Princeton sends letter to parents regarding concerns about Greek Life

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by 33girl

In response to another post, yeah it is a small amount of $$ compared with what you pay in tuition there - it's the principle of the thing. Like I said, if it was working, the fraternities and sororities would have died out - instead, we keep hearing about the pledge classes getting bigger and bigger. If the administration were NFL coaches they'd have been fired long ago.

My question is, if the eating clubs are so the be all and end all, why did the Greeks come onto campus in the first place? Or is it like an article I remember reading about Yale - to summarize, the old money, "white shoe" students joined the clubs that had been around forever and the new money/foreign students joined sororities.

I'm not sure if the pledge class sizes are going up at all at Princeton, or whether the numbers have stayed stagnant. I think the size of Greek life on campus has been fairly consistent over the years, although I'm not entirely sure on that.

As to the administration - the Greek Life thing is such a small part of their job that I'm sure that most of the influential alums (including trustees) don't care how they feel about Greek life, or are happy with Greek life's small role. I'll again compare it to my school (a school with a less prestigious reputation, haha)...administration has downplayed Greek life at Boston U for about 15-20 years, and it has had little to no effect on the perception of administration. For the most part, alumni are fine with Greek life being marginalized at the school. Heck, I was extremely involved in Greek life in college (between my chapter and the Interfraternity Council), and although I'd like to see my chapter thrive, the vitality of Greek life will have no impact on how I view the administration.

As for the eating clubs - I've heard the same things as Munchkin (at least as far as Princeton is concerned), in that they attract a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

[Imus]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

As for the eating clubs - I've heard the same things as Munchkin (at least as far as Princeton is concerned), in that they attract a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

At $45k/yr(tuition, room, and board) do you think Princeton attracts students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds?

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by Imus

At $45k/yr(tuition, room, and board) do you think Princeton attracts students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds?

Well there are the scholarship students as well as those who take out loans, so yeah I do.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by Imus

At $45k/yr(tuition, room, and board) do you think Princeton attracts students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds?

Yes, I do. You can't really presume the variety of people who attend a university based on its sticker price; Princeton also has a pretty healthy endowment from which it can offer scholarships and need-based aid.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by Imus

At $45k/yr(tuition, room, and board) do you think Princeton attracts students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds?

Didn't Princeton (and a couple other Ivies) match Harvard's decision to essentially offer full rides or incredible grant aid to every student? I think it did.

ETA: Princeton's financial aid packages basically eliminates financial barriers to entry: http://www.princeton.edu/admission/f...who_qualifies/

[Imus]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Didn't Princeton (and a couple other Ivies) match Harvard's decision to essentially offer full rides or incredible grant aid to every student? I think it did.

ETA: Princeton's financial aid packages basically eliminates financial barriers to entry: http://www.princeton.edu/admission/f...who_qualifies/

Harvard? There is a model for diversity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/ed...FFI.final.html


Is 1/3 of 8%, considered diversity?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Imus

Harvard? There is a model for diversity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/ed...FFI.final.html


Is 1/3 of 8%, considered diversity?

The thing is, that's becoming the case regardless of how selective the school is. I read somewhere years ago that the majority of college freshmen identifying as "Black" are West Indian or African and not African-American. My sister, who attended UF, said that there were far more Caribbean and African students there than kids like us, who could trace their ancestry in the US at least 5-6 generations. So, while Harvard is an easy target for so many reasons, you've got the gun pointed in the wrong direction, bucko.

But, I don't see what that has to do with Princeton's socioeconomic diversity, which is something that the other 7 Ivies and their competitiors are working hard to improve.

[Imus]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

The thing is, that's becoming the case regardless of how selective the school is. I read somewhere years ago that the majority of college freshmen identifying as "Black" are West Indian or African and not African-American. My sister, who attended UF, said that there were far more Caribbean and African students there than kids like us, who could trace their ancestry in the US at least 5-6 generations. So, while Harvard is an easy target for so many reasons, you've got the gun pointed in the wrong direction, bucko.

But, I don't see what that has to do with Princeton's socioeconomic diversity, which is something that the other 7 Ivies and their competitiors are working hard to improve.

Princton is not much different than Harvard, bucko.


I have been to Princeton many times. I don't see too many blacks on campus. The minorities on campus are mostly Asian or Indian.

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by Imus

Princton is not much different than Harvard, bucko.

I have been to Princeton many times. I don't see too many blacks on campus. The minorities on campus are mostly Asian or Indian.

Ok, I'm lost. What does the racial diversity of the student body have to do with Greek Life at Princeton?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Imus

Princton is not much different than Harvard, bucko.


I have been to Princeton many times. I don't see too many blacks on campus. The minorities on campus are mostly Asian or Indian.

What's your point? We weren't talking about the number of blacks on campus.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by Imus

Harvard? There is a model for diversity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/ed...FFI.final.html


Is 1/3 of 8%, considered diversity?

Diversity means more than just blacks and whites. If a campus was half white and half black, I would say that that is NOT diverse. Asians, Hispanics, international students contribute a lot to diversity, too. But really I was addressing the financial diversity of the student body, which only sometimes has racial correlations. I haven't seen the statistics, but I bet the majority of financial aid students at the Ivies are white.

Also, you should try finding an article more recent than 2004. I believe the more generous financial aid policies began after 2004.