Anonymous wrote:Another DC native and Vandy grad school alum.

I, too, had the impression that the undergrad is very focused around Greek life, but my experiences are a couple of decades old.

Vanderbilt is a very good, well regarded school with national name recognition. It has a centralized campus that provides access to Nashville, which is a fun city with a lot of opportunities.

There are people for whom large state schools are a good environment, there are people for whom small private schools are a good environment. Greek life is good for some, not so good for others, etc.

I think your niece should consider what she wants, visit the campus, talk with students and investigate Vanderbilt like any other school.

not really. i would say it has increased name recognition in the north-east only in the last decade.

West of the I-5, it doesn't...yet.

Anonymous wrote:Northern girls HATE it for the same reason that northern boys LOVE it. (bats eyelashes)

I have heard it isn't that great of a place for a northern non-white boy (or non-white anyone).

Speaking about the UG, not grad-schools.

Anonymous wrote:I went to law school there and had several law school friends who went to undergrad there. Agree with most of the PPs that its super Greek and super preppy. And this may go without saying since it's a private school but it's full of super wealthy kids. Am sure there are exceptions but man, nearly everyone I know who went there is loaded. I do work with a man who sent two kids there from DC and they seem to love it but they are also super wealthy and super into the Greek system.

fucking super! i would imagine a law school grad from vandy would be able to write much better.

Way too Greek

This is immediate PP, also should have said Vandy is super Southern, hence the preppy/conservative vibe. Obviously, they probably get students from many places but the overall feeling/culture is very strongly southern.

I went to law school there and had several law school friends who went to undergrad there. Agree with most of the PPs that its super Greek and super preppy. And this may go without saying since it's a private school but it's full of super wealthy kids. Am sure there are exceptions but man, nearly everyone I know who went there is loaded. I do work with a man who sent two kids there from DC and they seem to love it but they are also super wealthy and super into the Greek system.

I went to grad school there, and liked living in Nashville a lot. From my encounters with the undergraduate population, it was very Greek and had a rather homogenous feel.

Northern girls HATE it for the same reason that northern boys LOVE it. (bats eyelashes)

Academically, it's a great school with a superb faculty. Vandy is always ranked in the top 20 nationally, and its Law, Business, and Medical schools are considered among the best also. Professors knew me well, and were writing recommendations for years to come to grad schools and jobs.

Loved the size of the school. Big enough that going Greek didn't really matter. I had friends who did and didn't. (I chose not to after attending some of the pre-rush parties.) Lovely buildings and grounds.

Nashville is a nice Southern town with enough distractions to entertain. Vanderbilt itself feels less and less Southern, because it has become what Duke was back in my day -- a big draw for Northeasterners.

My best friend from college went there for grad school. She loved it and, when I visited, I loved it too. Charming school, people, & town.

Another DC native and Vandy grad school alum.

I, too, had the impression that the undergrad is very focused around Greek life, but my experiences are a couple of decades old.

Vanderbilt is a very good, well regarded school with national name recognition. It has a centralized campus that provides access to Nashville, which is a fun city with a lot of opportunities.

There are people for whom large state schools are a good environment, there are people for whom small private schools are a good environment. Greek life is good for some, not so good for others, etc.

I think your niece should consider what she wants, visit the campus, talk with students and investigate Vanderbilt like any other school.

I'm a non-church going liberal Yankee Vandy Alum and I had a blast. I did have a good deal of culture shock when I arrived and it took me awhile to acclimate, but once I got my bearings, I eventually grew to love the school. As PP said, it is very greek, and there are many who are conservative and preppy and some of the southern debutantes can be downright ridiculous, but there are also plenty of people who aren't any of those things and it's just a matter of finding them.

I did not join a sorority and although Greek life is huge on campus, you aren't excluded from attending parties (or football games) just b/c you don't join. There's also plenty to do elsewhere on campus and downtown if frat row isn't your bag. I loved being in Nashville -- it's a great place to live and there's a lot of fun to be had there as a college kid.

As far as academics, Vandy was certainly a challenge but I got a solid education and the small-ish classes can't be beat. When I was there, Vanderbilt had a reputation of being a bit easier to get into (as far as top 20 schools go) but harder to stay in once you got there. I know admissions has gotten even tougher over the past decade. Oh, and the campus is beautiful.

Dc native and Vandy alum here. Second what PP said regarding being VERY Greek, even though the school is attempting to change that pattern. Frankly, I did not enjoy my time there as it was quite conservative, segregated, preppy (I attended a private in dc and it was still way too much for me) and Nashville is far too homogeneous for me. If your child isn't the sorority or conservative, church going type, I'd steer her in another direction.

It sounds like it is a nice school except that it is very Greek. That brings it down a notch.

I can't seem to find an exclusive thread on DCUM that talks just about Vanderbilt. Any Vanderbilt folks out there that can sing the praises of your alma mater or anyone with good information? My niece is very interested in applying next year.