<p>Hey guys, it's down to the final 2, Vanderbilt and Northwestern. I really am at a total loss and could use some help deciding which school to attend in the fall!</p>
<p>Vanderbilt:</p>
<p>Pros
-strong academic programs (I am interested specifically in bio and premed)
-easy research opportunities
-decent weather
-strong campus community (lots of all-campus events, etc)
-very good financial aid (I come from a low-income bracket so financial aid is excellent)</p>
<p>Cons
-lack of diversity - coming from a high school with a 90% Caucasian population, I really wouldn't mind seeing some more ethnic and economic diversity in college (I am Chinese btw)
-gigantic presence of Greek life - I'm not a partier at all
-difficulty in studying abroad as premed (only 15% of people who go premed get to study abroad)</p>
<p>Northwestern:</p>
<p>Pros
-great diversity
-proximity to Chicago is cool
-great academic programs as well
-quarter system allows for greater flexibility in studying abroad
-decent financial aid (not as good as Vanderbilt by a few grand, but still affordable)</p>
<p>Cons
-overall university doesn't feel very cohesive; everyone seems too wrapped up in their own individual activities to pay attention to people outside of their group
-lack of community feeling
-cold weather makes it hard to socialize outside</p>
<p>So my decision is really up in the air right now. What can you tell me to convince me to come to your school? Please feel free to add new pros or cons for each school, or add on to any existing pros/cons.</p>
<p>oh yeah, also want to add something about AP exams.</p>
<p>I know that each school has different AP credit opportunities, so I was just wondering if anyone could give me information on what placement/credit each AP exam gives you and if it’s worth it for a bio major to take those exams.</p>
<p>The AP exams that I’m concerned with are:
Physics (mechanics and E&M)
Chem
Psychology
BC Calc
English Lang</p>
<p>It would cost me a lot of time and money to take these exams, so the less exams I have to take, the better!
Thanks again for the info!</p>
<p>If you go on each of the colleges web sites, you should be able to find out what they will give you in terms of credits for AP exams. Sometimes this is on the registrar’s website. </p>
<p>Northwestern tends to be more liberal with more theater/artsy types comparatively while Vanderbilt is more conservative, more athletic, pre-professional. However, pretty much any type of kid can fit in and have a good experience at either school. Good luck!</p>
<p>You can only use 18 hours of credit from AP exams if you’re in Arts&Sciences (whereas College of Engineering takes all your credit). They also don’t fulfill AXEL requirements (Vanderbilts liberal arts curriculum).</p>
<p>I’m asian and fit in just fine! People have complained about racial diversity in the past, but it’s increased significantly in recent years along with the drop in admissions rate and increase in prestige. There is an Asian New Year Festival each year that the Asian American Students Association puts on, and features dances of all kinds (from traditional to hula). Diwali (the South Asian show) is also pretty big and really well put together. Both were a blast this year. Come to Vanderbilt!</p>
<p>Also, if you know from the get-go that you want to study abroad, you can make it happen. Many students take two of the year-long pre-med courses each year, i.e biology and chemistry freshman year, and then physics & orgo sophomore year. They’re tough classes, no doubt, but the only way you are inhibited from studying abroad is if you’re committed to going to medical school immediately after college and decide to spend either your freshman or your sophomore taking just one of the four required pre-med courses.</p>
<p>I don’t know where you are from but, if cold weather might be a problem for you, Northwestern would be brutal. Chicago has some of the harshest winters around, and Northwestern is right on the lake, where it is windy and freezing. It’s a great school, and vert prestigious these days, but I’d take a winter in Nashville over a winter in Chicago any day–especially considering that Vanderbilt seems to be rising in prestige evey year.</p>
<p>I’m in the exact same situation, deciding between Northwestern and Vandy. Financial aid is almost the same, with Vandy giving me a few grand more as well.</p>
<p>I really liked the friendliness, community feel, and just the overall feel of Vandy’s campus more than NU as well. Northwestern, despite having a smaller campus, just feels a bit spread out and not as social. The Commons at Vandy definitely give it a huge social advantage.</p>
<p>The only negatives I can think of regarding Vanderbilt are that I might like Northwestern’s quarter system more, greek like is pretty dominant on campus, and Chicago+Evanston is volumes more interesting to me than Nashville, which just seemed a bit weird when I visited (granted, I was only in Nashville for a day). Some people would say that campus feel is much more important than the location, though, since you would be spending the vast majority of time on campus.</p>
<p>What makes me hesitant about easily choosing Vanderbilt is just that I feel NU is the safe and obvious choice, nearly ever person I’ve talked to thinks its weird that I’m even considering Vanderbilt. However superficial that may be, it still makes me paranoid. Also, a career in finance is not out of the question for me, and could be likely. I would think that Northwestern’s larger alumni network, prestigious business school on campus, higher ranked economics program, and possibly more active recruitment by major firms would be advantageous should I go that route.</p>
<p>Any more input would help me out tremendously as well, as I’m undecided as can be and May 1st is approaching fast. Keep the comments coming!</p>
<p>Even if you were to decide to go to Vanderbilt, you’d be fine on the business angle. Multiple bulge-bracket investment banks recruit on campus, as do the three top-tier consulting firms: McKinsey, Bain, and BCG (two of which, Bain and BCG, were started by Vanderbilt alumni). Recruiting is better at HYPSM and Wharton, obviously, but Vanderbilt and Northwestern are probably about the same on that end. Don’t let that be what swings your decision.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is stereotyped as a old boys club, but diversity has really been picking up lately. I think the most recent admitted class was about 10% Asian. My Asian friend from Chicago loves it at Vandy, and he is very involved in the Asian American community there. Don’t let that be your factor in deciding where to go to school.</p>
<p>Also lots of schools have summer study abroad programs. I’m not sure if Vandy has one, but you should look into it.</p>