[throwaway2037]

    > children from generational wealth who play obscure sports from an early age to give them an edge in admissions

This sounds like a cut scene from Wes Anderson's 1998 film Rushmore. Can you name some of the sports? This sounds like fun. In my mind, the #1 prestige sport is rowing. It makes golf look like a sport for poor people. Also: Dressage (show jumping with horses). To be clear: I still respect people who are very good at rowing or dressage, but they are almost always from uber wealthy families.

[jackcosgrove]

Field hockey, water polo. If you include club sports there's more like fencing and squash. And yes I think rowing too.

[throwaway2037]

Interesting. Field hockey is big in many public schools in the US Midwest. I would hardly call it a great signal. Also, water polo is popular anywhere that swimming is popular -- California, Florida, etc. Again, not a strong signal in my mind. However, fencing and squash: Yep, strong signals.