Duke Jewish life was very nice for a social kid but it’s even more intense than UMICH. The wealth of the cohort is eye popping. It’s a very “ fast” crowd. UMich even the New Yorkers feels a (tiny) bit more laid back. One example. In the university owned apartment next to my kids ( at least when my kid went uni housing was only option til senior year) the parents had everything taken out and put into storage. Then they brought in a decorator and furnished the whole place from West Elm ( which they viewed as “ downscale”).
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Isn’t there a whole building devoted to Jewish life:
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And we wonder why so many feel a top education is for only the elite…
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Well the “cohort” I was discussing was Jewish social kids from places like NYC. Duke has many many students who are not at all from the elite and obtained a world class education and a host of support fully funded by the school.
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I’m not saying everyone is - but the perception is most are - at the elites - and that quote shows you why people feel that way.
I’m all for the wealthy…I am one or hope to be one 
But that’s nuts they would do that.
Perceptions aren’t realities even if perpetuated erroneously but innocently. Here are some stats from Brown that I believe are representative of many of the elites schools.
Specifically…
- 48% of class members are students of color
- 15% percent are first-generation college students
- 44% percent will receive need-based scholarship or grant aid
- Students in the class come to Brown from 66 nations
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Yes but…. The very “social” kids aren’t the demographic that tends to make use of the center. The kids who use it are amazing and have a great social life. But they are not we call “ social”, which in Jewish areas like mine tend to have a specific meaning. Here ( and in the area in and around NYC) it means wealthy, a bit flashy, the kind of kids that are into Greek life in their early years and then go out for nice meals and to night clubs and their social life revolves around those sorts of activities. Not the Jewish center though tons more kids go for the high holidays. There are exceptions no doubt. I’m generalizing. I assumed that’s the cohort the OP was getting at. But These students are often extremely smart hardworking and engaged in politics and their classes.
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Within this context, appropriately nicknamed “Jewlane”.
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Yep! That’s a lovingly joking nickname Our People use in my area. The year my daughter graduated from HS we had 20 kids ( all Jewish) out in the graduation class who were Tulane bound!
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That means that 56% of Brown students are attending without grants or scholarships, which typically means parent income and/or wealth in the top few percent.
So yes, there is a strong high SES skew at Brown and other elite private colleges with similar percentage of students on or not on financial aid.
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I was responding to the comment…
“a top education is for only the elite”
“Strong high SES skew” vs “only” is a different statement.
The stats speak for themselves. 44% of students are arguably not “elite” in financial terms. 44% is greater than 0%. 100%=“Only”. 56% does not equal 100%.