The Preppiness Factor

College Search & Selection
1

<p>What exactly does "preppy" mean when describing a college? Are we talking about the brand-name clothing students wear? That, and those students' general attitude toward others - an elitism? Or does preppiness correlate with the number of jocks? OR is does it mean the general atmosphere of the school is cliquey and not a strong community?</p>

<p>For example, here are a few schools from my list that I think have been described as preppy (some I'm sure I've seen described as such, others I'm just guessing):</p>

<p>Amherst
Boston College
Davidson
Duke
Swarthmore
Wash U.
Williams</p>

<p>Amherst and Williams, at least, I'm positive about. Now... what does that mean?</p>

2

<p>i've come to define preppy as students who have been coddled their whole lives, never had to work a day (every), have probably never had anything tragic ever happen to them, elitist, unconcerned about other classes of people, and whose biggest concern at any one moment is where's the party where I can pick up a drunk chick for tonight. A quick and easy way to identify them from afar is to look at the dirrection of their collars.</p>

3

<p>What direction would that be?</p>

4

<p>Popped collars = preppy</p>

<p>If you're really curious about preppy, try finding "The Preppy Handbook" at a used bookstore. It was written around 1980, but not much has changed.</p>

5

<p>I mean, I can identify the "preppy" kids in high school, but I guess I just expected that to change in college. At least, in these higher-level institutions.</p>

<p>New approach: I've heard wonders about Emory's friendliness, and lots of stories about campus visits wherein students would just come up to you and ask if you were lost, if they could help, answer questions, etc etc. I've also heard that there's a very strong sense of community and pride among the students, as well as a passion for learning and helping each other learn. What other schools are similar to this? Especially from this list:</p>

<p>Amherst
Boston College
Brown
Carleton
Dartmouth
Davidson
Duke
Emory
Pomona
Rice
Swarthmore
U. Va
Wash. U
Williams</p>

<p>I have a vague feeling that Carleton, Pomona, and Swarthmore would fit this description (probably because of stuff I heard once) - am I right? And what schools on or off this list are also preppy or completely anti-preppy?</p>

6

<p>
[quote]
I've heard wonders about Emory's friendliness, and lots of stories about campus visits wherein students would just come up to you and ask if you were lost, if they could help, answer questions, etc etc.

[/quote]

This happened to me at Wake Forest (twice). I would not classify Davidson as preppy, and Duke is too diverse to call preppy. You could identify a preppy subpopulation, though.</p>

<p>The "Top Ten Preppiest Student Bodies" according to the 2006 edition of the Insider's Guide to Colleges published by Yale Daily News:
Babson College
Colgate University
Middlebury College
Princeton University
Rollins College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis </p>

<p>The original preppiest schools according to The Official Preppy Handbook:
Babson College
Hamilton College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hollins College
Lake Forest College
Pine Manor College
Princeton University
St. Lawrence University
Sweet Briar College
University of Virginia </p>

<p>The Runners-Up:
Amherst College
Colby College
Colorado College
Connecticut College
Georgetown University
Reed College
Trinity College (CT)
Vassar College
Williams College
Wheaton College (Mass)</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preppy%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preppy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

7

<p>.... Any New England/North Eastern LAC</p>

8

<p>Here comes the money!!!</p>

9

<p>I would say Dartmouth is the friendliest school on the planet.</p>

10

<p>Having visited the campus of WashU, I would not describe it as preppy at all. It has a laid-back Midwestern feel --- people tend to smile and nod at you as you walk by and nobody looked as though they were dressed to impress anyone else. Of all the places we visited, my laid-back and definitely non-prep son, a flip-flop wearing CA boy, felt the most at ease and at home there. He is a very happy WashU freshman.</p>

11

<p>Please don't let Amherst's reputation put you off. It really isn't all that preppy, huge maneuvers have gone underway to increase representation among poor kids, etc. It really isn't NEARLY as preppy as its reputation...and I say that as someone who is the antithesis of preppy! Also, it's located in a very progressive area and there is a pretty terrific local arts scene, especially in Noho and such.</p>

12

<p>Is that really all there is to it? The more wealthy kids a school has, the more jerky ones it has, too?</p>

13

<p>Duke, Colgate, Holy Cross, Bucknell, Davidson, Colby, Dartmouth, Princeton, Gtown, UVA, W&L are preppy.</p>

14

<p>M'kay. Now, does that refer to a) the way most kids dress, b) those kids' attitudes toward their peers, or c) a general understood separation between students - not necessarily a hierarchy, but dif. groups who may all consider themselves superior in some way to the others? d) all of the above?</p>

15

<p>usually choice D</p>

16

<p>I think the fact that you described a preppy person as someone that has never had "anything tragic ever happen to them" is a really skewed perspective. So you're going to assume that if someone "pops" their collar, then they have never worked a day in their life? Thats a pretty huge generalization you've made there, buddy. I think that its somewhat foolish to make an assumption about someone's life and wealth by how they wear their collared shirts.</p>

17

<p>Touche nonattero!</p>

18

<p>nonattero,
you are either:</p>

<p>A) a preppy collar popper
B) not yet in college</p>

<p>I can't think of any other reason why you wouldn't see my "generalization"</p>

<p>also, the popped collar is just an early indicator. There's the fair share of hard working collar poppers, though they certainly consitute the minority. Or they are just trying to copy a style.</p>

<p>"Thats a pretty huge generalization you've made there, buddy"</p>

<p>3 years of experience in college and actually knowing a few of these types of people has led me to make that assertion. You'll see...</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
have probably never had anything tragic ever happen to them

[/quote]
</p>

<p>gomestar, that's a pretty bold thing to claim for any group of people regardless of race, nationality, class, gender, etc.</p>

<p>for example, do you think that things such as car/plane accidents, cancer, death and other unforseen tragedies are limited to a certain subset of the human population?</p>

<p>a quick look at the Kennedy family's tragic history would seem to dispel your statement - is there a more famous, more powerful, more tragic family in recent American history? </p>

<p>perhaps from your prespective things may seem "greener" on the other side, BUT how do you really "know"? Everyone of these people you are referring to are somehow supposed to live magical lives of uninterrupted joy and happiness? Lastly, for anyone to presume that one knows everything about a certain group of people (esp. one that you one apparently not a part of) is not only an extremely bold statement it's a pretty arrogant one IMO.</p>

20

<p>Some of the Kennedy "tragedies"</p>

<p>Teddy Kennedy's plane crash in his early Senate career - when he orderd the charter pilot to pilot to fly into bad weather.,resulting in death of the pilot and one aide </p>

<p>David Kennedy died of heroin overdose in a hotel after being ousted from the family vacation home at Palm Beach.</p>

<p>His son Michael, who drew negative publicity for an alleged affair with his family's underage baby sitter starting when she was around 13, killed in a skiing accident while intoxicated and playing "football" while negotiating a steep slope in Aspen, Colorado. He was 39. The alleged victim of the stutory rape refused to testify, some believe her (multi-millionaire) father's business dealings with Kennedy acquaintances was a major factor. Her mother (dumped for a younger women by her father) subsequently stepped off a 10 story building in Boston - to her death</p>

<p>Joseph Kennedy engaging in reckless driving rolled a jeep on Nantucket that left a female passenger paralyzed for life.</p>

<p>Robert Kenney Jr considered a major pothead and had had numerous run-ins with Hyannis, MA Police eventually was busted for pot possession</p>

<p>Teddy Kennedy while drunk drove a car off a bridge on Massachusetts' Chappaquiddick Island after a party, killing aide Mary Jo Kopechne.. </p>

<p>Patrick, now a congressman, sought treatment for cocaine addiction as a teen-ager in 1986, recently involved in an apparent drunk driving accident in Washington D.C;.</p>

<p>William Kennedy Smith was accused of rape in 1991 at the family's Palm Beach, Florida, estate. He was acquitted. Other family members call his dating style: "Willy's problem" </p>

<p>John F Kennedy Jr a non instrument rated pilot, after a long history of high risk activities, ended up diving his plane into the ground due to poor visibilty off Nantucket , killing himself, his wife and his sister-in-law</p>