Is Amherst 'preppy'? - Page 3

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 03:08 PM

Yes, these schools have all made an effort to be less "preppy". But if you look even at hits per school, parent/student buzz, and the desirability of these schools, I think you have to admit that people are hoping to join the privileged classes, so they will go to rather extreme lengths to get their kids into one.I was very pleased with the change in atmosphere at Williams in 25 years, when I looked at the school (and Dartmouth, I didn't look at Amherst) as a female in the 70s I was horrified by the frat boy culture. The first women who went to Dartmouth were called "Co-Hogs". That was in a great part, why I went to Bates-never any organizations that EVERYONE couldn't belong to, integrated before the Civil War, Coed in the late 1800s as well...All these LACs have made progress towards being more egalitarian. BUT to me, a preppy is still a preppy, and always will be.And if an aspiring bright young student wants to get a great education and rub elbows with the upper classes, more power to them. But I won't back down. Amherst is PREPPY.

kwu · 10-24-2009, 03:38 PM

"Amherst is PREPPY."

That's fine, as long as you concede that every top university and college in the United States is preppy, and that a majority of them are more preppy than Amherst.

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 03:47 PM

No, some of them are "nerdy". Now I want to hear from the anti-nerd crowd...

'rentof2 · 10-24-2009, 03:53 PM

Oldbatsiedoc, it sounds like you're committed to something, and of course that's your right. I'm from your generation too and would have considered Bates "preppy." I went to CalState Sonoma.

So... you know we all carry our own assumptions and then realize things are often not what they seem.

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 03:58 PM

I feel like some of the members are trying to do some kind of therapy on me...Maybe I need it>>>And doesn't anyone get SARCASM? But seriously, no one in their right mind would characterize MIT as preppy...

mythmom · 10-24-2009, 04:02 PM

I went to SUNY Stony Brook.

I do think kids are asking more about the culture than the wealth. Is there long hair? Do people play guitars? Are collars popped? Are there eating clubs? Frats?

S has met some fabulously wealthy kids at Williams -- I am talking billionaires kids.

They all sit around in t-shirts, watch TV together, play in the orchestra, act in the plays and go on hikes.

There is not a striking presence of money. Williamstown has nothing to do that requires money.

And with 50% of the kids there on FA, there are as many us's as there are thems. And many of the full-ride kids are not rich, "preppy" kids either.

So, although I do understand Oldbatesiedoc's point I don't agree with it.

S's second choice, U of Chicago, is known to be "nerdy," but the dominant culture is not very different from Williams except that its urban, not rural.

In fact, I would say the pedagogy at U of C is a lot more conservative than at Williams. I was very surprised at how not stuffy Williams' pedagogy is, and as a college prof I have the tools to assess this.

I am sorry 'rent of 2 that I am speaking so much of Williams. I mean my post to refer to Amherst as well, I just know less about it and don't want to be disingenuous.

'rentof2 · 10-24-2009, 04:16 PM

LOL! Mythmom, I think Amherst and Williams were thrown into the same boiling pot about 10 posts ago.

Now... you and I can argue the details later in a different thread!

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 04:26 PM

Just putting it out there...There is a LOT of Rampant anti-preppy talk on the Carleton threads. Maybe some of the Amherst boosters should wander over and check it out. Some Bowdoin adherents might also be offended. And I haven't even made any comments on it. And I know it was many posts ago, but for the record, I did NOT think Williams felt preppy...Particularly...Without actually attending Williams in the current time frame. We had 2 underwhelming Amherst visits-visited it a second time to give it another chance. That is how my comments, viewed as negative by many, originated. I didn't know we were supposed to just post positive content...

'rentof2 · 10-24-2009, 04:44 PM

It's unfortunate you had disappointing visits. On the other hand I suppose you had visits to other schools that excited your kid. That's just how it works. Kids (and parents) bring a lot of subjectivity to school visits and tours.

Which schools is you son/daughter most interested in?

My daughter (who incidently had higher "stats" than my son at Amherst) just loved our Flagship State U. and is happily thriving there in the honors college.

mythmom · 10-24-2009, 04:51 PM

Oldbatesiedoc: Peace. I think we're just having a friendly discussion. From my point of view your ideas are welcome. I thought we were just refining our ideas, and yours are as valid as everyone else's (except mine, of course, LOL.)

Since people have such different tours and impressions etc. I think they're part of the karmic package -- the kids have the impression they're meant to have to end up where they're meant to be.

BTW: My D are Barnard exhibited many more elitist ideas than anyone at Williams. The combination of Columbia (her major was there) and NYC and friends having Marc Jacobs purses, ooh la la.

We couldn't afford any Marc Jacobs purses, but she did acquire a Coach purse.

And these were largely public school young women who were decidedly middle class, not rich.

'rentof2 · 10-24-2009, 04:57 PM

Who's Marc Jacobs? (Someone did tell me what a Coach purse was last year.)

My purse is vinyl, came from Target. My daughter has a little canvas one from Target that she graffiti'd all over and it looks pretty cool, but it's all faded and bunged up after a couple years.

mythmom · 10-24-2009, 05:14 PM

'rent of 2: About $1K a purse. Or something like that. Maybe $600.00 for a little one.

I used to have purses like yours but D was so appalled that upgraded a bit. Now they are in the $60.00 range from Overstock.com.

I must say, my female students have shown me more respect since I did that. And I teach at CC! But it is in Nassau County, LI. I live in Suffolk which is more rural, (at least where I live) thank goodness.

And I only have one pair of shoes for each season, except one old pair for "dressy." It has something to do with money and something to with the fact that I wear size 5 and have a devil of a time with shoes.

And D wears much more expensive clothes than I do, too. Oh well.

'rentof2 · 10-24-2009, 07:20 PM

Okay... you're right. I'm going to have to step up to Overstock.com. I've known a move like this has been coming for some time, but I've been in denial!

Keilexandra · 10-24-2009, 08:31 PM

From visits to schools like Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, of varying lengths; and anecdotally of my friends who are attracted to those schools:

They aren't stuffy. They are, however, preppy. This doesn't mean that they aren't creative and artsy and brilliant as well! But preppy, in dress and perhaps thought: yes. Two of my friends are applying ED to Amherst and Williams, respectively; I would certainly categorize them both as "preppy." That doesn't make them any less my friends.

I'm interpreting preppy as more of a lifestyle/style of dress than strictly "prep school graduates." I attend a public school, but there are lots of preppy people here (and I'm friends with more than two of them).

Quote:

Originally Posted by mythmom

And preppy usually means what my generation called "straight" -- middle of the road, more conservative, and less quirky or crunchy.

This is a pretty good definition, although the "conservative" and the "crunchy" are moving in opposite directions. I would describe Middlebury, after an extensive 3-day visit, as "granola prep," and I think Amherst/Williams may be moving in that direction.

Btw, mythmom - I also wear a size 5 in shoes and sympathize!

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 09:05 PM

I'm straight land's end and llbean...Still. I can only wear Birkenstocks, because once you start, you can never go back. As a practicing primary care doc, I can only wear clothes that small children can vomit on...I don't think of preppies as straight. I think of them as materialistic, and brand-conscious, and having that certain sense of entitlement...