<p>Nother Dart parent, I guess you would say upper middle income. Dart kids by and large are not snobby at all, although I am certain there are some.
D’s sorority dues are similar to what is listed (wonder if Garrr! is in D’s sorority?).</p>
<p>There are really only 2 terms to be snobby, because in winter you can’t show off very many pretty clothes. Seriously, the kids seem to dress alike and play down wealth. There aren’t expensive restaurants, clubs or concerts to go to, so like others, D spends very little money. She has taken up skiing and bought ice skates, but she got her ice skates at Walmart, I think, and the season lift ticket is cheap.
Another anti-snob factor is all the coming and going and changing of rooms. If daughter had been going to big state U, she probably would drive a nice car (vs no car at Dart, and a very cheap car at home), she would have a TV and microwave and other gadgets (no time, no space and way too much trouble to store when you live too far away to drive home). We might well have bought her a condominium - very common down here for upper mids with more than one child to send to college - pick their school and buy a house or condo for them.
Probably the most expensive single Dartmouth tradition that you might consider extra work or budget for is study abroad. A large proprotion of the campus goes abroad which is a little unusual for an Ivy. FA pays for much of that expense, but it is a shame to go and not travel some, so that money has to come from somewhere.</p>