CollegeslidepollajaxVideobowdoin college

The PREPPIEST Schools Of 2011

The PREPPIEST Schools Of 2011
Lindsay Dittman
|

Once upon a time, the prep was a variation of a traditionalist, East Coast-born, equestrian-riding, upper class WASP that attended a northeastern private university and boarding school before that. But the elusive noun is ever-changing, and nowadays members of this subculture are more defined by their attitudes than their creeds: If they play lacrosse, wear boat shoes, and bring a date to a football game, they're preppy. The attachment to traditional "old school" beliefs and attitudes isn't necessarily there, just an outfit that makes 'em look like their parents own several yachts and a place on the Vineyard. We're ringing in an age of the "New Prep."

2011's PREPPIEST Colleges
University Of Virginia(01 of08)
Open Image Modal
At a school that refers to the quad as "the Lawn," it's no surprise that many of the frat and sorority houses are situated along "Rugby Road." The school isn't lacking in Southern tradition (students joke that UVA's mantra is "guys in ties, girls in pearls"). Having been ranked by U.S. News World & Report as the number two public university among "National Universities" in the United States in 2009, 2010 and 2011, it's no surprise that it draws a more and more diverse crowd. As one student reviewer explained, "While the preppy Old South crowd may be most prominent, UVA's 13,000 undergrads come from every walk of life." (credit:Wikimedia Commons)
University Of The South (Sewanee)(02 of08)
Open Image Modal
There's no denying that Sewanee is a school founded on tradition: Matrons (older women) still take up residence in the dorms. There's "The Passing Hello," which traces its history back to Vice Chancellor Josiah Gorgas, who apparently "saluted every student he met and lifted his hat in greeting ladies." But perhaps the most tellingly preppy of all the rituals, the one that reads like a line from The Preppy Handbook, is "The Dress Tradition." According to the school's website, "You can't be on campus longer than a few minutes before you notice that Sewanee students are dressed up for class, which is atypical for most American colleges or universities." (credit:flickr.com/Sewanee: The University of the South)
Miami University (Ohio)(03 of08)
Open Image Modal
Referred to as "J. Crew U," this small school, located in Oxford, Ohio, was deemed a "public ivy" by Richard Moll in his 1985 book Public Ivies: A Guide to America's Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities. The school's investment in maintaining on-campus traditions may date back to its age: It is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest in Ohio. This sense of the old world creates an atmosphere that could potentially be cloistering. But, said one student, while some students might feel "overwhelmed by the conservative atmosphere" the "unique traditions and school spirit" creates a sense of community that is "hard not to love." Said another, "The majority of students look like they were pulled from the same brochure as their backdrop." (credit:Wikimedia Commons)
College Of Charleston(04 of08)
Open Image Modal
Name-checked in the original "Preppy Handbook," this Charleston, South Carolina school contains a lot of pink and green and a lot of monograms. The Spring graduation tradition? Women wear white dresses and descend from the steps of Randolph Hall, the college's oldest building, while the men wear white dinner jackets and wait in the Cistern yard. (credit:Courtesy of the College of Charleston)
Davidson College(05 of08)
Open Image Modal
According to College Prowler, "Davidson is a preppy school. Students, guys, and girls alike, take pride in their appearance. Take a look around in any given class, and you'll most definitely see students who put some effort into looking their best that morning. Clean shirts, pressed pants, and decent shoes are par for the course. The fact that all Davidson students have their clothes washed free of charge and as often as they want at the college laundry tends to help." A college laundry?! We're jealous. (credit:collegeprowler.com)
St. Lawrence University(06 of08)
Open Image Modal
This Northeastern school, known for its top-notch hockey program, was recently crowned the No. 1 preppiest college by a Social Primer list. Though we think they may have received this distinction through some vigorous tweeting (according to rising junior Robert M. Meacham, St. Lawrence students relied upon technology to rally from 11th place and beat front-runner University of Virginia, Charlottesville), the university is, nevertheless, a northeastern ode to prepdom. Back in the day, it made #8 in the Preppy Handbook's list of "Preppiest Colleges." And though it follows that the student body would consist solely of preppy white kids from New England, reviewers hold that these stereotypes are "not at all" true; "students come from all different types of socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and orientations." We think the school's reigning crown in preppy comes from the little things: Prep favorite Guster played a gig at the school in 2006, and students have a tendency to migrate en masse to O.A.R. concerts. Ultimately, St. Lawrence gives the impression of a boarding school on steroids: happy students, good hockey, and a taste for lying in the fields listening to jams (in a polo). (credit:Photo Courtesy of Saint Lawrence University)
Bowdoin College(07 of08)
Open Image Modal
The dress code at this brainy Maine liberal arts school, according to The Insider's Guide To College 2011 is strictly, "preppy conservative," but as one student reviewer said, "Just because there are stereotypes doesn't mean that 'preppy' kids are only friends with other preppy kids. Everyone branches out." (credit:AP)
Claremont McKenna(08 of08)
Open Image Modal
Claremont McKenna maybe dominated, as one student reviewer opined, "by preppy 'bros' who like to walk around shirtless and otherwise dress in head-to-toe Abercrombie," but at least the student body is loyal. The CEO of Abercrombie, Michael S. Jeffries, graduated from the school in 1966.

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip