Disillusioned with "Blue-Collar" Vanderbilt?

College Search & Selection
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<p>^^^Ghostbuster, No, there is no family “wealth”, but we are hardly poor, either. Academic types.</p>

<p>Cool? Hmm, pretty funny. He looked the same in high school. It was never his intention to be considered cool on the basis of his sartorial choices, but it may have worked out that way. (BTW, have you ever gotten a good look at the current Chancellor of Vanderbilt? Mr. Rumpled himself.)</p>

<p>As for the goofy Wash U comments. Of course, I wasn’t there, but I have a sneaking suspicion that was a poorly delivered attempt at inside humor. If it wasn’t, the guy is a bozo and out of touch with the message the Vanderbilt administration is trying hard to get out.</p>

<p>The last time I saw the numbers, fewer than half of Vanderbilt admits graduated from private schools, elite and non-elite combined. With one exception, the students I know graduated from public schools; one from a Jesuit high school. That is still a high percentage, but a lot lower than many other private schools, and a lot lower than a generation ago.</p>

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<p>It was a female who made the comments. It was three years ago. I dont know what their numbers are now. I know they used to be heavily favored to private schools and the wealthy. I already posted, if you saw, that Vandy is making strides in diversifying its student body. Yes, Jesuit high school students sometimes go to non Jesuit colleges. LOL. </p>

<p>Most private colleges make an effort at diversifying their student body.</p>

<p>But to be quite honest…Vandy is anything but “middle class” or average. Ditto for Wake Forest, Duke, Emory etc. Just take a look at their student parking lots. Full of BMW’s, Mercedes and Lexus. I’m not kidding either.</p>

<p>We aren’t poor either, so it makes no difference to me.</p>

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<p>At any top school, there is going to be a disproportionate amount of wealth and a disproportionate number of nice cars. At any state school, there is going to be a group of well-to-do kids who went there and have the same nice cars. Nothing to see here. Move along.</p>

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<p>^ I do not agree with this comment … schools have very different admissions recruitment and acceptance strategies with some seeking much more economic diversity among it’s student bodies than others. While it is old I found Mini’s research on “The Entitlement Index” very interesting and while the data is not a 100% predictor I found a high correlation between schools with high entitlement indexes also feeling “preppy” or less diverse. Here’s a link to the orginal string … look ar posts #57 & #58 … <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/11033-rich-kid-schools-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/11033-rich-kid-schools-4.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I didn’t say they’d all be equal, but I said they’d all be disproportionately high compared to the average US income (or average US parking lot, I suppose). Some may index at 200, some may index at 400.</p>

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<p>How many kids at Vandy are going to be those Southern Preps? Is there a figure? haha</p>

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<p>^^^You should visit and get your own impressions.</p>

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<p>:D Just for future reference, the phrase that you were looking for is “blue blood.”</p>

<p>From Wikipedia:</p>

<p>“Blue blood is an English idiom recorded since 1834 for noble birth or descent; it is a translation of the Spanish phrase sangre azul, which described the Spanish royal family and other high nobility who claimed to be of Visigothic descent, in contrast to the Moors. It is likely that the idiom originates from ancient and medieval societies of Europe and distinguishes an upper class (whose superficial veins appeared blue through their untanned skin) from a working class of the time; mainly agricultural peasants who spent most of their time working outdoors and thus had tanned skin (through which superficial veins appear less prominently). An alternative traditional explanation, argyria (a disease causing a blue-grey skin tone after digestion of silver), is considered less valid, as table silverware was not yet regularly used by much of the nobility. Another explanation has also been put forward: methemoglobinemia, caused by in-breeding.”</p>

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<p>There is an overlay of wealth at Vandy, but not all of it is bad, and not everyone is part of it. My son’s experience is quite different from Midmo’s son. Mine came from a middle class suburban HS, but loves the frat scene, dressing up and other traditions (they serenaded the girls’ dorm last fall!) They also have volunteered in the community and hit a lot of music venues because Nashville is a lively, diverse place. You definitely must visit, preferably with someone who can show you more about Vandy than just the buildings.</p>

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<p>I am absolutely going to visit :). Coincidentally, the weekend my Dad and I have planned to go Vandy hosts Ole Miss in a football game. So that should be exciting to attend as well!</p>

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<p>I hope you know that Vandy isn’t exactly the place to go for film.</p>

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<p>I mean they do have the department:</p>

<p>[Film</a> Studies at Vanderbilt](<a href=“http://www.vanderbilt.edu/filmstudies/]Film”>http://www.vanderbilt.edu/filmstudies/)</p>

<p>What do you think?</p>

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<p>^Yesterday (Friday) was the club sign-up day and I felt really bad for one of the film clubs (it might have been the only one) because no one was talking to the guy and girl working the booth. It’s a pretty unpopular major here. I know a few kids who have taken Intro to Film Studies, but none of whom actually major in Film Studies.</p>

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<p>Yeah, as I said to you via PM, Vandy isn’t the place to go for film.</p>

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<p>How do you know if a department is reputable then?</p>

<p>And is that important?</p>

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<p>If you’d like a job, which often times comes from connections the school has, then yes, I’d say it’s important.</p>

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<p>Even if I intend on getting an MFA in Production anyways?</p>