Tell me about Vanderbilt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In our experience (parents of 2 students) undergrad advising is also very weak at Columbia. Can anyone comment on this regarding Rice?

In general, the very best schools are late in the game of career counseling because it wasn't as necessary in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In our experience (parents of 2 students) undergrad advising is also very weak at Columbia. Can anyone comment on this regarding Rice?

In general, the very best schools are late in the game of career counseling because it wasn't as necessary in the past.

Actually, I'm asking about academic advising, not career counseling -- they're related, but not the same. And, I wouldn't agree that poor academic advising correlates with overall excellence. I went to a very selective SLAC in the '80s and found profs extremely generous with their time and willing to offer advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is also a bit too conservative for many for from this area. Not all tea party nut jobs, but definitely more right wing than you'd expect at a top school.

Right because as we all know, only liberals can provide a high end educational experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is also a bit too conservative for many for from this area. Not all tea party nut jobs, but definitely more right wing than you'd expect at a top school.

Right because as we all know, only liberals can provide a high end educational experience.

Bear in mind the quote attributed to Sir Winston Churchill:

“If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty, you have no brain.”

Most educated people become more conservative with the benefit of age, wisdom and experience. So, consider college as the “high water” mark of most open-minded people’s liberalism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is also a bit too conservative for many for from this area. Not all tea party nut jobs, but definitely more right wing than you'd expect at a top school.

Right because as we all know, only liberals can provide a high end educational experience.

Bear in mind the quote attributed to Sir Winston Churchill:

“If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty, you have no brain.”

Most educated people become more conservative with the benefit of age, wisdom and experience. So, consider college as the “high water” mark of most open-minded people’s liberalism.

You also have to keep in mind that Churchill would be considered a raving, card-carrying socialist by today's Republican base.

To quote from Geoffrey Best's Churchill: A Study in Greatness:

He had favoured nationalising the railways since the Great War. He would not have been sorry if the coal industry had been nationalised in the troublesome 1920s. He could not find any good arguments against the case for keeping or bringing into public owndership public utilities that were also natural monopolies. …..

Then there was the government’s legislation establishing the National Health Service and comprehensive social insurance. The latter did bring him into action, but only to claim for himself when young, for pre-war Conservative governments and for his wartime coalition most of the credit for what he picked out as the schemes’ more sensible, affordable and discriminating elements.

[Anonymous]

That is my one gripe (that and the "non-discrimination" policy that discrinates against religious groups but that's a whole different discussion). Overall Vandy was a great experience for him and he'd choose it again in a heartbeat.
[/quote]


Could you please elaborate on your statement that Vanderbilt discriminates against religion? I was briefly warned second hand about this, but I do not know what to expect. My faith is a very important part of my life, will this be a problem at Vandy?

[Anonymous]

I've met a lot of really impressive people who went to Rice, and Rice does draw people from outside of Texas. Also a big draw from smart Texan kids. I definitely think a non-preppy jeans and T-shirt type girl would fit in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son just graduated from Vandy. He's a Midwestern kid and did have some culture shock when he got there (although he did know what he was getting into from doing research), but he adapted quickly and found wonderful friends there. He absolutely loved Vanderbilt -- the rigor, the friendly, social student body and work hard/play hard atmosphere, the challenging classes, SEC athletics, the city of Nashville. He is not wealthy and did not go Greek (he did join a Christian fraternity and loved that). He said it was no problem being himself and not conforming to the rich, preppy stereotype, and has lots of friends who are Greek. There truly is room for every type there. (Check with parents of girls though just to make sure. Our son said that there's more pressure on girls than guys there, especially those that want to be Greek). That being said, his girlfriend did not go Greek and also had a phenomenal experience at Vandy-- was active on campus and very integrated into college life.

He got a fantastic education. He and his friends had lots of doors open to them because of their Vandy degrees. It was very rigorous and stressful, but he says it was worth it. (The only drawback we could find was the academic/career advising was practically nonexistant. Students really are on their own there in that regard).

Has your daughter been on campus yet? If not, definitely do that. Go to cafeterias and talk to students, stay overnight if you know someone who goes there, go to classes. That should give you a good idea of the "vibe" on campus and she'll probably be able to tell if it's a place she would feel comfortable. Also spend some time in Nashville, our son loved being in that city.

Good luck with your decision!

That's a huge negative. Where do vandy grads who don't go directly on to top law or grad schools go? It is one of my huge negatives regarding Hopkins and why I would never recommend hopkins to a student unless they are sure they want to directly go to some form of graduate school.

I think for schools like hopkins and vandy it is unacceptable given the resources per student these schools have.

Did you actually go to Hopkins and were unhapp with the experience? I did and was very happy with my academic experience. Hopkins definitely attracts a lot of kids on a professional track, especially medical, for obvious reasons, but the liberal arts departments are some of its best. I have a surprisingly large number of college friends who are published authors of fiction.