Anonymous wrote:Lesson learned: never, ever use the phrases "HYP" and "down-to-earth" in the same paragraph. It never ends well, and only means you're trying to one-up or put down someone else.

+1. OP never got the "how not to be be an Ivy douche" memo that her classmates got:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/unexpected-effects-of-your-ivy-league-education

Hypothetically , if snooty people from prestigious schools ended up in hell after they died; would they be smart or dumb?

Anonymous wrote:I've been meeting all these snooty parents who try so hard to get their kids into prestigious elementary and high schools. Several of them went to these schools but went to crappy colleges (second tier or worse). DH and I went to HYP and are trying to decide between public and private. We have friends who attended Exeter and Andover type schools but they are down to earth. We earn $1 million+ per year so we can easily afford private school but these attitudes are really turning us off.

What are these people so snobby about?

Wow OP you are a piece of work! Did you re-read your post before pressing SUBMIT? Crappy 2nd tier or worse colleges? go EF yourself. You are as snooty as they come.

Lesson learned: never, ever use the phrases "HYP" and "down-to-earth" in the same paragraph. It never ends well, and only means you're trying to one-up or put down someone else.

Anonymous wrote:I've been meeting all these snooty parents who try so hard to get their kids into prestigious elementary and high schools. Several of them went to these schools but went to crappy colleges (second tier or worse). DH and I went to HYP and are trying to decide between public and private. We have friends who attended Exeter and Andover type schools but they are down to earth. We earn $1 million+ per year so we can easily afford private school but these attitudes are really turning us off.

What are these people so snobby about?

In most cases, they have bigger cocks and tighter vag than you and therein lies the arrogance .

OP, please let go of the competitive sport that is living and striving in DC, or you will never be happy.

In no other part of the country, except perhaps New York, do people fixate so much on what they do or do not have compared to others, or on what they have or have not accomplished compared to others.

You do not think that you fall prey to this one-upmanship?

Well, in one short post you have managed to convey your disdain, or is it pity(?), for those "failures" who attend "prestigious" secondary schools, but "crappy (second tier or worse)" colleges. You state that you and your spouse earn over "$1 million + per year", and "could easily afford private school". That you "have friends who attended Exeter and Andover". And you point out that you and your spouse attended "HYP".

Do Harvard and Yale graduates speak like that, or hold those attitudes, not the ones I know and love -- and I know many.

So I am going to assume that this is a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving jest or "fool", like the one on April 1st, meant to get beloved Aunt Martha's goat up as Cousin Billy finishes his college applications.

But if it is not, OP, then please do not feel that you have to compete with, or subtly (or not-so-subtly) put down your friends -- or worse, their children -- who attend private schools. Let go of the competitiveness, striving, one-upmanship of this area, live your life as you want without comparing yourself to others, and you will be much happier.

[quote][quote]

The choice that I have made for my kids (although my HHI is much less than yours) is to get them into a really good public school system. I want them to meet a lot of diverse people from diverse backgrounds and diverse SES. I think that will serve them better than prep school. [/quote]

Please advise: where is this really good public school system with diverse SES?[/quote]

I'm not the PP, but I've had good experiences so far in MCPS. No, I don't live in Bethesda or Potomac.

Hubby went to great private, wtf college (had never heard of it!). I went to crappy public school, HYP.

OP, if you are real, I honestly suggest that you expand your social circles before you draw this kind of conclusion about an entire city.

I'm from the West Coast, but have lived here a loooooong time--and a huge percentage of the people in the neighborhoods and schools you are focusing on are not from here at all, let alone privileged products of the private schools their kids attend. Maybe they moved here for college, to work in government, law, journalism, tech, education, or some other sector where they thought they could make a difference. Is there downside to DC? Sure, just like any city. Are there social climbers who you won't want to hang out with? Sure, just like anywhere else. Do I miss the West Coast? Sure, especially during the winter. But, if you venture out a little further, in stark contrast to what you describe, you will find a really interesting and smart cross section of people from all over the country and world, many of whom went to those very same second tier schools you deride.

[quote=Anonymous]

The choice that I have made for my kids (although my HHI is much less than yours) is to get them into a really good public school system. I want them to meet a lot of diverse people from diverse backgrounds and diverse SES. I think that will serve them better than prep school. [/quote]

Please advise: where is this really good public school system with diverse SES?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crappy colleges?

Second tier or worse?.

Who is snobby?

Check yourself OP. No matter if you choose public or private you are NOT going to make any friends with opinions like these. Gag.

We are not snobby. I actually think most people we knew in the Northeast were down to earth. DC feels like it is full of social climbers.

Totally. Snobby and INDIRECT. I miss NY/NJ.

Thank you. DH and I have lived all over the Northeast where there are an abundance of excellent public and private schools. We attended college and grad school with people from all over including many valedictorians from not so great high schools. DC feels segregated and very classist. The snobby people I was referring to don't have much accomplishment but their parents were able to send them to these prestigious elementary and secondary schools.

OP - your point is noted and (perhaps) valid, however, it is surprising that HYP didn't teach you how to effectively communicate. Coming out like you did, you must realize, will only attract negativity and scrutiny (maybe that was your MO). Although you have potentially 3 fabulous pieces of paper from H, Y & P, you seem ill mannered and brash. Take some of your $1M and invest in some etiquette classes. That will go a long way in DC. And... might be helpful if you decide to enroll your kids in a prestigious elementary school

The folks I know who went to Harvard and Yale (undergrad and law) may be academically superior, but are some of the most socially inept and common-sense-lacking people I know. I have had to deal with them in various capacities and they seem so out of touch on basic stuff like ordering cupcakes for a class party. There are 24 kids in the class, and the YLS parent kept asking how many cupcakes to buy. Really?! Smart-but-so-dumb and out of touch. It's hilarious!

By contrast, the folks I know who went to Gtown, Duke, Brown, and Cornell seem so much more "with it." More tenacity and creativity. And gasp second tier!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crappy colleges?

Second tier or worse?.

Who is snobby?

Check yourself OP. No matter if you choose public or private you are NOT going to make any friends with opinions like these. Gag.

We are not snobby. I actually think most people we knew in the Northeast were down to earth. DC feels like it is full of social climbers.

Totally. Snobby and INDIRECT. I miss NY/NJ.

Thank you. DH and I have lived all over the Northeast where there are an abundance of excellent public and private schools. We attended college and grad school with people from all over including many valedictorians from not so great high schools. DC feels segregated and very classist. The snobby people I was referring to don't have much accomplishment but their parents were able to send them to these prestigious elementary and secondary schools.

Prestigious elementary school ... hahahhahhahah.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes. I truly hope this is a fake. My definition of snobby: Leading with where you went to college and, worse yet, judging others by where they went (second tier, oh no!!!)

I have lived here more than 20 years, and if you are old enough (sadly, I am), your friends will end up accomplishing amazing things. But I can honestly say that I barely know where most of my closest friends went to college (even when they went to H or Y or P or S...I added S because you missed the West Coast...East Coast snobbery to boot!). And I certainly have no clue where they went to high school.

OP here. We never tell people where we went to school. In the Northeast, people were usually judged on their own accomplishments. We have friends who come from real money (10 figure wealth) who are achievers. DC natives feel like they are snobby because there is such a large poor population. They grew up entitled and keep the same attitude.

Right - there are no poor people in South Boston? or Providence? Are you forgetting the charming neighborhood near your alma mater in New Haven? Or most of the state of New Hampshire?

I went to a prestigious secondary school (by DC standards only of course), and one of the middle tier ivies, and honestly don't know a single person who actually acts like you.

Anonymous wrote:I've been meeting all these snooty parents who try so hard to get their kids into prestigious elementary and high schools. Several of them went to these schools but went to crappy colleges (second tier or worse). DH and I went to HYP and are trying to decide between public and private. We have friends who attended Exeter and Andover type schools but they are down to earth. We earn $1 million+ per year so we can easily afford private school but these attitudes are really turning us off.

What are these people so snobby about?

I don't think private school is going to work for you. Strangely, not everyone is going to elite schools. But it seems to really bother you. They are not impressed by your resume... ?