Thoughts on Vanderbilt University?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Above poster. For the Asian Pell Grant kid- Emory may be a better choice than Vanderbilt.

Emory has just as many wealthy students as Vandy. The whole Emory has more Pell/ poorer students feels racist. 18% of Emory is Pell grant while 24% of Vandy is. Just because Emory is more ethnically diverse doesn't mean they are poorer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is vandy like for an Asian kid on a Pell grant

The Asian kids on Reddit who end up at Vanderbilt because of prestige are often unhappy. It's a common transfer demographic--search the transfer board and you'll see.
Vandy is a rich white person's school.

Wow, they should be glad they weren’t there in the 90s when Asians were just 5-6%, it was even worse! I heard they closed Ken’s Sushi too bad. (Alumni from the 90s and early 00s, iykyk)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have heard about more than one pre-med student at Vandy say that it a more competitive environment rather than collaborative, with a weed-out culture that can be fairly brutal.

But I thought classes were easy, according to the posts above?

Be wary of random thoughts. Easy? No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have heard about more than one pre-med student at Vandy say that it a more competitive environment rather than collaborative, with a weed-out culture that can be fairly brutal.

But I thought classes were easy, according to the posts above?

Be wary of random thoughts. Easy? No

lol, ignore the many posters saying it’s easy in favor of the one saying it’s hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have heard about more than one pre-med student at Vandy say that it a more competitive environment rather than collaborative, with a weed-out culture that can be fairly brutal.

But I thought classes were easy, according to the posts above?

Every college weeds out the pre-meds in Bio 101/102, Chem 101/102, physics 101/102.

They get 1000 kids who come in with pre-med dreams and need to whittle this down to 100 viable candidates. Then they'll get 90/100 of this group into med school and say they have a 90% admission rate.

You're not going to find easy pre-med classes anywhere. They're all structured this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

Who are your friend’s kid’s friends? What are they like? Does she enjoy them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There isn't much to dislike about Vanderbilt. It's a very sold school academically. It definitely leans pre-professional, but it's also a great place to do a deep dive into any subject. Their sports teams took a huge leap in recent years - football, basketball - both men and women - and baseball are all ranked teams, with all the excitement that brings.

The campus is very nice, like a garden in the city. Dorms are nearly all modernized and new. The student population is 50-50, so the social dynamic is healthy. The Greek system attracts less than 25 percent of students. It's there for those who want it, but joining is totally not necessary. Nashville is a fun city for college students.

My sense from doing one of their weekends for prospective students is that Vanderbilt knows exactly what they are doing. It's an ambitious school with a very proactive administration. I can't really think of anything negative to say about it. I guess maybe the rich kid thing, but around 65 percent of students are on financial aid, so it's not overwhelming. It didn't feel like a barbell school either. It felt very cohesive, and the thing that they stressed over and over again, is that they really want the students that really want to be there. They don't want to be anybody's second choice, and I think that feeds into the sense of community that's there.

That sounds like an absolute dream!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

DS is in a mid-tier Greek house at Vandy currently. Exactly no one in his mostly privileged house of ~40 guys fits this description. A few are even poor! and on scholarship (ie, Vanderbilt pays their Greek dues for them via financial aid). They even get stipends to travel with the fraternity to weekends away and national meetings.

Are there students there now like Apple Martin amd Alexis Cuban? Sure, but they are the outliers. For better or for worse I have spent a lot of time there in the dormitory hallways, the parking lots, and even occasionally tailgating or eating in the coffee shop. It is most certainly NOT as you describe.

I’m surprised because this is not what I’ve heard from my kids friends who attend there.

Four or five Greek houses dominate the social scene and getting bids from those houses can make or break your time there.

It is a really good spot for kids who are comfortable in a very sheltered closed uber-wealthy environment.

You see a lot of tri-state… Connecticut, New York, New Jersey kids or private/celebrity LA kids. Or Chicago private school or wealthy Chicago suburban kids.

The private high school scene there does connect a lot of kids together before they even even get on campus.

A lot of parents are here seem well intended, but your impressions aren’t necessarily what life is really like. Have your kids talk to kids from their school. Have them meet up with them on campus for coffee and ask about what their days and nights are like.

Not what you are all describing. And campus “impressions” are often wrong…

I am PP you are quoting. The “impressions” I conveyed in my post come directly from my DS who has attended Vanderbilt for the last 3.75 academic years. Plus things I have seen with my own eyeballs and discussed with my current Vanderbilt student.

Admittedly, this is an n of 1. But I don’t see anyone else on this thread who has a current senior. The veracity of that person’s take is likely stronger than a whole bunch of people lurking on Reddit or sitting in their living room in Connecticut on the outside, looking in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

DS is in a mid-tier Greek house at Vandy currently. Exactly no one in his mostly privileged house of ~40 guys fits this description. A few are even poor! and on scholarship (ie, Vanderbilt pays their Greek dues for them via financial aid). They even get stipends to travel with the fraternity to weekends away and national meetings.

Are there students there now like Apple Martin amd Alexis Cuban? Sure, but they are the outliers. For better or for worse I have spent a lot of time there in the dormitory hallways, the parking lots, and even occasionally tailgating or eating in the coffee shop. It is most certainly NOT as you describe.

I’m surprised because this is not what I’ve heard from my kids friends who attend there.

Four or five Greek houses dominate the social scene and getting bids from those houses can make or break your time there.

It is a really good spot for kids who are comfortable in a very sheltered closed uber-wealthy environment.

You see a lot of tri-state… Connecticut, New York, New Jersey kids or private/celebrity LA kids. Or Chicago private school or wealthy Chicago suburban kids.

The private high school scene there does connect a lot of kids together before they even even get on campus.

A lot of parents are here seem well intended, but your impressions aren’t necessarily what life is really like. Have your kids talk to kids from their school. Have them meet up with them on campus for coffee and ask about what their days and nights are like.

Not what you are all describing. And campus “impressions” are often wrong…

So much depends on the kid.

If your kid cares about the socially conspicuous cliques and “top” Greek houses, that will be make or break for them. If they get in, they’ll have a great experience. If they don’t, theyll either adapt and find other friend groups and activities or they won’t and will instead feel like they’re always on the outside looking in.

Meanwhile, by definition, a large percentage (majority!) of the student body is NOT in these five Greek houses or the tri-state/private school cliques.

Are you saying that all those kids are unhappy at Vanderbilt? Are locked out of all other opportunities to make friends? To join clubs? To do activities? To go to games? To play intramural sports? To make friends???

I really do not understand people who say that a kid can’t be happy at a school of 6,000+ kids unless they’re part of the X or Y dominant clique.

Yes, if that’s the only group at the school that resonates with you and you are not accepted into it for some reason, that would feel bad. And if you don’t find other people you like among the thousands of other kids, you might be unhappy.

But PLEASE don’t assume all kids at a particular school share those social goals or inflexible mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

Who are your friend’s kid’s friends? What are they like? Does she enjoy them?

Very wealthy. Yes, she enjoys them because she is very focused on making money and being wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

Who are your friend’s kid’s friends? What are they like? Does she enjoy them?

How does this impact the social scene for kids from plain middle class backgrounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

DS is in a mid-tier Greek house at Vandy currently. Exactly no one in his mostly privileged house of ~40 guys fits this description. A few are even poor! and on scholarship (ie, Vanderbilt pays their Greek dues for them via financial aid). They even get stipends to travel with the fraternity to weekends away and national meetings.

Are there students there now like Apple Martin amd Alexis Cuban? Sure, but they are the outliers. For better or for worse I have spent a lot of time there in the dormitory hallways, the parking lots, and even occasionally tailgating or eating in the coffee shop. It is most certainly NOT as you describe.

I’m surprised because this is not what I’ve heard from my kids friends who attend there.

Four or five Greek houses dominate the social scene and getting bids from those houses can make or break your time there.

It is a really good spot for kids who are comfortable in a very sheltered closed uber-wealthy environment.

You see a lot of tri-state… Connecticut, New York, New Jersey kids or private/celebrity LA kids. Or Chicago private school or wealthy Chicago suburban kids.

The private high school scene there does connect a lot of kids together before they even even get on campus.

A lot of parents are here seem well intended, but your impressions aren’t necessarily what life is really like. Have your kids talk to kids from their school. Have them meet up with them on campus for coffee and ask about what their days and nights are like.

Not what you are all describing. And campus “impressions” are often wrong…

I am PP you are quoting. The “impressions” I conveyed in my post come directly from my DS who has attended Vanderbilt for the last 3.75 academic years. Plus things I have seen with my own eyeballs and discussed with my current Vanderbilt student.

Admittedly, this is an n of 1. But I don’t see anyone else on this thread who has a current senior. The veracity of that person’s take is likely stronger than a whole bunch of people lurking on Reddit or sitting in their living room in Connecticut on the outside, looking in

Appreciate your perspective, VandyMom!

How has your son found the academics? (What's he studying?)
Are you from the DMV?

Wondering about potential fit for my MCPS senior -- should she be so lucky as to be admitted. She's an exceptional student, down to earth (but not "quirky") and is looking for a warm, friendly student body and academics that are strong but not unnecessarily grind-y. She applied for engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is Vanderbilt like

It’s in Nashville

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

Who are your friend’s kid’s friends? What are they like? Does she enjoy them?

Very wealthy. Yes, she enjoys them because she is very focused on making money and being wealthy.

I have a hard time reading sarcasm these days. You jest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid goes there. The student population is incredibly wealthy - think USC on steroids. They have a 7 figure household income and their daughter was one of the poors there, for example....spring breaks on private islands, etc.

DS is in a mid-tier Greek house at Vandy currently. Exactly no one in his mostly privileged house of ~40 guys fits this description. A few are even poor! and on scholarship (ie, Vanderbilt pays their Greek dues for them via financial aid). They even get stipends to travel with the fraternity to weekends away and national meetings.

Are there students there now like Apple Martin amd Alexis Cuban? Sure, but they are the outliers. For better or for worse I have spent a lot of time there in the dormitory hallways, the parking lots, and even occasionally tailgating or eating in the coffee shop. It is most certainly NOT as you describe.

I’m surprised because this is not what I’ve heard from my kids friends who attend there.

Four or five Greek houses dominate the social scene and getting bids from those houses can make or break your time there.

It is a really good spot for kids who are comfortable in a very sheltered closed uber-wealthy environment.

You see a lot of tri-state… Connecticut, New York, New Jersey kids or private/celebrity LA kids. Or Chicago private school or wealthy Chicago suburban kids.

The private high school scene there does connect a lot of kids together before they even even get on campus.

A lot of parents are here seem well intended, but your impressions aren’t necessarily what life is really like. Have your kids talk to kids from their school. Have them meet up with them on campus for coffee and ask about what their days and nights are like.

Not what you are all describing. And campus “impressions” are often wrong…

I am PP you are quoting. The “impressions” I conveyed in my post come directly from my DS who has attended Vanderbilt for the last 3.75 academic years. Plus things I have seen with my own eyeballs and discussed with my current Vanderbilt student.

Admittedly, this is an n of 1. But I don’t see anyone else on this thread who has a current senior. The veracity of that person’s take is likely stronger than a whole bunch of people lurking on Reddit or sitting in their living room in Connecticut on the outside, looking in

Vanderbilt has a quarter system?