<p>That one is relatively simple to answer. Take the top 50 LACs and private uni's and rank them by percentage of student body on Pell Grants. The very fact that they are on Pell Grants and attending means that, someway or other, the college is actually affordable, and most of these schools restrict the number of workstudy hours. Since this is objective rather than subjective data, it is not hard to come by.</p>
<p>The average percentage of Pell Grant recipients among the 75 colleges with the highest endowments is 13%. If you look at the "entitlement index" I posted above, you will quickly see that all 20 of them were at or below that average.</p>
<p>Prestige colleges that are above that average include (these quickly come to mind): Smith (the highest, at 26%); Amherst; Columbia, Cornell, and (likely now) Princeton; Bryn Mawr.</p>
<p>Token, I am afraid I don't know what you are driving at with your original question. The question kind of revolted me - how many students really are like that? Even the prep schools students that LaxAttack lists, I suspect, are looking to get into what they determine to be the best schools academically. Even if their objective is to attend a school that will land them the best possible upper-crusty white-collar job after graduation, I don't think country-club surroundings is what drives college selection process.<br>
I know how conversant you are with the whole subject of colleges and admissions, which is why I ask. </p>
<p>I think people understand that many of the schools listed above iin Post 57 are also very comfortable for a student with almost no money who has to avoid being gapped. Financial need will clearly not be an issue at those schools where full need is met, but additionally, there will be numbers of other students of similar financial means (or lack of means), increasingly more every year, so they will not tend to feel uncomfortable. On-campus incidental expenses are low for all students, most of the activities will take place on campus and students don't typically vacate these campuses on weekends. Opportunities for study abroad and internships will be fully covered. Most students won't give a darn about socio-economic background of their fellow students, will dress in similar, uber casual gear, and will form friends based on the common college experience more than anything else. As Pizzagirl said, you will not necessarily know who is wealthy - not saying that there could be times when a poorer student's jaw might drop at the casual display of comparative wealth - but that isn't going to be the basis for social networking. Looking at the list in Post 57, the only people I have ever known who attended any of those schools - Harvard, Princeton and Boston U -as undergrads were people of EXTREMELY limited means, from nothing special, and even challenged, public high schools, and they absolutely loved their experiences and never felt without sufficient means to enjoy the college experience as fully as their classmates. The only other school that I know on the list is Dartmouth and while I can't speak for everyone's experience there, there is a real campus culture of inclusivity that most posters here on CC, who have actual experience of the school, will confirm. Self-promotion there is tabu. I have to think that many of the schools on that list are like that these days. Things have changed - the increase in socio-economic diversity has a healthy affect.</p>
<p>"The average percentage of Pell Grant recipients among the 75 colleges with the highest endowments is 13%
Do you mean endowment per student? Because I think that would be more appropriate."</p>
<p>No, I mean total endowment. But the overlap of the top 75 prestige colleges with their total endowments is about 90-95%, so it really doesn't matter.</p>
<p>In my experience, and that of my d., if you don't know who is really wealthy at many of these schools, you are almost blind. (I sat in the Starbucks at one of the schools with the highest "entitlement indices" and simply had to look at the shoes. Certainly, there were wealthy students who dressed down; but I was quite surprised by what the shoe department can reveal. ;)) And there is nothing wrong with that: I think there should be more discussion of social class at prestige colleges, not less, along the lines of that undertaken at Dartmouth through contracts with Class Action:</p>
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Evidence for that statement? Are you an alumnus of one of those high schools? (I know two current Exeter students well and am acquainted with a few more parents from various states who have children at one or another of those boarding prep schools. The current Exeter student I know best is NOT rich in the sense of my thread-opening question, and is at Exeter on financial aid.)
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<p>Evidence? I grew up next to two of the top prep schools in the world. Not everyone at exeter/andover is rich, but the large majority are. Seeing isn't believing my friend...just because prep schools don't release financial information of their students doesn't mean it's not clear where they fall concerning demographics. Just like mini said, you know who's got money and who doesn't.</p>
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I think people understand that many of the schools listed above in Post 57 are also very comfortable for a student with almost no money who has to avoid being gapped.
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<p>The thread started as just a curious question, prompted by ideas I was observing expressed by other people in other threads. I am particularly curious about the point you mention as the thread has developed.</p>
<p>Guess I am saying that, ironically maybe, the most affordable schools for the poorer student will often be the same as fall on the list at Post 57. While the very rich attend these schools, the good news is that in addition to being financially feasible for the very poor student, they seem also to be comfortable. Thought that was part of the second question.</p>
<p>Another vote for NYU. Crappy financial aid, relatively relaxed admission compared to the elite Ivies and being located in NYC all help create the "you better be rich to attend NYU" image for the school.</p>
<p>I only know two people who've gone to NYU over other similarly competitive schools. One is the son of wealthy foreign businessman, another is the son of a high ranking director at a prominent US institution. I have another classmate back from when I was in middle school in Beijing getting her LL.M at NYU, but she's on the government dough so it doesn't really count.</p>
<p>All in all, I know for sure that none of these guys could really afford NYU if not for the generous support they have. Similarly, I suspect such is the case with a lot of students at NYU.</p>
<p>P.S. The Ivies and other really elite private schools have excellent financial aid packages for needy students, so IMO they don't count at all.</p>
<p>rich kids don't go to public schools...that is why they are public, because they are cheap and affordable for lower income families. rich kids go to private schools!</p>
<p>You guys don't get it. Just because some public school has a rich kid doesn't mean that rich families as a whole send their kids to state schools. Just because Lebron went from HS --> NBA doesn't mean everyone who goes from HS --> NBA is going to be a star. Sure, there are rich kids at state schools, but they make up a much larger %% at ivies/top privates.</p>
<p>So, if you're a rich kid and you want a cushy, fun college experience (because you don't really need to study, you're set for life), where do you think is more appealing, LaxAttack? MIT/UChicago/Caltech or Pepperdine/Sweet Briar/SMU? You keep thinking that the question is about rich kids who value academics, as opposed to just about rich kids who want to be in an environment with other rich kids and have a good time. </p>
<p>And seriously, you need to get a copy of the preppy handbook.</p>
<p>LaxAttack, I don't agree with you. I have a lot of experience on this subject. On a per-student basis, Michigan and UVa have wealthy student bodies (as wealthy as private universities). The wealthiest families from those two states generally encourage their children to stay in-state and attend those schools, not because they are cheaper, but because they are excellent academically, well-rounded and fun. Of course, they do not force their kids to stay in-state and if they are admitted into schools like Harvard, MIT or Princeton, will probably encourage them to leave the state, but by and large, students from wealthy families are encouraged to go to their flagship in-state option. If you look into family income statistics, you will see that those two schools have among the wealthiest students. I am actually going to do some research and post the exact stats. Given your distorted view, I think you will be surprised.</p>
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LaxAttack, I don't agree with you. I have a lot of experience on this subject. On a per-student basis, Michigan and UVa have wealthy student bodies (as wealthy as private universities). The wealthiest families from those two states generally encourage their children to stay in-state and attend those schools, not because they are cheaper, but because they are excellent academically, well-rounded and fun. Of course, they do not force their kids to stay in-state and if they are admitted into schools like Harvard, MIT or Princeton, will probably encourage them to leave the state, but by and large, students from wealthy families are encouraged to go to their flagship in-state option. If you look into family income statistics, you will see that those two schools have among the wealthiest students. I am actually going to do some research and post the exact stats. Given your distorted view, I think you will be surprised.
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<p>And you are able to back this up, no? I love how andover/exeter grads stay away from state schools as opposed to top privates and, though they aren't all wealthy, the majority of them are. </p>
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So, if you're a rich kid and you want a cushy, fun college experience (because you don't really need to study, you're set for life), where do you think is more appealing, LaxAttack? MIT/UChicago/Caltech or Pepperdine/Sweet Briar/SMU? You keep thinking that the question is about rich kids who value academics, as opposed to just about rich kids who want to be in an environment with other rich kids and have a good time.
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<p>When I think rich I think old money wealth...in that case they'd take the MIT/Chicago because it's not about "having a good time" it's about performing at a high level throughout your life. The andover --> harvard --> yale law type track. I'm sure there are "rich" people at all schools, but if you look at the wealthiest families where do they send their children? Ivy league schools...</p>
<p>Here we go again, 3 sociologists constitute the upper class. What's common among all 3? They say ivy league common. It only makes sense, coupled with the top prep school info, that upper class families send their children to ivy league schools + top privates. </p>