Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 22:27     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Come on. No one is picking Vandy over an Ivy
unless they get a better financial deal.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 22:24     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
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.


DCUM is like striver central with people like you. Dozens of kids choose Vanderbilt over Ivies because it's known to have a much better social scene. I know several. My own son chose UVA over an Ivy for the same reason.

Your son probably wanted to stay close to home which is fine.

The entire world is not a slave to the US News rankings like some on DCUM are.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 22:23     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread demonstrably less hostile than the Emory one?


Because Vanderbilt is an Ivy-alternative, not an Ivy- fallback/safety


When you put Vandy next to any Ivy except Cornell…Vandy loses out to all of them…not to mention JHU, Chicago, ND and essentially all other top 20 schools.

Go do a parchment comparison and see for yourself.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 22:13     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread demonstrably less hostile than the Emory one?


Because Vanderbilt is an Ivy-alternative, not an Ivy- fallback/safety
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:58     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Why is this thread demonstrably less hostile than the Emory one?
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:47     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Congratulations to your daughter and her accomplishment. Any sane person would know that Vanderbilt is a fantastic option. But for any school in the top 20 or so, there are going to be DCUM weirdos who argue that it doesn't really belong in the top 20. The sheer amount of insecurity it must take to obsess this much over rankings boggles the mind. Fit matters more than ranking, so do not poison her happiness with doubts. I think deep down you know better than to listen to a few obsessed crazies on an Internet forum, so let reason prevail. May she have a wonderful undergrad experience.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:38     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Vanderbilt was my kid’s high reach - rejected outright RD. Great school. I’m glad they never visited or had a chance to fall in love with it.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:24     Subject: Re:Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Definitely! Vanderbilt was my student’s first choice. It has exceeded all expectations. We are fans!
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:20     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Eclectic List:

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=happiest-students


The selective schools on this list of happy schools are Emory, Williams, Rice, Bowdoin, Denison, and Vanderbilt. I don't know how you measure these things, but anecdotally that seems about right. Especially Rice and Bowdoin. I would have thought Notre Dame and Brown would be up there though.


And Davidson.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 20:19     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Am I only the one that isn’t a fan of Nashville? Love the idea of an urban campus in a manageable size city, but I just hate the vibe there.


Yeah...it just seems to be a big bar scene.



As a Nashville native, it might seem like that because our tourism mainly focuses on Broadway, drinking, and bachelor/bachelorette parties but Nashville is such a great city with cute cafes, museums, boutiques, music (and not just country), malls, skyscrapers, concerts, sporting events, and more. I’ve honestly loved living here in the suburbs of Nashville are very wealthy with beautiful mansions. They’re even opening an In-N-Out early next year which I’m excited for and a lot of the Californians who moved here are excited for too. But that’s just my 2 cents.


I went to grad school at Vandy and completely agree. Of course it’s some kids’ first choice, including over “higher ranked” schools.

Vandy’s campus is gorgeous, and the surrounding area offers absolutely everything and anything a kid could want. If they never want to step foot in a bar, no problem. Same if they hate country music. Or sports. There are tons of other options or they can enjoy a completely campus-based life. Vandy invests tons of money in the student experience, and it shows.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 18:41     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Am I only the one that isn’t a fan of Nashville? Love the idea of an urban campus in a manageable size city, but I just hate the vibe there.


Yeah...it just seems to be a big bar scene.



As a Nashville native, it might seem like that because our tourism mainly focuses on Broadway, drinking, and bachelor/bachelorette parties but Nashville is such a great city with cute cafes, museums, boutiques, music (and not just country), malls, skyscrapers, concerts, sporting events, and more. I’ve honestly loved living here in the suburbs of Nashville are very wealthy with beautiful mansions. They’re even opening an In-N-Out early next year which I’m excited for and a lot of the Californians who moved here are excited for too. But that’s just my 2 cents.


I have to laugh at your inclusion of “skyscrapers”. I guess I’ve never considered that an attribute of any city…more just a given (except in DC of course with the stupid building height rules).




Well cause there aren’t many but the few that are there give it a “city” and more urban feel. I was trying to convey that it isn’t just bars and there are actual industries and big companies there.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 17:48     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Am I only the one that isn’t a fan of Nashville? Love the idea of an urban campus in a manageable size city, but I just hate the vibe there.


Yeah...it just seems to be a big bar scene.



As a Nashville native, it might seem like that because our tourism mainly focuses on Broadway, drinking, and bachelor/bachelorette parties but Nashville is such a great city with cute cafes, museums, boutiques, music (and not just country), malls, skyscrapers, concerts, sporting events, and more. I’ve honestly loved living here in the suburbs of Nashville are very wealthy with beautiful mansions. They’re even opening an In-N-Out early next year which I’m excited for and a lot of the Californians who moved here are excited for too. But that’s just my 2 cents.


I have to laugh at your inclusion of “skyscrapers”. I guess I’ve never considered that an attribute of any city…more just a given (except in DC of course with the stupid building height rules).

Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 17:43     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.



I fear you’re giving too much credit to HYPSM. Anyone who got into Vanderbilt is more than qualified for those schools, it sometimes just comes down to luck. Some got waitlisted from them even or chose Vanderbilt as it was the cheaper option. So it’s weird when you say no one who goes to a more “selective” school compared to Vandy or Emory would be rude, inferring that people who go to either are. Also Vandy and Emory are very different in selectivity 4.6% and 14.95%


My first choice would be Scarlett Johansson, but I know I am out of league, so I proposed to my now wife.



I feel bad for your wife
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 17:41     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Am I only the one that isn’t a fan of Nashville? Love the idea of an urban campus in a manageable size city, but I just hate the vibe there.


Yeah...it just seems to be a big bar scene.



As a Nashville native, it might seem like that because our tourism mainly focuses on Broadway, drinking, and bachelor/bachelorette parties but Nashville is such a great city with cute cafes, museums, boutiques, music (and not just country), malls, skyscrapers, concerts, sporting events, and more. I’ve honestly loved living here in the suburbs of Nashville are very wealthy with beautiful mansions. They’re even opening an In-N-Out early next year which I’m excited for and a lot of the Californians who moved here are excited for too. But that’s just my 2 cents.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2025 15:08     Subject: Is Vanderbilt anyones First/Top Choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Am I only the one that isn’t a fan of Nashville? Love the idea of an urban campus in a manageable size city, but I just hate the vibe there.


Yeah...it just seems to be a big bar scene.


Bar after bar after bar…yuck.