Blue-blooded behaviour?

Now before I run out of “big school vs small school” topics and start on more generic “sell-Rotterdam School of Management-as-an-exchange-destination” J topics, let me talk about an “urban myth” of sorts that I haven’t been able to really conclude on.
Question : Are students in big US schools snobbish?
Stiffer upper lips?
Hoity toity-er?
Hmmmm….. Don’t look at ME for any answers or insights; I’m just a staff reporter! I just report. Neutrally, I may add.
But I could divulge what some people have told me in greatest confidence; a brief summary of their observations.

Answer: Yes, students in big US schools are definitely perceived to be “colder” than their smaller school counterparts. Less warm. Less inclusive.
Now let’s assume for a bit that that is true. Looking at the macro scenario, is that then simply a function of the size? I mean we’ve got 800- odd students in one class. One student can barely get to know all of his or her colleagues. Why should he or she care about some exchange students who are here for not even an entire semester? I completely buy that.
Now let’s look at the micro scenario.
Team interactions, parties, classroom interactions, bump-into-each-other-in-the-hallway moments etc . Unless the exchange student, in these situations, makes the first move to be friendly, he or she largely will get looked right through by others or at best subjected to short-term professional behavior (for whatever reason).
Okay let me be fair here. Why on earth would you intercept someone in the hallway or escalator and start a random conversation right? I mean really. There’s loads to do as it is. But what if you sit next to someone in class you haven’t met before or seems like a new face? Is it natural for you to strike up a conversation to get to know that person or not? From a small school perspective I know you’d probably be going out drinking with that person by that evening or you’d end up introducing that person to all your close friends and making other plans. Ok it doesn’t have to get THAT extreme (the drinking bit), but you know what I mean.
Inter-personal interactions need not be governed by the size of the class right?
Exchange students from my school who’ve been to bigger schools in the US in the past have “warned” me that people may not be so forthcoming and that I’d have to make all the effort if I were truly interested in getting to know people. That’s fine!
My colleagues who are currently on exchange in smaller schools (American or European) quote completely different experiences. Inclusive, warm and friendly new colleagues who go out of their way to make sure they’re comfortable and included in events and other goings on. One important aspect of their behavior I think is humility. You can take me up on this, but a smaller school crowd is largely humble in nature. And I think it’s this humility that makes it easier for them to come across as, to put it simply, nicer. How does this humility come into place you ask? From personal experience, since I’m part of a class that’s 98% international, we’ve been literally brain washed (in a nice way) to demonstrate the “right” inter-cultural behavior and “trained” about inter-personal sensitivity and behavioral issues. I don’t know whether that’s true for other small schools though.
Conclusion: Given my experiences in Wharton so far, what do I think? Let’s just say I did come here with little expectations and much to my delight have been pleasantly surprised so far! :)

(If you think you have a point of view and would like to comment, feel free to email me at smeetha@wharton.upenn.edu)