<p>oh sh**, byerly</p>
<p>burnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn</p>
<p>O Zephyr: Dont get too discouraged - Be proud youre attending the all-around best school in KAL & youre from So-KAL :rolleyes:</p>
<p>No guarantee I would have attended, Byerly.</p>
<p>The preppy-elitist attitude really turned me off.</p>
<p>trust me in that it is far outweighed at yale by the art/music/theater element which has a large, if not the largest presence on yale campus.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong with real preppy. Real preppiness is not arrogant or snobbish.</p>
<p>The only people who are arrogant/snobbish are the wannabe preps because they want to make themselves seem exclusive in order to fit in. Real preps would have no need or desire to show off.</p>
<p>It is these wannabes/yuppies that give true preps a bad name.</p>
<p>A) "I attend Phillips Exeter, and we wouldnt be caught dead wearing that trash."</p>
<p>B) "Real preppiness is not arrogant or snobbish.... Real preps would have no need or desire to show off."</p>
<p>i sense a contradiction.</p>
<p>I don't . Calling trash trashy strikes me as neither arrogant nor snobbish.</p>
<p>and you wonder why harvard students/alumni are considered to be pompous....</p>
<p>I'm with our Princeton friend on this one. </p>
<p>"Trash" is subjective, especially when it's a small, isolated class (New England establishmentarians) calling a much larger one (upper-middle-class coastals) such terms.</p>
<p>My friend just told me about this entry in wikipedia</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preppy%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preppy</a></p>
<p>"Current usage
The word preppie (or "preppy") has come to refer to people of a certain class, economic status, and ethnic origin. In particular, it is used to describe people from established WASP families. More generally, preppies are people attended elite college preparatory schools, often boarding schools. Interestingly, the prep school attended is sometimes given more weight than the college subsequently attended, however prestigious the latter. Nevertheless, preppies traditionally go on to some of the nation's top colleges and universities. It is worth noting that a school's eliteness or cost does not necessarily mean that is a preppy college. A true preppieĀor perhaps more aptly, the preppy idealĀis athletic, articulate, and sociable. Further, a love of time-hallowed convention and ritual along with an abhorrence of anything suggesting ostentation are central characteristics of preppies. The term "preppie" is associated, not with dramatic designer fashions, but with conservative clothing brands such as The Andover Shop, J. Press, Paul Stuart, J.Crew, Lacoste, Pringle of Scotland, Brooks Brothers, L.L. Bean, Polo Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines, Lilly Pulitzer and Patagonia. A standard, makes-a-neat-appearance preppie uniform would be a navy blue blazer, button-down Oxford-cloth shirt, cuffed khakis, and cordovan loafers. Likely vacation spots would include Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, Kennebunkport and certain other East Coast beaches, preferably in summer cottages kept in the family for generations and situated between neighbors one has known for some time.</p>
<p>Slang usage
In recent years, young people have begun to use the term "preppy" as slang to describe those who appear clean-cut or strive to seem better off financially than others in an upper-middle class environment. In most regions, especially amongst young people, this usage has virtually replaced the traditional meaning of the word. Used in this manner, "preppy" is often applied contrary to the term's mainstream meaning stated above, as the slang version most often describes 'nouveau riche', publicly-educated people absorbed in the middle class hypermaterialistic pop culture pursuit of quality-made goods sold at prices for those who can pay for the best and most fashionable. As such, teenagers often apply this slang label to popular clothing not characteristic of "prepdom" such as American Eagle, AĆ©ropostale, Hollister Co., and Abercrombie and Fitch (prior to the original company's bankruptcy in 1977, it in fact was a prep staple). However, the "New England prep" image is still strongly associated with current use of the word. Abercrombie's clothes, for example, often reference lacrosse, rugby, and crew; sports typically linked with the outdoorsy New England lifestyle."</p>
<p>people on here act like they know what theyre talking about when they do not.</p>
1 Like
<p>clueless people tend to think that preps are lazy or dumb or that "their daddies do everything for them", when in the contrary, true preps are among the smartest students in the nation. </p>
<p>Preps value hard work and education. Preps would be offended that people would think that they are the opposite of what they have striven for throughout their lives.</p>
<p>The only lazy/dumb people are the middle school prep wannabe's, so stop getting these two groups mixed up. When you want to insult preps for being "lazy, dumb, never worked a day in their life", go to your local public high school; don't insult people whom you know absolutely nothing about.</p>
<p>The only reason i may have seemed somewhat pretentious in my prior post is because it's hard having to deal with misinformed kiddies who like to tag notions and insults unto people whom they know nothing about.</p>
<p>a)The only reason you appeared somewhat pretentious is because you are somewhat pretentious.</p>
<p>b)"When you want to insult preps for being 'lazy, dumb, never worked a day in their life', go to your local public high school; don't insult people whom you know absolutely nothing about."</p>
<p>Isn't it hypocritical on your part to insult people YOU don't know anything about? for example, public high schoolers. because if you did know anything, you'd know that at most public high schools there is probably an array of achievements academically(your "dumb"), as well as work/sports related (your "lazy"). True, maybe some people haven't worked or are lazy or dumb as you so eloquently put it. Or perhaps it is more likely that many of the students are products of their local environments and economies, and the ones who achieve the same goals that those going to an elite preperatory school aim for might actually have to work HARDER. Again, this isn't neccesarily true, as there are some public schools that resemble preps.</p>
<p>At any rate, what I'm trying to say is that you're digging yourself a grave with your one-sided, thoughtless commentary about the nature of people and society based on the clothing that they wear and the school that they attend. I hope that you can stay in your tightly knit, seemingly ignorant circles the rest of your life, because you'll find that in life there are many interesting and good people who have come from all walks of life- prep school or otherwise.</p>
<p>"true preps are among the smartest students in the nation."
"Preps value hard work and education."</p>
<p>Okay...so what? It's really hard to imagine that with many, many public schools and only a few truly elite prep schools, that prep school students are better. Sure, half of Andover might go to Harvard, but those are students in the middle of their class, with unknown SAT's and the like. Harvard rejects many 1550 (well, 2350) public-school valedictorians as a result. </p>
<p>All of those Andover kids are at Andover becuase their parents can afford to pay for their elite education, and many of them gain a boost in admissions as a result for a) going to Andover itself, b) being able to afford SAT classes, etc. and c) being able to push around the money issue if need be. </p>
<p>Surem they may work hardm but having upper-class parents can't help, can it?</p>
<p>The Ivy League and associated schools know where their bread is buttered for a rarified atmosphere,.</p>
<p>"Or perhaps it is more likely that many of the students are products of their local environments and economies, and the ones who achieve the same goals that those going to an elite preperatory school aim for might actually have to work HARDER."</p>
<p>"All of those Andover kids are at Andover becuase their parents can afford to pay for their elite education, and many of them gain a boost in admissions as a result for a) going to Andover itself, b) being able to afford SAT classes, etc. and c) being able to push around the money issue if need be. "</p>
<p>wow, you guys really have no idea how going to a prep school affects college admissions.</p>
<p>First of all, i was directing my lazy/dumb comment towards the wannabe arrogant preps who frequent public schools whom you guys like to believe are what true preps are.</p>
<p>Going to Andover does not make it easier to get into college. Your lack of knowledge of that shows you really dont know anything about elite preps so don't talk as if you do. Most Andover/Exeter kids are at a disadvantage since they are being compared among the best students in the nation and elite colleges only want to accept a small amount of kids from each prep school. Many of the kids who got rejected from HYPS, which is more than you think, would have had a better chance if they were to have gone to a public school and graduated valedictorian in a school whose average SAT might be 1000 or so. When you go to a prep school whose average SAT scores are 1400, please do not say that it makes it easier to get into college because you do not know what youre talking about; it's like saying that it's easier to get into harvard from thomas jefferson school of science in virginia or phillips exeter which is laughable. </p>
<p>And do not say that it is easy to get into an elite prep school with money because it is definately is not. If preps are stupid as you ignorantly seem to think then Exeter and Andover wouldnt have among the highest overall SAT scores in the nation.</p>
<p>BTW, I receive more than 50% financial aid so once again, that shows that yall dont know to whom youre talking about since you want to say that Im "pampered". Umm, ok.</p>
<p>"Most Andover/Exeter kids are at a disadvantage since they are being compared among the best students in the nation and elite colleges only want to accept a small amount of kids from each prep school."
And public school students are compared to the best students in the nation? Do all the best students go to private school?</p>
<p>"Many of the kids who got rejected from HYPS, which is more than you think, would have had a better chance if they were to have gone to a public school and graduated valedictorian in a school whose average SAT might be 1000 or so."
It isn't about the average SAT of the school, but the average SAT of the top 25 students or so at the school, or better yet, the top 10 or 15.</p>
<p>The one major point of contention that I see, DiamondT, is that you claim it's not "easier" to get in from Andover (an example).</p>
<p>And yet most Ivy Leagues have maybe 40%+ of their student body from a very small sample of the student population overall. It's really hard to contend that the top 10 students at a good but not magnet (or whatever) public school wouldn't be fine at a private school like Phillips Exeter or St. Paul's. Maybe three of those top 10 kids will get into HYPS, and maybe half of the student population as a whole at Andover. That's a significant difference based on sketchy data.</p>
<p>It's also hard to contend that a top student at Whitney or North Hollywood is not as "good" as a top student at Andover. I don't see how you can justify that. </p>
<p>I never said preps were stupid. I just didn't see them as any better than top public school students, and perhaps undeserving of their preferred place in the college admissions process.</p>
<p>zephyr, I was with you until "undeserving of their preferred place in the college admissions process."</p>
<p>Certainly a large majority of prep schoolers have access to tutors, extra help, piano lessons- multitudes of opportunities that public schoolers do not. However, as someone who has attended both public school AND boarding school, I can very very resolutely affirm that it IS harder to get into the top colleges from boarding schools.</p>
<p>You forget two important points in your arguments and they are #1) Prep school is already self-selecting and #2) Colleges look at environment. For the first point, it is very difficult to get into prep school. A/E's admissions rates are in the low 20% range and dropping rapidly. So, these "top 10 students at a good but not magnet (or whatever) public school" you're referring to? Imagine that, times a hundred. That is the student population of Andover or Exeter. They already ARE the best of the best, so the competition to get into a good college is fierce. Instead of being the one shining star in your public school, you are one of many. That is why valedictorians of public school may end up only being mediocre at Andover or Exeter and to colleges, this does not look too good. The fact that "Ivy Leagues have maybe 40%+ of their student body from a very small sample of the student population overall" proves that although it is harder, many boarding school students overcome this adversity and do indeed get into wonderful schools.</p>
<p>This leads to my second point- colleges DO recognize that different students have different opportunities in different environments. Sure, it may seem puzzling that they'll reject the valedictorian of public school X and accept 20 St. Pauls students in the middle of the class. This is because colleges recognize that the competition is tougher and the classwork MUCH harder at boarding school than public school. They have to adjust their standards accordingly. This is why Andover does not rank their students, why Exeter has a different grading system, and why many classes in boarding schools that far surpass the level of basic AP classes do not count for the advanced placement. There needs to be a different ruler for comparison.</p>
<p>Perhaps the top student at Whitney is as good as the top student at Andover. But it's like comparing two students who take astrophysics 101 when one received an "A+" and one took it pass-fail. Sure, maybe they did equally well. But while you know for sure the A+ student did extraordinarily well (because the gradient is so detailed), all you know about the pass-fail student is that he passed. He could have gotten an A+, he could have gotten a C-. There's no guarantee. Add that to the increased pressure and workload at top boarding schools, and you can see why they are many more prep schoolers represented at top schools.</p>
<p>But getting back to the main topic of this post, sure, there are many preppy (real and "fake") kids at Yale. Undoubtedly, there will be unfriendly snobby ones as well as down-to-earth nice ones. West Coast people: be warned that the atmosphere in general is definitely very different than a place like say, Stanford or Berkeley. But that shouldn't stop you from going.</p>