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

[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!

I think generally the schools outside the Northeast are much better when it comes to everyone being chill and welcoming regardless of socioeconomic status. Plus the STEM schools. So MIT, Rice, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Berkeley - schools where your brain power and character matter more than your zip code. I think Yale too is pretty good these days - less plutocrat than Harvard or Princeton. And of course West Point and Annapolis if that's an interest.

Yale alum here and Yale has always felt more low key and down to earth than Harvard or Princeton. We used to joke that visiting Princeton felt like a country club and too fancy for us Yalies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was playing around on the NYT site, and it looks like UChicago, Grinnell, William and Mary, Macalaster, MIT, Denison. Emory still has a lot of rich kids but also has 27.7% from the bottom 60% now, which I was surprised about. Northwestern is also OK (50th) and Hopkins (53rd) on the list comparing students from 1% to students in bottom 60%

Remember data from 2017

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Midwestern SLAC

+1
Carleton, Grinnell, Macalester seem like good fits for small, great academics, and down to earth students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Midwestern SLAC

+1
Carleton, Grinnell, Macalester seem like good fits for small, great academics, and down to earth students.

Just going to say the same thing. DS graduated from Grinnell and everyone was very down to earth.

[Anonymous]

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!

Honors colleges at state universities. from less selective to more, ie. U of Michigan to University of Vermont

[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.

DC's ivy does not allow it for anything college affiliated: have to get paid or get course credit. Many top schools have this policy now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

DC's ivy does not allow it for anything college affiliated: have to get paid or get course credit. Many top schools have this policy now.

But so many internships are not school affiliated so not sure that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

DC's ivy does not allow it for anything college affiliated: have to get paid or get course credit. Many top schools have this policy now.

But so many internships are not school affiliated so not sure that helps.

Lots of top schools offer students funding for unpaid internships.

[Anonymous]

Rice, definitely!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yeah, no.
Don’t you have summer reading to finish? The grownups are talking now.

[Anonymous]

Swarthmore or Pomona

[Anonymous]

Claremont colleges def have the rich kid vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is wrong with being rich?

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

BS. As if the middle class or the poor are all angels when it comes to their personality. Please give me a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is wrong with being rich?

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

BS. As if the middle class or the poor are all angels when it comes to their personality. Please give me a break.

Different types of issues/tendencies for sure. And again, a matter of personal preference.

I also don’t enjoy being a part of institutions with a wealthy vibe. BTDT at prep school, college and country clubs.

Much prefer interacting more low key, down to earth environments.

[Anonymous]

holy cross, while most students are wealthy, i have found the majority to be not pretentious at all, with very kids families.