are "rich" kids here actually rich?

no, there is no one out of the 52,000 kids who go here that is wealthy. You're probably just sooo much better than them cause you went to a wealthy private school.

What's considered "wealthy"? Like Miami/Palm Beach wealthy?

Good question. I am upper middle class, but not wealthy. My parents offered me the opportunity to go to a private school. I got into Tulane and U Miami, but wanted either a big 10 or SEC for the fun, tailgates, and pregaming. I know tons of wealthy kids in DEEPH that felt the same.

NO, they are not rich. Only Mommy and Daddy are. They (rich Kids) get Mommy and Daddy to buy them everything so it looks like they are rich to others. It's all smoke and mirrors.

If they were rich they'd be at Duke or USC in LA or somewhere else cool -- not at the in-state public U.

There are tons of rich kids at UF mainly from Palm Beach-Miami, and while I think you are onto something and mostly people are upper-mid here, kids are always gonna fabricate their backgrounds...Also, a lot of kids had the option to go to other schools, my big to Texas, my best friend to USC, me to Northwestern - it's the value of how good the school is for how low tuition is

Most people with money are leaving Ca and getting houses for cash in FL or TX. They keep an LA house but not the residence for tax purpose just like the NY crowd. IF you paid taxes or were finance majors you would understand. Many parents do not mind public undergrade for their children and pay for professional school/graduate school someplace else. Most of the FL kids come in with dual and Ap credit in order to get into FL these days so they have no weeds/core courses. Almost all could have gotten into the schools you name heck Emory is easier to get into over UGA these days. I am shocked this is the case. But going to school for free with good sports is hard to pass up. You tip your hat as you leave Duke, Vandy, SMU off your list and those are desirable schools in the South. Any employer is going to wonder why a CA had to go to USC over UCLA. CAL TECH or UC-Berkeley they are just going to assume you could not get into your better ranked state University. Your post is showing why so many CA are moving to Texas and FL as they want their children educated.

The ole school wealthy parents send their children to elite liberal arts schools in NE if they worry about small class sizes. They do not keep their children in CA for undergrad. unless it is small elite private schools not big ones like USC.