When choosing colleges (which are otherwise good candidates in terms of academic and non-academic fit, affordability, and possibility of admission), do students and parents usually care about the SES (socio-economic status) mix of the students (as they were just before entering college, since attending college can affect their post-graduation SES)?
Some do, some don’t. Some consider it very important, some will never even check and don’t care.
Like every other factor that goes into determining a specific college for a specific student/family the answer is simple: it depends.
I can’t say it didn’t cross my mind, but it wasn’t a huge deciding factor. I just wouldn’t want my kids to be in an environment where they felt significantly different than everyone else, on either end of the spectrum. Nor would I want them at a school where everyone is exactly like them. A good mix is ideal, and that’s the type of school my son attends. D’s choices came down to a few schools that were pretty homogeneous as far as SES (that is, most students were fairly well off). However, at one of the schools it was very conspicuous and the atmosphere was very showy and pretentious. That definitely turned her off and she chose a school where that was more subdued.
What an odd question! Like any other factor, some students and parents will care and some won’t.
I don’t think many families and students think about it, but it may be a cause of unhappiness for some students after they arrive at college. So perhaps it should get more consideration up front.
Not something I or any of the kids considered.
Absolutely! From our family’s experiences SES impacts peer group selection more than other factors. My children attended private schools and public magnets so they were probably more keen to avoid colleges with larger populations of the uber wealthy.
I think many families don’t think about it b/c they have the luxury of choice. Many other families don’t think about it b/c they have no choice so it never even enters their mind – simply happy to be attending college at all. For my family, the uniformity of my kiddo’s college population was a big eye opener. My kid is socially very aware – I think she’ll learn a lot from others’ views, both “broad” and “narrow”.
Is that a guide you can get from the Admissions Office or would that be something like Student Affairs?
Since most students in America commute to a local college, I would guess that most times SES is not a factor.
It was a factor in schools that I researched for my D. I started college at a state school surrounded by students that were similar to me in all aspects and enjoyed myself immensely. I transferred my junior year (due to academics, not social issues) to a private school where my SES stuck out like a sore thumb, and I couldn’t wait to graduate.
And almost 30 years later, I still talk about how much I didn’t enjoy my time there (and don’t even encourage students like me to attend).
D is extremely happy with the mix of students she is surrounded with (BFFs with a girl living in a million dollar mansion and another who has to work two jobs and take the cheapest meal plan in order to afford school - sometimes going hungry because of it).
It was one of the factors in determining a school that was a good “fit” for her.
Yes. The prep school kids are okay but difficult to socialize with in the absence of daddy’s credit card. Glad S2 chose an SES aware school…and an academically superior one too.
I observed this 45 years ago, as well.
Everyone is different, and candidly, I suspect a lot of concern about the supposed lack of prestige of some demonstrably solid schools comes from this. Are a number of posts by people from either coast worrying about fitting in in Ole Miss or Alabama, for example. That’d certainly satisfy the “socio” part of SES.
It absolutely mattered to us. I wanted my kids to go to 4 year colleges, and I wanted them to be able to participate in the activities once they got there. At some schools, we would have been hard pressed just to make the cost of tuition but at others we could afford the little extras that make it fun. DD#1 has found plenty of kids in her SES group, but there are those who have more money. The school does help in that almost all activities like sports, movies, entertainment on campus are free. DD#2’s school has many more students from a high SES (a lot of internationals with expensive tastes) but she has less time to worry about the differences. She can’t go on spring break anyway because of her sport, so does it really matter that her friends are off to Spain or Aspen?
The big cost at schools like Ole Miss and Alabama might be Greek participation and clothing. If those are important to you, they definitely should be considered before picking the school.
We cared very much, particularly for D2.
She had chosen her high school, partially for its diversity, and she looked for it, in college.
Oldest, had " been the diversity"in her high school, and again in college.
I was hoping my kids went to school with billionaires sons and daughters and came back to tell me she learned how to become one, billionaire that is, perhaps through osmosis. But that didn’t happened.
It played a factor in DS decision. He wanted a diverse mix, but, more importantly, he wanted a place where his SES would not drastically alter his social circle. In a rural LAC, for instance, most activities are on campus. The millionaire and the Pell-grant kid can live in the same dorm, be in the same fraternity, attend the same party on Saturday. In NYC or New Orleans, the kids with the cash can go to clubs, eat out every day, etc. DS didn’t want to be the poor kid at a wealthy urban school.
My guys attended elementary and middle school with a lot of SES mix. Their public high school was somewhat higher income bust still diverse. When we were college searching, I was a little concerned with how S1 would fit in with east coast preppies as he scoffs at that kind of thing from afar. But as it turned out he landed at UCSD where 60% of the students get fin aid and the racial mix is in line with his high school. So that’ll be an easier transition.
It was a factor in D’s also, and the city thing definitely came up. Things she considered were # of Pell kids (and % on aid, those are about all the stats available), the general feel of the kids, what wealthy kids could do on a campus that others couldn’t (different housing, if clubs have extra costs, etc). She also chose a somewhat rural LAC for many of those reasons, and in her case it’s also a school that actively pursues SES diversity.
At a large campus, there may be groups of wealthy students, but if you have a big enough niche of your own tribe, it may not matter to you. For example at UA, just 30% of the students are Greek - however if you are Greek and trying to compete with clothes etc of some of the wealthy kids…DD is in a big group activity, and says she has a ‘tribe’ - but understands how someone new to campus may have to work on getting a tribe and not be bothered by the money some kids can throw around
It depends on the personality of the kid and what they do get exposed to. One does not want to feel isolated at their school.