<p>This thread is pretty old, but seeing that the OP is still a junior, I decided I would give my two cents. I’m only going to comment on the schools I have enough information on to be a somewhat credible resource. By the way, I’m also totally liberal and I can’t wait to get out of my elitist prep school in NYC. Through my college search I wanted many of the same qualities and was also very disinclined to attend anywhere that was too pretentious or fratty, so here goes:</p>
<p>-Northwestern: LOVED this school when I visited, personally. I don’t know why people are making such a big deal about its Division I athletics… the Ivy League schools are also Division I but it doesn’t dominate their school culture. Definitely worth a visit! I applied to this school on a whim because I needed another upper match to round out my list and never imagined that I would end up actually seriously considering it. Yes, about a third of the campus is Greek, but everyone I met during my visit was very welcoming and denied that Greek Life was exclusive or dominating. Of course there are really snotty sorority girls and frat bros, but I got the feeling that no one other than themselves really cared very much about them. One thing that I thought was very special about NU was how diverse and laidback the campus felt. Some schools will have diversity in numbers but homogeneity in campus culture, if you know what I mean–at NU you have the theatre geek and the violin major and the football recruit mingling together in the same class. Very refreshing experience. Proximity to Chicago is an added plus.</p>
<p>-Brown–Super liberal, I would love to go here but was rejected. Oh well, I always had the feeling that they were kinda pretentious in their own weird hipster self-loathing way anyway.</p>
<p>-Cornell–Less pretentious than the other Ivy’s, but also (it seems from general consensus) possibly less fun. I get the vibe that students here take studying very seriously, especially the engineers. Of course with an undergrad student body of 14,000 you’re bound to have a diverse set of experiences. I’m going here next year, so woohoo!</p>
<p>-UChicago- I have a family friend who goes here and loves it, although she admits to it being incredibly busy. She’s quirky and kind of dorky so I doubt that the school atmosphere is that elitist, otherwise I know she would hate it.</p>
<p>-Georgetown- Catholic and pretentious (from what I have seen/heard)! The two people I know who will be enrolling there next year from my NYC prep circle of acquaintances (I hesitate to call them friends) are incredibly wealthy and elitist. Plus, they’re soooo WASPy; blonde, lacrosse, everything. Sorry to generalize–I’m sure that you can be a chill person and be totally into lacrosse at the same time (??)</p>