Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.

So it’s a competitiveness in a social context, not academically? Competitive to be friends with the right people kind of thing?

Yes. But a “friends with the right people kind of thing” affects access to important clubs, activities, etc, which is how a lot of people get the right jobs, and then move up in the world. For the rest of their lives. So it’s more than who they hang out with on Saturday. If you aren’t an extreme climber, professionally or socially, this doesn’t matter.

Is it really that serious though?
You make it sound like it will dramatically impact the course of your life - if you pick a school that’s socially competitive and you aren’t able to manage the grind and the sharp elbowed-ness and compete?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.

So it’s a competitiveness in a social context, not academically? Competitive to be friends with the right people kind of thing?

Yes. But a “friends with the right people kind of thing” affects access to important clubs, activities, etc, which is how a lot of people get the right jobs, and then move up in the world. For the rest of their lives. So it’s more than who they hang out with on Saturday. If you aren’t an extreme climber, professionally or socially, this doesn’t matter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools I’m personally familiar with: SMU. Carlton. Tulane to a certain extent.

What's socially competitive about Carlton? I've always heard its students are smart but quirky and individualistic. Basically the opposite of an SMU/Vandy/UMiami social environment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.

So it’s a competitiveness in a social context, not academically? Competitive to be friends with the right people kind of thing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.

So it’s a competitiveness in a social context, not academically? Competitive to be friends with the right people kind of thing?

Anonymous wrote:Schools I’m personally familiar with: SMU. Carlton. Tulane to a certain extent.

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.

Anonymous wrote:Penn.

At a lot of top schools, kids arrive having been rock stars at their high school. A lot are immediately prepared to try to run everything in college, too, but it's just not possible when there are so many Type A kids in one place.

Fraternities, sororities, eating clubs, etc., are inherently competitive to get into.

Sometimes parties are hard to get into -- you have to know someone.