Sure thing! For starters, I’m a racial minority (black) from Georgia, and while most of the students seem pretty accepting of different races, there are enough insensitive people or people who just have an issue with befriending or even respecting anyone of ANY racial minority. When people bring up broad issues they’re having here (like the head of my freshman dorm being called a racial slur by another student, as well as other things), the majority of students are apathetic. It’s disheartening.
On top of that, a point that will definitely be relevant for any student thinking of applying here – the party and Greek atmosphere here is huge. I’m not a partier, so I can tell you that if your child isn’t into partying or Greek life, it’s quite the challenge to find a friendly group. I luckily found one, but not everyone does. Those students usually end up transferring somewhere else. There’s a huge self-conscious pressure here to always look 100% (makeup, clothes, fashion in general), and I don’t feel like that’s a pressure that students at a Top 15 school should ever have to deal with, especially not at the levels that they do here. I guess that’s the quickest way to say that it’s not a great fit for me, and after being here for about six weeks, I’ve already considered transferring.
Now, let’s talk about positives! Vanderbilt is NOT a bad school. In fact, it is a FANTASTIC school in a lot of ways… just not the most wonderful fit for everyone. Tell your child to keep that in mind when selecting a college; acceptance rate and ranking aren’t everything. However, all of my professors are INCREDIBLE, inspiring, and brilliant. Even my TAs are wonderful. The coursework is pretty difficult, especially the science classes – chemistry being one of the toughest… fortunately, I’m NOT in that class 
Anyway, hard work is rewarded well.
One of the best things Vanderbilt does is something they don’t talk about a lot, called Vanderbilt Visions. We are assigned into small groups of about 16 other freshmen, an older student, and a staff member, so we can talk about issues on campus. It’s an awesome way to make friends with people you otherwise wouldn’t have interacted with, and it’s nice to have a place where everyone can be honest about being stressed and needing to vent. They also try really hard to make sure freshmen acclimate well; “orientation” lasts for about five days, including many scattered events throughout the first semester, and it really helps new students to get a feel for the campus and the atmosphere.
Not sure how much you are going to like Nashville’s climate, though. It’s strange, but I’m used to it because I’m from Atlanta (where the weather is just as strange). Very, very hot and humid in the summers and the fall (the high today was 86, and the humidity was around 70%)… I haven’t been here long enough to experience the rest of the seasons, but from what I’ve heard, things only really cool down after Thanksgiving. If you’re from Colorado, it’ll definitely be quite an adjustment. Nashville is a neat city, though; it’s growing rapidly, and there are a lot of things to do for students interested in exploring the city with their friends.
If you have anymore questions, I’d be glad to help! Hope this didn’t feel too much like rambling, but there’s a lot to say about the school, and I really hope this helps you and your child in your college decision(s). 