Anonymous
10/16/2025 14:05
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes, 100%
My son is at any Ivy and reports that all NYC private school kids and boarding school kids stick together. Several of them have parents who bought houses near the Ivy
that sit mostly empty (freshman year) but that the kids use to party. Also they get local country club memberships for their 4 years and the kids all play golf together.
My kid attended a top private and has been invited to party and golf, etc but told me "They're fine but I don't want my entire social experience to revolve around them" --because apparently it's a pretty all-consuming group.
this is pretty common at most schools in T20.
In general, society is already divided. Just look at the neighborhood and zoning
+1 this is just how America works.
Actually not just US, my parents were from one of the rich East Asian island country. Same there
Anonymous
10/16/2025 14:02
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes, 100%
My son is at any Ivy and reports that all NYC private school kids and boarding school kids stick together. Several of them have parents who bought houses near the Ivy
that sit mostly empty (freshman year) but that the kids use to party. Also they get local country club memberships for their 4 years and the kids all play golf together.
My kid attended a top private and has been invited to party and golf, etc but told me "They're fine but I don't want my entire social experience to revolve around them" --because apparently it's a pretty all-consuming group.
this is pretty common at most schools in T20.
In general, society is already divided. Just look at the neighborhood and zoning
+1 this is just how America works.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:58
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:This is an eye-opening post:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1218778.page
Maybe bump it up?
Indeed
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:56
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that attending an elite college helps low income students move up in the world.
As for actual social groups, it really depends on the college. Colleges that charge different rates for dorms, that permit residential Greek life, and that charge students to attend activities like concerts, indirectly encourage economic stratification.
If you really are interested in attending a college that discourages economic stratification, I would look to Quaker colleges, colleges that have lottery systems by year for housing, and that have "cashless" campuses where events are free for students.
Yes, but it's from lower class/poverty to working or professional class. They're not talking lower class to upper middle class or upper class/elite except for an exceedingly rare case.
Exactly, prestige does not gain you social mobility
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:55
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that attending an elite college helps low income students move up in the world.
As for actual social groups, it really depends on the college. Colleges that charge different rates for dorms, that permit residential Greek life, and that charge students to attend activities like concerts, indirectly encourage economic stratification.
If you really are interested in attending a college that discourages economic stratification, I would look to Quaker colleges, colleges that have lottery systems by year for housing, and that have "cashless" campuses where events are free for students.
Yes, but it's from lower class/poverty to working or professional class. They're not talking lower class to upper middle class or upper class/elite except for an exceedingly rare case.
I'm really curious—do the top 20 private elite schools now mostly consist of about 5% ultra-rich, 45% upper-middle class, 25% lower-middle class, and 25% low-income students?
That means, 70% middle class, but with the majority being upper middle class
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:52
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
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.
I don't think most people are under this misconception. Some people with 150k HHI have significant assets available, but but many do not.
These are really good points. I've heard of parents intentionally getting laid off, even though they actually own multiple rental properties in the Bay Area. These aren't low income families
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:51
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that attending an elite college helps low income students move up in the world.
As for actual social groups, it really depends on the college. Colleges that charge different rates for dorms, that permit residential Greek life, and that charge students to attend activities like concerts, indirectly encourage economic stratification.
If you really are interested in attending a college that discourages economic stratification, I would look to Quaker colleges, colleges that have lottery systems by year for housing, and that have "cashless" campuses where events are free for students.
Yes, but it's from lower class/poverty to working or professional class. They're not talking lower class to upper middle class or upper class/elite except for an exceedingly rare case.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:49
Subject: Re:Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Yes and by race or nationality. Berkeley in particular is very segregated among the student groups despite its brand ethos of diversity and inclusion.
Wow... I'd love to hear more about racial segregation. California being the most liberal state, this is surprising
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:48
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:I think there is a difference between income and exposure to certain things.
A "lower income" student whose parent has a PhD but is an English professor at a liberal arts college is likely going to have a lot of exposure to wealthier students already, might have spent a lot of time on a campus growing up, that kind of thing.
On the other hand, a kid whose family has the same HHI or even slightly higher but is the first in their family to go to college might feel more out of place in college and have a harder time socializing with wealthier students.
I would be surprised "student whose parent has a PhD " aren't middle class but lower income
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:48
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that attending an elite college helps low income students move up in the world.
As for actual social groups, it really depends on the college. Colleges that charge different rates for dorms, that permit residential Greek life, and that charge students to attend activities like concerts, indirectly encourage economic stratification.
If you really are interested in attending a college that discourages economic stratification, I would look to Quaker colleges, colleges that have lottery systems by year for housing, and that have "cashless" campuses where events are free for students.
I would have assumed those grinding families are mostly middle class not low income students. In fact, low income students in elite private are minority[/quote
Yes, a lot of the grinding students are middle-income students whose parents have college degrees.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:47
Subject: Re:Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Yes and by race or nationality. Berkeley in particular is very segregated among the student groups despite its brand ethos of diversity and inclusion.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:47
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes, 100%
My son is at any Ivy and reports that all NYC private school kids and boarding school kids stick together. Several of them have parents who bought houses near the Ivy
that sit mostly empty (freshman year) but that the kids use to party. Also they get local country club memberships for their 4 years and the kids all play golf together.
My kid attended a top private and has been invited to party and golf, etc but told me "They're fine but I don't want my entire social experience to revolve around them" --because apparently it's a pretty all-consuming group.
this is pretty common at most schools in T20.
In general, society is already divided. Just look at the neighborhood and zoning
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:46
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
Anonymous wrote:Yes. It's based on what you can afford to do, mostly, not based on the kids only wanting to hang out with others of the same SES.
+1 it’s not in your face obvious, but they just group together. In the big SEC schools it’s through sororities and fraternities which can go into the several thousands to participate in. There are also things that are just straight up rich people hobbies, things like frequent international vacation, golf, sailing etc.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:45
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
I think there is a difference between income and exposure to certain things.
A "lower income" student whose parent has a PhD but is an English professor at a liberal arts college is likely going to have a lot of exposure to wealthier students already, might have spent a lot of time on a campus growing up, that kind of thing.
On the other hand, a kid whose family has the same HHI or even slightly higher but is the first in their family to go to college might feel more out of place in college and have a harder time socializing with wealthier students.
A "lower income" student whose parent has a PhD but is an English professor at a liberal arts college is likely going to have a lot of exposure to wealthier students already, might have spent a lot of time on a campus growing up, that kind of thing.
On the other hand, a kid whose family has the same HHI or even slightly higher but is the first in their family to go to college might feel more out of place in college and have a harder time socializing with wealthier students.
Anonymous
10/16/2025 13:43
Subject: Do students at universities form social groups based on family income levels?
So the supposed value of attending an elite private school for access to the 'right' network—whether for career or marriage—doesn’t necessarily benefit middle-class families.