<p>that said, I'm a boarding school kid who looked at the viewbook for my school freshman year and literally said "wait, isn't squash a vegetable"? </p>
<p>so though I now know what squash is (as a sport, and a food group) , I certainly didn't three and a half years ago. </p>
<p>And by far the majority of the people that I have met at "elite" boarding school are kind, generous, and modest -- I was just writing in Yale's short answers today, in fact, about how much I admire modesty - and how much I admire my peers because they are incredibly, incredibly talented people and yet often, I only know how gifted they are because someone else tells me (they would never bring it up in conversation). This goes for wealth/elitism too ... I never realized how wealthy most of the richest kids that I have met at prep school were until I went to their houses (and they were REALLY wealthy).</p>
<p>basically, although there is certainly elitism and snobbery at prep schools, I do not think that you can generalize and say that all prep school students are elitist, or snobby, or unimaginative. Many at the kids at my school before prep school were much more snobby (though they were less wealthy) and much less hard-working (though some of the kids that I have met at prep school could skate by doing little work because they are extremely intelligent) ... which is not to take away from my old school, which also had many kind, intelligent, and talented people. </p>
<p>I think you can find all types at all places. But I wish that people would not automatically write-off anyone who attended boarding school. Many, many students at boarding school are first generation to attend such elite schools, and many are on financial aid (me, for one). And of those who are several generations legacy, or very wealthy, not all are elitist or snobby.</p>