned it. Those few who mentioned it were considered rude and entitled. It was never cool to talk or brag about money. Money came up all the time at UVA.
Activities on the ivy campus were usually free or maybe $10, including sports and dorm-sponsored trips. UVA kid had to pay to go to basketball games. Club membership fees were about 4-5x what the ivy clubs were IF the ivy clubs were not free which most were.
The ivy for academics has been far superior with small classes the entire time, only 2 intro stem above 80, none above 150. All stem after that was 10-30 person classes, humanities were all under 30. UVA kid had almost all large classes the first 3 years, exams online, and rampant cheating in many until they finally changed to in-person exams this year. Finding the more academic set at UVA was hard the first year.

Not surprising but most publics are not as UMC/preppy as UVa. William and Mary is also down to earth and not a lot of added costs to have fun and socialize

[Anonymous]

What is wrong with being rich?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take a serious look at Quaker colleges. There is a deep commitment to economic diversity. When I was a poor student at Swarthmore (working class immigrant family), I loved the fact that policies governing everything from housing to attending concerts were developed to ensure that kids without money could still fully participate in all aspects of college lift. That is NOT true at many colleges. At many colleges, students have to pay $$$ to attend events, live in certain dorms, and even choose specific majors. At Swarthmore, none of those things were out of reach because my parents and I could not afford to pay.

That’s more just a part of being at a wealthy LAC than swat specifically.

Not true. There are a lot of wealthy colleges where wealth gives you access to parts of college life that are not "official" - think sororities and their associated costs, eating clubs, unpaid/underpaid internships, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take a serious look at Quaker colleges. There is a deep commitment to economic diversity. When I was a poor student at Swarthmore (working class immigrant family), I loved the fact that policies governing everything from housing to attending concerts were developed to ensure that kids without money could still fully participate in all aspects of college lift. That is NOT true at many colleges. At many colleges, students have to pay $$$ to attend events, live in certain dorms, and even choose specific majors. At Swarthmore, none of those things were out of reach because my parents and I could not afford to pay.

That’s more just a part of being at a wealthy LAC than swat specifically.

Not true. There are a lot of wealthy colleges where wealth gives you access to parts of college life that are not "official" - think sororities and their associated costs, eating clubs, unpaid/underpaid internships, etc.

Yes, and none of those are true for the top LACs. You could be describing Claremont Mckenna, Williams, or even Bowdoin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is wrong with being rich?

Nothing, but it does tend to create certain personality traits that some find undesirable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid is looking for small classes and rigorous academics, but also wants the socioeconomic diversity that you find at large state schools. Desperately wants to avoid the prep school/country club vibe.

Excellent stats/ECs.

Suggestions? Resources for data on student body income/wealth distribution?

Thx!

Kid at UVA and kid at ivy: the ivy is far less pretentious than the DMV private the kids attended, UVA is about the same average level of privilege as the private school. My UVA kid did not meet anyone on full financial aid who had almost no cash to do anything; my ivy kid had about half of her friends on significant aid and the rest on some. She was in the minority being full pay, and never mentioned it. Those few who mentioned it were considered rude and entitled. It was never cool to talk or brag about money. Money came up all the time at UVA.
Activities on the ivy campus were usually free or maybe $10, including sports and dorm-sponsored trips. UVA kid had to pay to go to basketball games. Club membership fees were about 4-5x what the ivy clubs were IF the ivy clubs were not free which most were.
The ivy for academics has been far superior with small classes the entire time, only 2 intro stem above 80, none above 150. All stem after that was 10-30 person classes, humanities were all under 30. UVA kid had almost all large classes the first 3 years, exams online, and rampant cheating in many until they finally changed to in-person exams this year. Finding the more academic set at UVA was hard the first year.

curious, which Ivy please?