I would say the main difference is Duke is a perennial T10, while Vanderbilt is more a T20. Also, Duke is still considered a “coastal” school - on both the west and east coast Duke is preferred to pretty much all the lower ivies (Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth) and equivalent to the middle ivies (Penn, Columbia, maybe Yale nowadays). For Vanderbilt, it’s still a tossup whether someone would attend it over Cornell, which is the bottom ivy.

Anonymous wrote:DCUM hates the South

Geographically, Duke is just as southern.

Anonymous wrote:Talked about all the time but so very hard to get admitted. So maybe there isn’t much first hand experience since probably only one DCurbanmom’s kid gets in a year. Also, very pricey!

I think this is a good point. Of course people on a DMV-based board will have more knowledge and experience with UVA and many more in our area will have students there. I’m guessing the percentage of Vandy attendees from the DMV is pretty low. It’s essentially a lottery school in terms of admission chances. Much more expensive for anyone who is in-state for UVA too.

Anonymous wrote:Southern T20 were never talked about much until internet made its possible for people to research their existence. Ivies and fee other school dominated the marketing by getting referenced in movies, tv and news. People were ignorant and biased about everything south.

Vanderbilt, Rice and Duke have been peers of Ivies for decades but people on east and west coasts didn't even consider them and kept flicking to famous schools which helped the prestige cycle of lower acceptance rate due to tons of applicants. Demand and supply, not as many applicants applied to schools in south hence east ruled rankings.

Many coastal people will brag about how openminded they are, then they will dismiss the interior 80% of the country without having been there. Let them stew in their own ignorance.

I agree with others that said it is likely because it is a tough admit without quite the prestige as most of the others in the Top 20. For my DC, the four year on-campus housing requirement was a turn off.

Anonymous wrote:With economy booming in Texas, Rice is getting more interest than ever because internships, jobs, housing, dozens of medical and dental schools with 90% of seats for Texans, etc are very attractive incentives for youth. It also helps that Houston, Austin and Dallas are really diverse and liberal now.

Are you on the wrong thread?

With economy booming in Texas, Rice is getting more interest than ever because internships, jobs, housing, dozens of medical and dental schools with 90% of seats for Texans, etc are very attractive incentives for youth. It also helps that Houston, Austin and Dallas are really diverse and liberal now.

Southern T20 were never talked about much until internet made its possible for people to research their existence. Ivies and fee other school dominated the marketing by getting referenced in movies, tv and news. People were ignorant and biased about everything south.

Vanderbilt, Rice and Duke have been peers of Ivies for decades but people on east and west coasts didn't even consider them and kept flicking to famous schools which helped the prestige cycle of lower acceptance rate due to tons of applicants. Demand and supply, not as many applicants applied to schools in south hence east ruled rankings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is a T20 but is not talked about much on DCUM. Why? Is there something about the school that this area does not like?

Curious since my junior DC is considering it and most in the DC area are like Vanderbilt? Where’s that? Yet everyone knows Duke.

Southern and greek elements.

UVA has a lot of Greek elements and is discussed in almost every other thread. UVA Greek percentage is 30%, Vanderbilt 21%.

So what if it is further south - can you explain? I honestly just don’t get it.

Senior in EA at UVA, waiting on Vandy…good point. Will have to dig in a bit on that.

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is a T20 but is not talked about much on DCUM. Why? Is there something about the school that this area does not like?

Curious since my junior DC is considering it and most in the DC area are like Vanderbilt? Where’s that? Yet everyone knows Duke.

Tennessee.

Talked about all the time but so very hard to get admitted. So maybe there isn’t much first hand experience since probably only one DCurbanmom’s kid gets in a year. Also, very pricey!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is a T20 but is not talked about much on DCUM. Why? Is there something about the school that this area does not like?

Curious since my junior DC is considering it and most in the DC area are like Vanderbilt? Where’s that? Yet everyone knows Duke.

Southern and greek elements.

UVA has a lot of Greek elements and is discussed in almost every other thread. UVA Greek percentage is 30%, Vanderbilt 21%.

So what if it is further south - can you explain? I honestly just don’t get it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM hates the South

DCUM likes prestige - so wouldn’t going to a T20 check that box off?

So what if it is in the south?

Hating the South trumps prestige

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s become a very difficult admit for unhooked candidates from this area over the last two cycles.

This. It's impossible to get in. I know so many top kids who were rejected.

Include my DC in that list this year.

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is a T20 but is not talked about much on DCUM. Why? Is there something about the school that this area does not like?

Curious since my junior DC is considering it and most in the DC area are like Vanderbilt? Where’s that? Yet everyone knows Duke.

Southern and greek elements.