<p>Thls does it. I’m going to Emory.</p>
<p>^^^Aren’t you a little old for a freshman? Your profile states that you were born in 1955.</p>
<p>We go as a family. It’s the CC way. I’m just amazed at the sniping and biting–and the claims that there’s no sniping and biting. This whole thread was catty as h*ll. Poor macaroni. I’ll bet she’s sorry she brought it up.</p>
<p>Well, enjoy your time at Emory. I hear it is a good school.</p>
<p>This thread is not attractive, true. Unfortunately, these threads can’t be erased.</p>
<p>Emory’s an outstanding school and the student who can choose between Vanderbilt and Emory is a fortunate and obviously gifted one. I hope you’re funnin’ with us, though, Malliford, and wouldn’t really choose one school over another because of a thread on College Confidential. If you’ve visited both schools, you’ll know which is the best fit.</p>
<p>There will be catty people in both places, though, and catty comments made on threads about either school. There are even catty comments made on threads about Wesleyan, which is probably the un-Vanderbilt. For Olympic-level backbiting, check out some of the Ivy threads.</p>
<p>
I have very few preconceptions about Vanderbilt, except that it’s a Greek-heavy university in the South. I’ve never been there, but it was on the long list of schools to consider for my daughter. But honestly, I think those of you defending Vanderbilt in this thread have done a very poor job of putting the school in a good light.</p>
<p>When I’m looking at reviews of something, whether it’s a book on Amazon, a restaurant on OpenTable, or a college here, I don’t just look at the glowing reviews–I generally look at the worst reviews, too. Often they are clearly from cranks that are never satisfied by anything. But sometimes the negative reviews are consistent, and suggest that a particular problem can occur–even though it’s not experienced by all, or even most, people. If you search for “social” in the titles of threads in the Vanderbilt forum, and do the same for other college-specific forums, you will find that the social life is different at different schools–although the defenders of each school always claim that it is the same everywhere. Again, you have to do your research. Obviously, Vanderbilt is great for many people.</p>
<p>^^^Final, final word on this: </p>
<p>Add to your last statement that “Vanderbilt is great for many people” the additional phrase, “and that includes a lot of people who do not in any way, shape or form, fit the outdated stereotypes hawked on CC” and we will be in agreement.</p>
<p>If you think pointing out that VU and its student body are not racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, shallow class-snobs constitutes putting Vanderbilt in a poor light, I guess we are in perpetual disagreement.</p>
<p>
OK, but are they nice and friendly? That’s what I’m having a bit of trouble figuring out in this exchange.</p>
<p>Actually this thread has been sort of an entertaining diversion while waiting for the admissions decision. And no, I’m not being snarky. Listen, no school is right for everyone, and I think Macaroni has valid given reasons why she has not felt comfortable at Vanderbilt. I know that a good friend’s relative was offered a full ride to both Vanderbilt and NYU. He is mixed race & religion - not sure if that played any part in his decision, but he ended up at NYU and loves it. I know other people who have gone to NYU and hated it. My own son loves Tulane and NOLA, but acknowledges the heavy presence of spoiled rich kids that he finds annoying, since he is busting his butt with scholarships, loans and part-time work. I know from working in my 20s at an investment bank where most of my colleagues came from a prep school/Ivy League background while I was from public HS/State University and blue collar parents, it can feel strange to be in an environment that doesn’t feel like home to you. On the other hand, I was a valuable member of a team and was respected for my work. Ironically, my closest friends there were all non-white - we used to joke about why we were hired - to fill the quota of black, asian, mixed-race and state university educated personnel. ;)</p>
<p>Yes, frazzled, my response was really just a joke about the thread. BTW, one of the knocks about Emory I hear is that students there are “conceited”–without even being Greek! How dare they? Anyway, my S is a non-conformist and also tends not to take offense or even notice what seems to offend others–which is a blessing. And face it, with 24,000 applications in, whether or not he goes to Vanderbilt is probaly not up to him, anyway.</p>
<p>I find review sites valuable as well. On this one, I tend to give credence to parents in evaluating their childrens’ schools. Parents are usually spending many dollars to educate their children, and have often set foot on campus many times - and are deeply invested in their children’s happiness. The parents on this board who have children who’ve enjoyed their time at Vanderbilt despite not matching the Vandy stereotype in varying degrees - they’re not making that up. My kid’s a serious liberal who found a great academic and social experience in Nashville.</p>
<p>It’s valuable to know that there are students on campus who are uncomfortable because they feel excluded due to their race, religion, and sexual orientation. There are gay, Jewish, or African America students who don’t feel that way, as well, and Vanderbilt has extended itself to create resources for them. </p>
<p>In saying “it’s that way at every school,” I don’t mean to say that every school’s prevailing social environment is the same. But there certainly are privileged partiers at every school, and subsets that exclude students for superficial reasons. Secret societies and eating clubs – how are they all that different from the Greek scene?
Thanks, Malliford - I’m a bit slow this morning but now I get it. :D</p>
<p>Funny Wesleyan should be mentioned. I mentor a young man who graduated from Wes recently. He said it was SO difficult for him socially … he is from a poor family, and he swears he had to be the only kid there from a poor family (not true, but he sure felt that way). The campus isn’t greek, it isn’t preppy, but he felt excluded. He is now at an ivy, and he just texted me a week or so ago to say, “I had no idea people at ivies are such a**holes. And the profs expect that we all come from rich families with plenty of connections.”</p>
<p>So hey … it’s all relative.</p>
<p>And NOOOOO … the comments aren’t meant to start another fight. They are just the observations of a young man.</p>
<p>I could have told him from working at a NYC investment bank that there are lots of a**holes who go to ivies. Every year we would get a new crop of entitled know-it-alls from the ivies who had to be broken in to the idea that they were no better than anyone else at the firm.</p>
<p>Sooo, question. In that regards, if one was choosing between Yale and Vanderbilt, wouldn’t one encounter entitled A**holes and racists at both? Why does Vandy have this stigma on CC? It seems as though these types of people are everywhere?
Basically, is it worth it to avoid Vandy because of these types of threads??
I’m pretty confused.</p>
<p>I think entitled a**hole people exist at all the upper echelon schools. And there are also non-entitled types, plus people on scholarships, etc. - no school is just one way. I wouldn’t be scared off.</p>
<p>Even University of Michigan has that reputation … which floors me, because I am from Michigan. I know tons of grads & current students, and very few of them are like that. There must be something to the reputation, but I just haven’t known those students. I would say you can hear bad things about any school. You need to visit, talk to people, and see what you think. For what it’s worth, my kid has had a good experience.</p>
<p>Each school has its own breed of a**holes, and you need to know what kinds annoy you the most.</p>
<p>You are not alone in our disappointment with Vanderbilt. My D is a freshman, who absolutlely HATES the social scene, which is overwhelmingly GREEK, despite Vanderbilt’s claim that Greek life dominates only 30-40 % of the student body. Not true–more like 60%!!! Also–while the students are smart, there is a huge pre-professional emphasis—the students study hard Sunday through Wednesday and then GO WILD!. There is very little intellectual couriosity; students don’t take advantage of the many lectures; political forums; guest seakers brought to campus, unless they get course credit. My D tried to make it work, but after excelling academicaly, rushing, and getting into top sorority—only to quit—, and talking to her friends at NorthEast universities, she will likely transfer to a school that is more intellectually rigorous, and socially engaging for those who don’t fit the “Greek scene”. BE CAREFUL!! VISIT ON A WEEKEND! DON"T BE LURED INTO VANDY’s “FANTASTIC SOCIAL SCENE”! BS!!! Northerners are not really welcome! SO BEWARE!</p>
<p>I must disagree with the post above mine. Some of you guys give a very bad image of the school. My sister goes there and is NOT involved in some sorority yet I have never heard her complain about missing out or anything. From everything I have heard they definitely work hard Sunday through Friday afternoon. I don’t see a problem with partying a bit (and I am not a partyer at all) after all that. And northerners aren’t welcomed? Where did you even get that idea? The school is much more liberal than any other college in TN. Actually Nashville is more liberal than TN. If you’re are talking about their attitude towards northerners in general, then I have no idea who you have been talking to or hanging around at that school. Just to let you know the school isn’t filled with southerners who hate northerners or something like that. I am positive that Vanderbilt tries to get a diverse class. </p>
<p>But maybe I’m biased cause my sister likes the place, and I have a pretty good image of it.</p>
<p>“Northerners are not really welcome! SO BEWARE!”</p>
<p>Now that’s hilarious! And totally untrue.</p>