<p>We live in a town that’s like the old factory towns – everyone works for the same employer – Wall Street. Or they’re a corporate attorney, whose clients are…you guessed it. There are no “dreamy” types; no artists; no teachers; a few physicians. Just a few narrow fields (investment banking; private equity; hedge funds) that people do very very well in.</p>
<p>I grew up in a rust belt city which I’d characterize as more of a big state U – diverse, well populated, with people engaging in business, the arts, and entrepreneurship. A teacher could have a decent home; so could the woman who tutored German and piano.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s being near NY, but I think most of the suburbs are like mine. There are a few towns which are known for being “artsy” – sort of the Bard or Wesleyan of the suburbs – but they’re the exception.</p>
<p>If your town were a school, what school would it be?</p>
<p>My town is a CC. There is an eclectic mix of people, with varying backgrounds. Many of us could live in other areas, but we can afford our town rather than taking on a lot of debt. The area has everything we need without all the bells and whistles of other areas. It is a perfectly fine place to be, even if some of us secretly wish we could be at the ivy league.</p>
<p>My town is a lot like a trade school. It doesn’t focus on the arts or humanities and success comes from getting out (or what we do on the weekends). It can also be a pleasant place, a useful place, without the bells and whistles.</p>
<p>My town is like a large state school. People are from a wide range of social classes, some are ambitious, and others are just getting by doing what they have to do. The ambitious ones all think they should be in the honors college.</p>
<p>I’d guess a small LAC.We have a lot of things like Art/Music in the Park and a nice, active downtown. It’s a fairly small town with mostly rich people (and a few token poor people…)</p>
<p>Pre-professional school … definitely. Within a hundred yards of where I’m sitting, there are three families with children in professional schools. This in a suburb with 2-acre zoning!</p>
<p>An ivy. Very wealthy because of all the professionals and people who graduated from ivies. High school is also very competetive with many smart kids.</p>
<p>Ummm… High school Model U.N.? My street, which is pretty representative of my community has: a lawyer, a teacher, an administrative assistant, a military career physician, a home daycare provider, a salesman, a construction worker, an engineer, a mathemetician, a couple of federal government employees, a financial consultant, a young resident physician, a university researcher, a neurosurgeon, and several stay at home parents. We are white, black, Chinese immigrants, Russian immigrants, Indian, and Hispanic, with a wide variety of religious backgrounds. Our homes were built as the cheapest section of a great neighborhood 20 years ago. Housing prices nearly tripled before the recession, came down a bit and have stabilized at just under the heights of 2007, which explains the wide ranging careers of homeowners, depending on when we bought.</p>
<p>Pre-professional. Doctors, lawyers, government managers. 10-15 minutes from the two major medical centers and the state capital in adjoining city. Newest influx are scientists/engineering types due to nanotechnology research consortium on campus of large state U, also 10 minute commute.</p>
<p>I’m an engineer living in an LAC area. That’s why talking to the school board about the math curriculum was a frustrating experience. I finally gave up and started giving my kids extra math problems at home.</p>
<p>My town is probably a CC, but we like to think it’s a secret Little Ivy. On our block families with Hispanic, white, black, French, Indian and Caribbean roots. Professions range from Architect, wedding planner, plumber, financial planner, Bishop, film camera man, would-be poet and playwright, to a couple of scientists. Age wise we’ve got young couples who haven’t started families to grandparents and everything in between. Everyone thinks their taxes are too high, but they are half of many of the adjacent towns.</p>
<p>None. Just a place with very rare job opportunities and very high unemployment. People are happy if they find a job within 1 hr of driving. Awesome museum, that attracts major international traveling exhibitions. Cannot call it artsy / proffessional / research center / booming business, just nice place to raise kids if you are willing to work at any place for any money despite your whatever degree. We do have a Medical School, but there are more in our state than most other states anyway.</p>
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