concerns

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>I feel that it is safe to assume that Vanderbilt is an excellent academic institution, but i have the following concerns.</p>

<p>With regards to student-professor interaction, if I have a question or want to get help on a particular subject, how difficult is it to talk to a professor outside of class?</p>

<p>In college, I see myself as a social drinker who is not part of a frat. I don't really see myself as a party animal, in fact, I may not be going to many parties at all. Will I find other kids like me? Is the average student a rich kid who parties 24/7, gets wasted, and then comes on these forums and talks about Vandy's great social life? I don't mind alcohol, but I would prefer if the school's social life revolved around more than fornication and drunken revelry. Is this a problem? I'm really into sports, the tailgating sounds fun, but I would really hate it if after a football game, everyone went to the nearest frat<br>
with the hopes of hooking up and getting intoxicated to the point where below average vision is a distant memory.</p>

<p>Also, I enjoy talking about politics, philosophy, literature? Will I be scoffed at for not being "normal"? </p>

<p>I don't consider myself a "loser"; I enjoy being social, will enjoy having a few drinks from time to time, but I am really concerned about going to a school where everyone I meet is some rich kid from New York or Houston who keeps a tally list on how many women they objectify or how much alcohol they consume. </p>

<p>Are my concerns justified?</p>

<p>Also, I am interested in pre-law. How will vandy help me with this over other schools like Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Rice?</p>

<p>The reason that I am interested in Vandy is that it is a place where I can get a great education in the South with down to earth people, but I am a bit turned off at the fact that under a forum entitled, best party schools, Vandy was nominated by a former Vandy student as #1. I would like a social life, possibly with drinking, but it seems as though partying is the be all end all at Vandy, and lack of getting oneself completely wasted constitutes the status of "loser".</p>

2

<p>I recommend Rice or Northwestern over Vanderbilt. Professors here are great without a doubt, but it seems like you wouldn't be the greatest fit here. I'm a lot like you now that I think about it and I made the mistake of coming to VU. I suggest doing an overnight if you can.</p>

3

<p>I'm still waiting on acceptances. Did not apply to Rice, but did apply to Northwestern, Notre Dame, Cornell, Duke, Dartmouth just to name a few. What I like about Vanderbilt that separates it, for me, from other schools is that its in the south, its midsize (unlike small Rice), its near an excellent city, and it has good sports teams (unlike Rice, Cornell, Dartmouth). But, like I said, I am not a party animal. A good time for me would be hitting the bars with a few friends, mabye going to a party once in awhile, playing poker, and watching sports. Partying throughout the weekend, getting wasted, being part of an environment that preaches immorality through persistent "hooking up" is not what I want. Thanks for the input departed. Feel free to send me a private message elaborating more on who you are and why you feel that you made a mistake.</p>

4

<p>Will I be happy here with the info that I stated?</p>

5

<p>i feel like you...i wouldn't come here if you think you'll so be affected by social interactions/exchanges.
if you care about it, go to Northwestern; that may be your fit (i think it was mine).</p>

6

<p>Where exactly are you from?
Most Vandy kids get really caught in what we call the "Vandybubble" since basically everything is available on campus. I assume you will have to do a fair share of studying since you are pre-law so just keep that in mind. But bare in mind the very large influence of Greek culture here.
I'm still fairly new so I can't speak for the whole school but it seems that over 3/4 of the freshman class enjoys getting trashed on a regular basis and weekends start on Thursdays.</p>

<p>Vanderbilt is working towards changing that student body but it will take more than a year to do so.
I had the same vision of college as you did and I think you'll do well at Cornell, Northwestern or Dartmouth.</p>

<p>If you have any questions feel free to PM me.</p>

7

<p>Cornell and Dartmouth are infamous for the drinking culture, departed. It is widely considered to be a side effect of geographic isolation with little else to do on campus.</p>

<p>joker, I'm a parent of a student, not a student, and I don't wish to try to override the opinions of enrolled students. My kid does not post here, but on his behalf, I will attest to the fact that he is a very serious student, is very sociable but not a drinker, is not into fraternities, and if he is into the hook up culture his girlfriend, a student at a different school, is really going to be burned. He is happy, busy, into a lot of activities including research, clubs and volunteer activities and a really brutal class schedule. He likes being in Nashville. He likes being at Vanderbilt.</p>

<p>I suggest you visit and understand that at any campus, there are happy students and unhappy students. Check it out for yourself.</p>

<p>departed is correct that the new freshman living arrangements are expected to put a dent in the partying atmosphere. Unlike departed, I expect a more immediate payoff.</p>

8

<p>I had many of your concerns before I enrolled at Vanderbilt: I planned on majoring in English and political science, attending law school after graduation, I did not drink--I was actually 100% opposed to drinking--and did not plan to join a Greek organization. In fact, I had applied early to Georgetown and planned to attend since receiving my acceptance letter in December of my senior year.</p>

<p>But something never felt "right" about Georgetown for me. I came to visit my older sister at Vandy in April, who was a junior at the time, and I remembered why I loved Vanderbilt: the beautiful campus, the city, and the feeling that Vanderbilt "just fit." It is definitely possible to make friends with students who aren't intoxicated at every football game or 3+ nights of the week, who focus on schoolwork, etcetera. For some people, the social life will revolve around Greek life and alcohol, but it doesn't have to. It hasn't for me, and I have not felt left out.</p>

<p>I ended up joining a sorority, and I didn't drink until I turned 21, nor have I attended more than (most likely) 5 fraternity parties in my 4 years here. I have lots of friends, many of whom are extremely interested in politics and literature like I am. All of my professors have made time to meet with me outside of class when I needed to speak with them, and over the past 4 years I've helped three different professors on projects they are working on.</p>

<p>In short: college is what you make it. If you love Vanderbilt and you are accepted, I suggest you come here. The best choice you can make is to trust yourself and what your feelings tell you.</p>

<p>(Also, a tidbit of information about law school from a conversation I had with Vanderbilt's Dean Berquist. It doesn't matter what you major in. Take classes in a subject area you love, keep your grades up, and study hard for the LSAT. The only two classes she suggested I take to prepare for Logic and a poetry class.)</p>

9

<p>midmo, I experienced the drinking culture at both those schools first hand but had a very different impression than the one I had at Vanderbilt. Something about the southern frat atmosphere makes the drinking scene much different than drinking at a northeastern school.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the input everyone. </p>

<p>A few questions:</p>

<p>How is the southern frat scene different from drinking in the north?</p>

<p>Also, I am fine w/ the getting trashed/ hooking up. I am a realistic prospective college student. My question is are these facets of Vanderbilt so dominating that not drinking to the point of passing out will cause you to feel isolated?</p>

<p>What attracts me to Vandy over other places is the laid-back atmosphere. I anticipate being extremely busy during college, but amidst my business, I want to be surrounded by a more laid-back atmosphere, with balance in all facets of life. By I also would appreciate balance in social life. I would not mind going to a party, but I would mind it if social life completely revolved around partying 3+ nights a week. </p>

<p>Thanks again for the feedback so far.</p>