Among Friends? Classed Navigations of an Elite Social Scene (ASA Paper)

Both class and racial status matter for establishing connections within a university setting and peer groups exert a heavy influence on the thoughts and actions of students (Flores-Gonzalez 2002). This research assesses socialization patterns across these demographic cleavages, in part by showing how students encounter and react to the dominant elite culture at an elite, private university. Recent research has portrayed the undergraduate experience as the great equalizer (Torche 2011). However, if disadvantaged students are unable to fit in socially, they will be less likely to benefit from the unique network opportunities offered by a highly selective university. This work examines how class and racial/ethnic status matter for forming important social bonds at a highly selective university