Anonymous wrote:It seems like Vandy is trying to carve a niche as an Ivy-alternative for politically moderate or conservative families that want elite academics without the intense left-wing political atmosphere. The incessant protests at many elite colleges spooked a lot of families, especially Jewish families.

Vanderbilt is leaning into their southern, apolitical, athletic, socially balanced image because they know it's an asset in an era where people are tired of being inundated with progressive agendas.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like Vandy is trying to carve a niche as an Ivy-alternative for politically moderate or conservative families that want elite academics without the intense left-wing political atmosphere. The incessant protests at many elite colleges spooked a lot of families, especially Jewish families.

Vanderbilt is leaning into their southern, apolitical, athletic, socially balanced image because they know it's an asset in an era where people are tired of being inundated with progressive agendas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like Vandy is trying to carve a niche as an Ivy-alternative for politically moderate or conservative families that want elite academics without the intense left-wing political atmosphere. The incessant protests at many elite colleges spooked a lot of families, especially Jewish families.

Vanderbilt is leaning into their southern, apolitical, athletic, socially balanced image because they know it's an asset in an era where people are tired of being inundated with progressive agendas.

These same people are those who are dumb enough to believe that all of the Ivies are non-stop protests and activism. Yes, it happened, but it wasn't constantly in your face like Fox News would lead you to believe. I think the Ivies are in some ways better off without these people as they are too dumb to think critically and evaluate news sources. And I say this as a Jew with an ivy league degree - not thrilled with how my alma mater handled things, but that is just one of many data points and it wasn't that bad.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like Vandy is trying to carve a niche as an Ivy-alternative for politically moderate or conservative families that want elite academics without the intense left-wing political atmosphere. The incessant protests at many elite colleges spooked a lot of families, especially Jewish families.

Vanderbilt is leaning into their southern, apolitical, athletic, socially balanced image because they know it's an asset in an era where people are tired of being inundated with progressive agendas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Regarding duke, it's still top on many kids lists. But as a parent, a few things stood out. Duke is trying to create a college-house system and get rid of greek life.
I didn't like the fact that freshmen live on a different campus a bus ride away from classes and main campus. Also, Duke pushed greek orgs off campus so we hear that parties are now held in fields and are a bus ride away? Maybe it's fine, but doesn't sound great to me. Duke has great basketball but Durham isn't that interesting and not easily accessible to other cities.

From what I understand, Duke is actively selecting for students that wouldn't be into Greek Life and as a result interest in fraternities and soririties has plummetted among freshman this year

Funny. I know several very Greek-type kids in the current freshman class. Greek life is less than it used to be and is much less visible since it is no longer on campus, but there is definitely a significant contingent of them.

Duke has gotten a lot more polar. There are the very Greek kids who are athletes, legacies, etc. - again, not as many as there used to be but still plenty. Then there are a lot more nerds, combined with FGLI's who aren't interested in the traditional social scene. It wasn't well-publicized but Duke used to have a lot of kids in the middle - fairly social, liked to go to parties, but not typical frat boys/girls (I was one of them). They have been squeezed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Regarding duke, it's still top on many kids lists. But as a parent, a few things stood out. Duke is trying to create a college-house system and get rid of greek life.
I didn't like the fact that freshmen live on a different campus a bus ride away from classes and main campus. Also, Duke pushed greek orgs off campus so we hear that parties are now held in fields and are a bus ride away? Maybe it's fine, but doesn't sound great to me. Duke has great basketball but Durham isn't that interesting and not easily accessible to other cities.

From what I understand, Duke is actively selecting for students that wouldn't be into Greek Life and as a result interest in fraternities and soririties has plummetted among freshman this year

Funny. I know several very Greek-type kids in the current freshman class. Greek life is less than it used to be and is much less visible since it is no longer on campus, but there is definitely a significant contingent of them.

Duke has gotten a lot more polar. There are the very Greek kids who are athletes, legacies, etc. - again, not as many as there used to be but still plenty. Then there are a lot more nerds, combined with FGLI's who aren't interested in the traditional social scene. It wasn't well-publicized but Duke used to have a lot of kids in the middle - fairly social, liked to go to parties, but not typical frat boys/girls (I was one of them). They have been squeezed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-09-05/vanderbilt-university-thrives-under-trump-amid-attacks-on-higher-ed

According to the Bloomberg article, Vanderbilt University has seen their stock rise meteorically by branding themselves as apolitical and fun instead of an activist hotspot like the Ivies. they're seen huge increase in interest from families across the country that want their kids to evade left-wing monoculture at the Ivy League and are now getting kids that in other years would've gone to HYP.

LOL there is no chance any student in their right mind is turning down Harvard, Yale or Princeton for ... Vanderbilt.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like Vandy is trying to carve a niche as an Ivy-alternative for politically moderate or conservative families that want elite academics without the intense left-wing political atmosphere. The incessant protests at many elite colleges spooked a lot of families, especially Jewish families.

Vanderbilt is leaning into their southern, apolitical, athletic, socially balanced image because they know it's an asset in an era where people are tired of being inundated with progressive agendas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Regarding duke, it's still top on many kids lists. But as a parent, a few things stood out. Duke is trying to create a college-house system and get rid of greek life.
I didn't like the fact that freshmen live on a different campus a bus ride away from classes and main campus. Also, Duke pushed greek orgs off campus so we hear that parties are now held in fields and are a bus ride away? Maybe it's fine, but doesn't sound great to me. Duke has great basketball but Durham isn't that interesting and not easily accessible to other cities.

From what I understand, Duke is actively selecting for students that wouldn't be into Greek Life and as a result interest in fraternities and soririties has plummetted among freshman this year

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-09-05/vanderbilt-university-thrives-under-trump-amid-attacks-on-higher-ed

According to the Bloomberg article, Vanderbilt University has seen their stock rise meteorically by branding themselves as apolitical and fun instead of an activist hotspot like the Ivies. they're seen huge increase in interest from families across the country that want their kids to evade left-wing monoculture at the Ivy League and are now getting kids that in other years would've gone to HYP.

No one is turning down HYP for Vandy. No one.

I think Vandy has a small number of full merit scholarships. Some kids might take those.

Anonymous wrote:NP. Regarding duke, it's still top on many kids lists. But as a parent, a few things stood out. Duke is trying to create a college-house system and get rid of greek life.
I didn't like the fact that freshmen live on a different campus a bus ride away from classes and main campus. Also, Duke pushed greek orgs off campus so we hear that parties are now held in fields and are a bus ride away? Maybe it's fine, but doesn't sound great to me. Duke has great basketball but Durham isn't that interesting and not easily accessible to other cities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-09-05/vanderbilt-university-thrives-under-trump-amid-attacks-on-higher-ed

According to the Bloomberg article, Vanderbilt University has seen their stock rise meteorically by branding themselves as apolitical and fun instead of an activist hotspot like the Ivies. they're seen huge increase in interest from families across the country that want their kids to evade left-wing monoculture at the Ivy League and are now getting kids that in other years would've gone to HYP.

No one is turning down HYP for Vandy. No one.

Anonymous wrote:Test optional in a world of the elites going test required. They get a lot of the rich that can’t get the scores.