Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 11:34     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
I think a lot of students today prefer Vanderbilt over some of the Ivy schools. I know mine did. We toured Harvard, Columbia and Penn. And Vandy had a much better vibe. Whatever differences in USNWR rankings since they changed their algorithms is trivial compared to the overall college experience one gets at Vanderbilt.

DC applied ED and got in so never had a chance to apply elsewhere, but the other schools that appealed to him were Stanford, Duke and Notre Dame. DC is pretty extroverted and social. Likes sports. And the Ivy schools seemed cold and soulless to him.

I also believe this generation of 18 years really values community. They had to experience the covid isolation and the rise of social media. A lot of them want real experiences with real people and Vanderbilt is good with that. A marginal difference in US News rankings is not worth four years of suck. Vandy is generally known as a happy school. That matters a lot for 18 year olds
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 10:28     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Vanderbilt is in a city, has great weather, part of the SEC and supposedly on the come up, D1 sports overall, one of the happiest campus, ranked one of the prettiest campuses, is a T20 school, very prestigious nationally, amazing medical program with one of the best med centers on campus, and overall a great university. No wonder it’s a top choice for many!
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 10:03     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:Troll. No one chooses Vanderbilt over an Ivy. Also, they let a lot of people in as second year transfers with much lower stats.


Perhaps they would like to avoid being surrounded by a bunch of grinds.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:44     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine choosing Vanderbilt over any Ivy except possibly Dartmouth but to each their own. Don’t listen to people who trash it on here as they likely have a vendetta. It’s a great school.


lol, my kid would choose Dartmouth over any other Ivy. It's their absolute dream school.


Mine too!
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:42     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Vandy, Emory, WashU, these are premed schools. If the kid is premed bound, yes they may easily choose it over an ivy like Cornell because it's an easier premed path.

Vandy is planning on New York and San Francisco campuses, which are huge pluses. For those who are metropolitan, more options become available.


I wonder about this and don’t presume to know answer, but I think this will dilute exclusivity of the brand.


Like northeastern!
It’s a bad idea imo
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:40     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Please report this troll post
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:37     Subject: Re:Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Troll.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:22     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Considering they take a sperm load of their class early decision, yes, it's a lot of people's first choice. Loser.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:13     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:Vandy, Emory, WashU, these are premed schools. If the kid is premed bound, yes they may easily choose it over an ivy like Cornell because it's an easier premed path.

Vandy is planning on New York and San Francisco campuses, which are huge pluses. For those who are metropolitan, more options become available.


Vandy is also planning a Florida campus in West Palm Beach. https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2025/02/10/vanderbilt-unveils-renderings-for-vision-for-business-and-tech-campus-in-west-palm-beach/
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 09:04     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who couldn't afford an ivy+ and ended up at Vandy on a merit scholarship. Had a great time, double majored and ended up at a bulge bracket bank in NYC. Still has a lot of friends from college. I don't know who has it as a first choice but it worked out great as a second choice for my friend.


I assumed Vanderbilt was an ivy+ I could be mistaken though


No, ivy+ is the ivies, MIT, UChicago, Stanford and Duke.


Says who?

https://blog.collegevine.com/ivy-plus-schools#plus


Raj Chetty was the first to use "Ivy-Plus" and he only included Ivies, MIT, Stanford, UChicago, and Duke. Doesn't mean Ivy-Plus are the only top schools (Caltech is not included for example).
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 08:50     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:I’m sure your DD liked Vanderbilt best because it is in Nashville and has a more vibrant social life than most top 30 schools. Is it actually top 20? That is shocking to me. I need to go look at the rankings, obviously.


Its school president pitched a fit when it recently dropped out of its 15th spot in the USNWR rankings. Disgusting.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 08:44     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:Vandy is a great school. It does not compete with HYP but does win some students over the rest of the Ivies.

Also, some kids are smart enough and self-aware enough to know they are not getting into HYP and adjust their expectations accordingly. So yes, Vandy is a top choice for many kids. That is why many apply early.

These posts are stupid. I should just start ignoring them. Particularly because no one who went to or has a child going to any of the very few schools that are consistently more selective than Vandy/Emory/etc. would ever be rude enough to post something like this. I went to a "better" school and have tremendous respect for the others and totally understand why they would be first choices.


It is humorous how many opinions are stated as facts on posts here. Statistically with admissions rates what they are there is no way the vast majority have any direct knowledge.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 08:41     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Vandy is a great school. It does not compete with HYP but does win some students over the rest of the Ivies.

Also, some kids are smart enough and self-aware enough to know they are not getting into HYP and adjust their expectations accordingly. So yes, Vandy is a top choice for many kids. That is why many apply early.

These posts are stupid. I should just start ignoring them. Particularly because no one who went to or has a child going to any of the very few schools that are consistently more selective than Vandy/Emory/etc. would ever be rude enough to post something like this. I went to a "better" school and have tremendous respect for the others and totally understand why they would be first choices.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 08:37     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:

Southern Harvard? A few claim the same, Emory, Rice, Duke.


No where did I say Southern Harvard.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 08:36     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who couldn't afford an ivy+ and ended up at Vandy on a merit scholarship. Had a great time, double majored and ended up at a bulge bracket bank in NYC. Still has a lot of friends from college. I don't know who has it as a first choice but it worked out great as a second choice for my friend.


I assumed Vanderbilt was an ivy+ I could be mistaken though


No, ivy+ is the ivies, MIT, UChicago, Stanford and Duke.


Ivy+ is not a trademarked term and many schools claim it. However, the Ivy+ library consortium contains only the schools named in PP plus Hopkins. https://ivpluslibraries.org/about/

Says who?

https://blog.collegevine.com/ivy-plus-schools#plus