<p>The BEST news for you Lenny, is that there is no bad choice. Both offer great academics. Both are rocketing up the rankings (if prestige matters). Both have money and like to spend it on students. Both have REALLY strong alumni bases. Both are big on Greek & social activities. One recruits much better in sports, however. :D</p>
<p>BTW, during Parents Weekend his freshman year in 2003 we went to the Stanford-USC football game. It was my idea. He made us leave at halftime, and as far as I know never attended another football game although he did occasionally watch some of the bowl games on TV.</p>
<p>The USC football coach is a scumbag. Dont get too excited about USC football.</p>
<p>That doesn’t necessarily make him a poor recruiter. :D</p>
<p>Really MomofWildChild? You have personal knowledge that Lane Kiffin is a “scumbag”? This type of post annoys me. It’s, frankly, a snotty accusation and has absolutely nothing to do with the op’s dilemma concerning majors/location/academic opportunities, etc. USC football is a rollicking good time for those who enjoy football. Those kids play their hearts out! (Arguably, they’ve had their share of problems, and folks sure like to judge…but most big football schools have had their share of “scandals.”) Side note: That Trojan Band is second-to-none and can sure rouse your soul…</p>
<p>I think the fact that the NY’ers on the thread are evenly split about which has a better reputation here shows that the schools are pretty equal in that regard.</p>
<p>Your D may just not have anything objective to go on. She may have to use a totally objective rubric.</p>
<p>My S was choosing between two wonderful options as well. I asked him, “Which can’t you bear to part with?” It was a better question than asking which he preferred because he didn’t know which he preferred. But when I asked it that way, the answer became a bit more obvious.</p>
<p>Now he is graduating, and he still can’t bear to part with his school. Sniff, sniff.</p>
<p>BTW: Both my kids chose a different school than I would have for myself. But once schools reach the level of excellence, subjective factors usually lead the way.</p>
<p>S2 sat down with two computers open and looked at classes that were offered at both schools. Was very interesting to see the differences in approach to the same material. That proved to be the deciding point. This was a kid who didn’t decide til 8 pm the night of May 1st last year. He had two fabulous choices, too, and couldn’t go wrong either way.</p>
<p>Your D might want to sit down and scope out how she’d accomplish the education she wants at each school – which courses she’d want, the differences in required distribution courses, etc. She may see that when she maps it out, one path is more attractive or fits her learning style better.</p>
<p>lenny2, congratulations to your daughter on her great choices.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about USC so I’m not trying to do a direct compare and contrast. My son is about to graduate from Vanderbilt, and he has had a great four years at Vanderbilt and in Nashville. However, his fields are computer science and math, unrelated to your daughter’s interests, so I can’t provide any insights into the programs.</p>
<p>Here are a couple of things your daughter might want to think about if she feels the major factors are pretty much equal. First, are the academic year schedules similar? Vanderbilt includes a short fall break at the end of October (essentially a four-day weekend). Many students leave campus for that break. Thanksgiving is a full week off classes, the winter break is significantly shorter than many other universities, and the spring semester ends pretty early, providing for a long summer. Alternative Spring Break (service trips) is very popular.</p>
<p>How about housing options? Vanderbilt’s current rule is that all undergraduates live on campus (a variety of housing options following freshman year), but some seniors do petition to live off-campus senior year if there is a shortage of dorm space due to housing renovation (and a big new project will begin next year, so there probably will be opportunities for seniors to get off campus for the next few years).</p>
<p>As you know, Vanderbilt is located within the city, in a safe and interesting part of the near west end. It is not far from the downtown and some of the off-campus attractions. Zip cars are available, the university provides bus passes, and those students who have cars can get parking spaces after freshman year. The city is pretty accessible for students, with a lot of the positives associated with urban campuses, and few of the negatives.</p>
<p>You mentioned that you could get to Vanderbilt with a long one-day drive. That makes moving in and out a heck of a lot easier. This may not be a factor for your daughter, but my son stayed in Nashville for the summers after freshman year, and after sophomore year, and I appreciated being able to drive there for short trips. Since he had a car after freshman year, he was able to get home for breaks pretty easily (air service to our town is pathetic, and involves long drives or shuttles). Now that son is getting ready to move to CA (SF) after graduation, I realize how happy I am that he stayed in the same general region of the country during his undergraduate years.</p>
<p>Of course, the decision is your daughter’s to make since finances are not a major concern, and the importance she attaches to distance and schedules may differ from what her parents want.</p>
<p>Several times on CC, I’ve read of conflicted students doing a quick coin toss, to tease out at first blush what their preference is … and if they then decide to make it best two out of three tosses, this is also supposed to be telling. (I’m not going to tell you what my H, who’s PhD dissertation was in the field of probability theory, has to say about this.)</p>
<p>It’s not the recommended method, but when push comes to shove (as I expect it must be with your D now, since waitlists don’t “wait” very long. I’m betting she has to fish or cut bait today, possibly tomorrow, yes?</p>
<p>What a wonderful dilemma for her. May she have such wonderful choices later in her life.</p>
<p>I am on the Vanderbilt campus 5 days a week and I can tell you with certainty that there are no cows or other livestock on campus; however we do have plenty of squirrels 
Love when people with no knowledge of the South feel free to spread their ill-formed opinions. Guess that’s why I love living in Nashville so much; all the pretentious ignoramus’ stayed back in the East (no offense to all my non-pretentious, informed family, friends & neighbors along with CC iPeeps who are from the East.) </p>
<p>Anyway, I’ll ditto all the wonderful comments about Nashville (we relo’d here from NJ 8 years ago) and Vanderbilt is an excellent school. The Commons (where all the freshmen live) is wonderful and Dean Wcislo really takes his charge to heart: [Welcome</a> to The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons at Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://commons.vanderbilt.edu/]Welcome”>http://commons.vanderbilt.edu/) If there was a tipping point for me as a parent, it would be the Freshman living learning community at Vanderbilt. And Vanderbilt is truly part of the entire Nashville community. </p>
<p>But…if they don’t have her program and USC does, that would tip it back the other way. D1s good friend is at USC and absolutely loves it. Great fit for her and her interests. </p>
<p>OP: she has 2 fantastic choices and come October she will be thrilled whether she is in TN or CA. Best of luck!</p>
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<p>Faline2: I just wanted to point out that Vanderbilt doesn’t have an undergraduate business program; there is a Managerial Studies program in Arts & Sciences, and Peabody has HOD (Human and Organizational Development) and Leadership, but the School of Management is graduate level only. Just didn’t want to confuse anyone.</p>
<p>Hi OP. What great schools to choose from! I can truly understand why your D is having a hard time figuring out which school would be best for her. </p>
<p>My S1 is about to be a senior at USC and there is everything to love about the school. Intellectually stimulating, wildly diverse and enriched, beautiful campus and weather, super fun and smart students and truly incredible opportunities for a student to find their true passion and career goals if they haven’t already.</p>
<p>S1 is focused and still in his first choice major. He studied abroad this semester (Florence)–despite the fact that many in his intense major chose not to leave USC for even one semester because they love it so much. The unexpected benefits of attending USC have to do with access to astonishing opportunities. Many schools have good marching bands, for instance, but the Trojan marching band has recently performed on The Grammys. Many schools have internship offices, but S1’s major sends emails to students on almost a daily basis announcing internships which USC students are invited to apply for. On campus last week were The Dalai Lama and also Simon Cowell. If your D is interested in journalism, Los Angeles does bring the world to her door.</p>
<p>I do not have information on Vanderbilt–so I do not compare the two schools. I’ve just found more at USC than I had ever imagined. When S2 made his college decision a couple of weeks ago, he selected USC over more highly ranked school–precisely because the professors in his major at USC told him freshmen routinely are given positions of responsibility in university productions. Perhaps your D can speak to her major to inquire what sort of opportunities for real portfolio-enhancing work she’ll be able to do? And also, where this year’s grads in her major/field are finding work?</p>
<p>Best of luck!!</p>
<p>If you want to see something awe-inspiring go to USC before a football game. Watch the band give a concert and then walk with thousands of students, alum, and fans as they follow the band marching over to the Coliseum.</p>
<p>As a footnote to nothing–when my son started at USC we were living in Virginia. He was hoping for a roommate from California. He got one from West Virginia less than a 100 miles away. And, we were standing in line during move-in day and started talking to the couple next to us. They were from the next county over in Virginia, and the wife worked at George Mason U about two miles from our then house.</p>
<p>And as for diversity, not only is USC racially and ethnically diverse it is also economically diverse with lots of rich, middle class, and not especially well off students.</p>
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<p>Thanks SO much for taking a dumb comment by an obvious adolescent ■■■■■ and turning it into a nasty insult against easterners. </p>
<p>How charming. How nice. How polite.</p>
<p>OP, if this is an example of the level of sophistication achieved by people who spend five days a week on the Vandy campus, perhaps your D would be better off at USC where people are not so provincial.</p>
<p>I agree with RobD and I also spent many years growing up in the northeast. Many exceptions, of course, but we do get tired of the South-bashing.</p>
<p>Doame- Yes, in fact, I DO have personal knowledge that Lane Kiffin is a scumbag. I have that knowledge both personally and professionally. I actually have never heard anyone dispute that fact!</p>
<p>RobD: I hope you noticed that my comments about New Yorkers and negative opinions of the South was said with disdain for New Yorkers (even though I’m one of them.) New Yorkers <em>can</em> be very provincial. I meant no disrespect to Vandy. I was just reflected my impression of prevailing attitudes since the OP asked.</p>
<p>I actually think this choice should only be made with subjective factors, i.e. whatever would make the student happier.</p>
<p>My D spent a wonderful year interning at the Georgia Capital Defenders’ office and we are fans of Atlanta. (Not Nashville, I know, but I’m sure we’d feel the same way about that if we were as familiar with it.)</p>
<p>If they think of USC as a state/football school, we are concerned that that is a prevailing attitude out there. Our friends are highly educated professionals.</p>
<p>Sounds like they are “highly educated professionals” that are clearly ignorant as to which schools are top schools. I really doubt that they represent the majority of informed employers. </p>
<p>BTW…Cal is a state school that has big football…do they have a similar opinion of Berkeley?</p>
<p>*I am on the Vanderbilt campus 5 days a week and I can tell you with certainty that there are no cows or other livestock on campus; however we do have plenty of squirrels. *</p>
<p>Maybe 2fast4you thinks that livestock are roaming around Nashville because Granny used to make Squirrel Stew Vittles on The Beverly Hillbillies. </p>
<p>* Love it when people with no knowledge of the South feel free to spread their ill-formed opinions.*</p>
<p>Hear, hear!</p>
<p>Argh. You step away for a few hours and something gets misconstrued! I couched my initial comment with regards to the obnoxious poster about the cows & livestock with the whole:</p>
<p>“no offense to all my non-pretentious, informed family, friends & neighbors along with CC iPeeps who are from the East.” </p>
<p>Consolation: I’m sorry if that offended you. That was not my intention; sometimes what comes out on a message board doesn’t have the same emphasis as if you said it in person. See above.</p>
<p>I spent 4 decades on the East Coast & the majority of people I love still live there. I TOTALLY DIDN’T MEAN FOR THAT TO BE CONSTRUED AS AGAINST ALL NORTHEAST PEOPLE!!! Unless of course you are pretentious then I did mean you ;)</p>
<p>But…it does get tiresome that people think I have a goat here, and my sofa is on the front porch. I don’t. And I do still have all my teeth. There is an attitude from many people on either coast about what the South “must be like” that has nothing to do with reality.</p>
<p>ETA: And I totally apologize to the OP for having your thread get derailed.</p>
<p>^^^^^
Thank you!</p>
<p>Apparently, prejudice against the south is the last acceptable form of bigotry in some quarters.</p>
<p>MomofWildChild: I will dispute that so-called “fact”. Would you say that to his face? If not, take some advice from Thumper: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”</p>
<p>I’ve talked with the man and he is nothing if not a dedicated professional who has earned my support. I would like to see your evidence, laid out clearly, with good sources backing them up. Or would you just rather hide behind the anonymity of the internet and call people names?</p>
<p>Anyways, onto more pleasant topics.</p>
<p>Squirrels? Are they vicious at vandy too? Because at USC I once had a squirrel fight me for my sandwich!</p>
<p>You shouldn’t take anyone’s “feelings” about what they’ve “heard” about schools into account when you compare them. Facts. Those matter. Opinions generally don’t, because they tend to average out or get lost in the noise as your sample size increases. Talk to your daughter, work with her to make a pros and cons list, don’t be afraid to point out mistakes in her judgement, but ask her to defend them. Be clear that you are trying to help her, and back off if necessary. But definitely go down her list and ask her to explain each point to you.</p>