<p>I'm considering applying to Vanderbilt as a transfer student (for sophomore year). How difficult is it to get in? Is it easier than getting in as a freshman? I didn't apply as a first-year, so I really have no idea what my chances are. I guess to give you a quick idea of my academic standing (because I'm not doing the whole chance me thing), I got accepted to Emory RD as a freshman, and right now I have a 4.0 in a state school's honor program with lots of ECs, two of which are writing for campus publications.
Also, do they look at your SAT scores when you transfer? And if so, how much do they affect your chances of getting in?
Before I even apply, I want to make sure Vanderbilt is a good fit. Part of the reason I want to leave the school I'm at now is because the majority of the population is drunken sorority and frat people who are only in college for the football. Okay, that's a bit of a stretch, but the atmosphere just isn't working for me. I'm sure that Vanderbilt has an intellectual environment, I mean, obviously, but I know that Greek life is pretty big there as well. I'm perfectly fine with Greek life as long as it isn't a bunch of exclusive rich people who party all the time. I know that every school has its fair share of partiers, but I'm looking for a school where that isn't the main thing that students are concerned with. (I'm also re-applying to Emory, btw. If anyone has any suggestions for any other schools I might want to look into that are within a reasonable driving distance from Chattanooga, that would be much appreciated!)</p>
<p>Vanderbilt definitely has a work-hard play-hard culture. If you want to go into Greek life, you’ll be around a lot of people who are looking to “party” as much as 3 or 4 times a week. If you wanted to be independent, it’s much easier to avoid the party scene.</p>
<p>Davidson, Duke, Rhodes, GA Tech (if your interests tend towards STEM).</p>
<p>Vanderbilt has football and Emory doesn’t, in case that makes a difference to you.</p>
<p>Tech also has the school of public policy. It’s apparently decent. The other 3 are more balanced however, in terms of distribution of majors.</p>
<p>Football: I don’t think the OP cares if the school has it, but moreso care if has any level of dominance in social or academic culture. I don’t know if it does at Vandy; Maybe somewhat in social, but probably not as much in academic. I don’t think it’s one of those schools like many publics that can essentially make up majors to protect the GPA of football players in order to keep them in good academic standing. Not to mention, some schools, even the ones that recruit, have smart (as in entering stats. show that they are well-above national average in test scores and GPA) athletes. Tech for example, usually has athletes that are solidly well-off (often the very top) in terms of entering statistics to be able to perform well enough in STEM majors as well as other majors in such a competitive environment.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend taking a visit to Vandy. There are definitely partiers on campus, both Greek and independent, but most students are pretty balanced. I’d say I’m about average on that and I usually go out Fridays and Saturdays. I just said on another thread that we have a great mix of social life and academia. I recently had a conversation at a party about the way Sesame Street approaches social issues, citing the discussion of whether Bert and Ernie are gay. We don’t really separate school and social life; they both kind of run together in what I find to be the best way. </p>
<p>If you really don’t want to be around partiers, than Vandy is not the right fit for you. However, I know plenty of people who are not themselves partiers and they love it. If nothing else, you can laugh at all of us idiots quoting Voltaire as we trip over a can of Natty on Saturday night.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman at Vandy now, and I was terrified coming in because of the whole greek life rep and the football culture or whatever, neither of which were big where I’m from. I’ve found that yes, greek life IS big if you make it that way. It’s only in-your-face if you choose to hang out at greek row on the weekends. But I’ve also found that if you want to totally avoid it, that’s entirely possible (and common) as well. </p>
<p>Also, just to respond to Megan2016’s post above, I agree with almost everything you said, except for the “if you really don’t want to be around partiers, then Vandy is not the right fit for you” part. There really are all kinds of people at Vanderbilt, and lots who literally don’t party at all and still love the school.</p>
<p>Vandy2017, I agree that there are all types. What I really meant was if you want absolutely nothing to do with them, if the thought of the girl living on the opposite end of your floor coming home drunk ****es you off, then Vandy might not be right (or most colleges, really).</p>
<p>Oh, if other people on my hall want to drink, then that’s fine by me. I’m used to it by now. I’m just tired of going to a school where pretty much everyone drinks. My hall is a special case because it’s the honors hall and we’re all nerds who don’t go out (okay, that’s an overstatement, but you get the idea), but pretty much everyone else does.</p>