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i hear that people at northwestern are typically pretty snobby.. is this true?

By Bada1712 (Bada1712) on Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 03:07 pm: Edit

Hey tenniz, I've actually heard the opposite. Of course, every school has its snobs.

By Northwestern08 (Northwestern08) on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 02:45 pm: Edit

NU students, from what I hear, aren’t exactly snobs but many of them come from upper-middle/upper class families. I guess it’s comparable to Stanford.

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Yes, 20% of Northwestern student body come from families where the family gross income is $250,000+ .

You do the math.

By Polly (Polly) on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 11:20 pm: Edit

How about Ivies?

By Bada1712 (Bada1712) on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 11:29 pm: Edit

haha wow, $250,000+? sounds like i should definitely qualify for some financial aid.

By Steffie416 (Steffie416) on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 - 01:57 pm: Edit

I am from Illinois and there are a lot of people from the "northshore" of Chicago, which means nothing to you if you are not familiar with the area but basically the north shore is VERY ritzy, rich,well off, and also has a large Jewish population. Since Evanston is part of the NorthShore you will definately see your fair mix of rishy rich kids but I know people that go there and they are by no means rich. Basically, anywhere you choose to go to school, you will run across the privelaged silver spoon kids and your every day run of the mill middleclassers as well. As for the snobs, everyone has thier own defination of that and I am sure you will come across them wherever you decide to go to school.

By Morgantruce (Morgantruce) on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 - 09:12 pm: Edit

My daughter informs me that this season's crop of would-be snobs choose to identify themselves to one another by wearing a particular brand of brightly colored expensive scarf: how convenient! Real snobs, of course, have far more creative ways of dealing with such a rising tide. Those students with a sense of modesty and humor should find some easy entertainment in observing the rituals.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 01:04 am: Edit

Steffie, two questions: to what degree do you equate rich = snob and what does "Jewish" have to do with either?

Fwiw, I lived in Evanston for a number of years.

By Gk06 (Gk06) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 02:28 am: Edit

I attended Northwestern's CTD over the summer and I can assure you that Evanston is wonderful. A 40 minute ride will take you to Michigan Avenue. Moreover, people aren't as snobby, at least not as much as ppl at U of C.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Thedad-ouch, that must have hurt to live in evanston, kind of a shady town to grow up in.

By Shoshie (Shoshie) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 12:40 pm: Edit

Mmmm...everyone I know who goes to U of C is in no way a snob. What evidence do you have to make such a generalization?

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 03:12 pm: Edit

Evanston isn't shady at all. I'd be curious to see what the curriculum offerings are today.

When I was there, foreign language offerings included French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Latin...and I think I'm missing at least a couple. Their drama program was nationally known, inclduding a nationally televised production of "The Mikado" on NBC that had exactly one pro performer. I was a part of a brilliant math/science program that was one of those life-marking things. Then there was driver's ed...heh. It was a large school, about 5,000 students and I'm guessing it might be even larger now.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 04:48 pm: Edit

TheDad, I go to Evanston's rival high school. It's only natural for me to knock Evanston in general.

By Dadx (Dadx) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 09:13 pm: Edit

Be not afraid.

Rich people may do you harm, but usually victims escape permanent injury.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 09:56 pm: Edit

Asknot: you mean that den of iniquity, New Trier?

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 10:58 pm: Edit

Thedad: what? Its really not that wicked and immoral of a place. Sure half of us have a drug problem, and the majority of us are alcoholics come the weekend. We still are perhaps the best public school in America. Evanston isn't all that bad of a school...

By Thedad (Thedad) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 01:28 am: Edit

Asknot: nonsense. New Trier High School is mentioned in Leviticus, right along with Sodom and Gommorah...though without quite as much approbation as directed at the University of Southern California.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 11:39 am: Edit

My Biblical allusions aren't quite as sharp as they were...but I do recall Sodom being the one who lived in a sinful city, and God informed them to leave. Unfortunately, Gommorah looked back, and was turned to stone at the sight of the city being destroyed.
Its funny that you mention USC along with New Trier, I have quite a few friends applying there. You forgot to mention another sinful school, the University of Arizona.
But I can understand your and everyone else's dislike for NT. We win at everything. Its just that simple.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 12:50 pm: Edit

"We win at everything."

To quote Charles Dickens: "Bah. Humbug!"
I can see NT students applying to USC...arrogance is something the two schools have in common; USC adds delusions of adequacy to the mix.

If D was interested in going to a large party school, she could do worse than U of Arizona...they'd give her a four-year merit scholarship. Sigh.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 01:02 pm: Edit

I hate to break it to you we do pretty much win at everything. We have the most athletic titles in the state, the most ap classes, the best faculty, and the most students sent to the Ivy League. Its just how it is up here.

By Kinshasa (Kinshasa) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 01:02 pm: Edit

My husband (Niles East '68) and I met at Northwestern when I was a freshman. I don't remember it as a particular snobby campus. I guess everyone was too busy protesting the Vietnam War.

By the way, it was Lot's wife who looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 01:10 pm: Edit

Really I thought Arizona/ASU were considered the biggest party schools in the country? My neighbor(who by all accounts is a failure...had every opportunity available to him, and ends up as basically an addict) is dying to go there because of the party scene.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 01:51 pm: Edit

Arizona State is worse than U of Arizona as a party school. And Tucson is more interesting than Phoenix, which is kinda like Albuquerque without the charm.

D isn't interested in large party schools so it's only an idle question here.

Oh, well. The Great Wheel Turns: Evanston was on top mumble years ago and I'm sure it will be again.

By Muzicgal04 (Muzicgal04) on Friday, November 28, 2003 - 09:25 pm: Edit

Rich people arent necessarily snots. And saying you do the math about 20% having incomes over a quarter of a mil....I grew up with a lot of kids like that. Some are snobs, some arent. Its no different than any other group of people. Yes, if you go to the east coast, you will encounter the east coast snob.....however, they wont go to northwestern. im sure there are snobs at northwestern.....there are anywhere. dont worry about it unless you plan on going around trying to shoot them.

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 12:18 am: Edit

When it comes to the snob factor, I find it highly frightening that half the student population at Northwestern wears or owns at least a North Face fleece coat or jacket. You may not understand why I attack this issue, but North Face is an expensive ski brand, yet I feel like I'm staring at a pool of homongenuous, wannabe skiers. Why must people wear North Face!?!? I don't own anything from that company and I have enough coats to keep me warm and dry. We are a group ruled by brands.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 01:22 am: Edit

NOrth Face makes good jackets. You live in Michigan, don't you want a warm coat?
Its either North Face, Patagonia, Helly Hansen or a few other brands. My daughter wears Helly Hansen, I wear REI and North Face.

It is interesting though that you percieve that 50% of the student body wears a particular brand. I doubt that it is that high, but you might think about why you are paying so much attention to what people wear.

I also wanted to make the point that income has little to do with how snotty someone is. I know people whose names you would recognize out in the MIdwest, but are very down to earth, and not snotty at all. I also know people who make less than I do, who are so about image, they will spend money on a car or clothes and their kids do without.
If you are looking for snobs you will find them, and if you are looking for friends you will find them. as someone said on another board " there are 20,000 students on this campus and until you have met everyone of them, you can't say that you can't find any friends"