…ask, “Where did you go to high school?” as a personality test.
…ASK, “WHERE DID YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL?” AS A PERSONALITY TEST.
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We all know the drill. That subtle shift in conversation at a campus mixer, a networking event, or even just grabbing coffee. You’re talking to someone new, and then it drops, seemingly out of nowhere: “So, where did you go to high school?” It’s never just a casual question, is it? It’s a quiet probe, a subtle social test. You can almost feel the other person’s mental Rolodex spinning, connecting your alma mater to their preconceived notions, their own network, or perhaps even their competitive spirit.
It’s an unspoken Ivy vibe, a peculiar part of our shared universe. For some, it’s about establishing common ground, finding that shared private school background or a well-known public magnet. For others, it feels like an immediate classification, a way to quickly gauge pedigree, privilege, or even just how much you might have in common beyond the university walls. Did you attend a feeder school? A highly competitive public? Or perhaps somewhere totally unexpected that bucks the stereotype? Your answer, and their reaction, speaks volumes.
This isn't just small talk; it's a cornerstone of those weird, uniquely Ivy conversations. It's the moment you realize you're part of a distinct, sometimes perplexing, ecosystem where your pre-college journey is often as scrutinized as your post-grad plans. It’s part of the fabric, part of the unspoken curriculum. And honestly, did you even go to [Ivy] if you didn’t encounter this at least a hundred times? It’s a shared language, a little nod to our collective, often intense, pasts that led us here.