+1

Not sure what tiny niche you are in, but all of ND, Rice, Vanderbilt and Michigan, Cal are highly regarded in my professional and personal lives - I now live in DC but grew up in Westchester and lived and worked in NYC in my 20s.

Anonymous wrote:^^ Whats the deal with Vanderbilt? Vanderbilt, ND and U Chicago have always been well regarded, so why do they catch flak here on DCUM. What am I missing?

If schools like Vanderbilt, ND and Rice aren’t “legit” in their appeal, then what realistically is left? Maybe 20 or so schools out of a universe of 1000+? That’s so silly it can’t be taken seriously.

They have been well regarded, but not as well regarded as they are now.

U Chicago has historically been a very good graduate school in economics, and outside of that, not really - although its always been considered to have a painfully rigorous undergraduate program. Other than that though, I don't see why it ranks next to the likes of Princeton, and it really should rank somewhere between 10-20.

Vanderbilt, Notre Dame and Washington U. are good privates, but anyone in their right mind with an academic background would question them being ranked ahead of schools like Berkeley or Michigan in a ranking of "National Universities" (which somehow is undergraduate focused).

At least the lesser Ivies and perhaps Duke still have prestige and recognition in the Northeast/west coast. Vanderbilt and Notre Dame really don't, and neither are known for a rigorous undergrad or top research.

Is it possible that both schools are good. Not necessarily equal, but each sufficiently good so that it doesn’t have to become a contest and a kid could be content to be accepted and attend either one. No?

Anonymous wrote:

Few in the DMV think highly of Vanderbilt because it is considered a regional strong school and associated with the limits of regional southern schools where the prestige and alumni network are not strong outside the immediate south. The difference between Vanderbilt and Tulane is that Tulane has a long history of attracting mid Atlantic and NY/NJ families so their alumni network is geographically broader.

That's ridiculous. Vanderbilt is an excellent school and much better academically than Tulane, which likely attracts NY/NJ kids because New Orleans is a fun, party city.

You don't know that, you are literally only saying that by looking at USNews, stats, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Few in the DMV think highly of Vanderbilt because it is considered a regional strong school and associated with the limits of regional southern schools where the prestige and alumni network are not strong outside the immediate south. The difference between Vanderbilt and Tulane is that Tulane has a long history of attracting mid Atlantic and NY/NJ families so their alumni network is geographically broader.

That's ridiculous. Vanderbilt is an excellent school and much better academically than Tulane, which likely attracts NY/NJ kids because New Orleans is a fun, party city.

And Nashville isn't?

Few in the DMV think highly of Vanderbilt because it is considered a regional strong school and associated with the limits of regional southern schools where the prestige and alumni network are not strong outside the immediate south. The difference between Vanderbilt and Tulane is that Tulane has a long history of attracting mid Atlantic and NY/NJ families so their alumni network is geographically broader.

That's ridiculous. Vanderbilt is an excellent school and much better academically than Tulane, which likely attracts NY/NJ kids because New Orleans is a fun, party city.

Anonymous wrote:^^ Whats the deal with Vanderbilt? Vanderbilt, ND and U Chicago have always been well regarded, so why do they catch flak here on DCUM. What am I missing?

If schools like Vanderbilt, ND and Rice aren’t “legit” in their appeal, then what realistically is left? Maybe 20 or so schools out of a universe of 1000+? That’s so silly it can’t be taken seriously.

Few in the DMV think highly of Vanderbilt because it is considered a regional strong school and associated with the limits of regional southern schools where the prestige and alumni network are not strong outside the immediate south. The difference between Vanderbilt and Tulane is that Tulane has a long history of attracting mid Atlantic and NY/NJ families so their alumni network is geographically broader.

Anonymous wrote:^^^ At this point, the match school that accepts DC will be his hot school. The safety that accepted him is fine, but not hot.

+100