What is the vandy undergraduate experience for Korean Americans?
Could you ask a more specific question? But to answer your question: its good.
Social life with Americans, any discrimination considering vanderbilt is in the south?
@Dreamitdoit : Are you serious? Many of the major cities hosting HUGE Korean populations are in the south. Houston and Atlanta for example, are in the south and it appears those populations are doing well there. What makes you think that at a top private research institution, there would be discrimination against Koreans simply because it is in the south (often, even not in the most cosmopolitan cities, elite private campuses are bubbles and/or are located in diverse enough areas)? Harvard is in Boston and yet a well known former news anchor on CNN flat out told a story about how her sister (she is URM) was straight up told in the late 80s or some time 90s to not major in the sciences (she was a physics major) because: “Minorities do not do well in the sciences”. Faculty and students anywhere can have biases. Fortunately at schools at this level, the diversity levels are usually good enough such that such experiences are rare, regardless of their location in the south. Would you ask such questions about any of the other elite schools? If not, why this one? It being in the south is a pretty poor reason. Would Duke, Rice, Emory, Tulane, Georgia Tech, UVA, UNC, etc deserve this question for that reasoning?
@AnnieBot : Don’t answer questions like that…just say that, “I haven’t seen or experienced any problems, but maybe someone else thinks differently” because when you answer the way you did, you open yourself to unnecessary rebuttal or criticism because folks will claim you are speaking for all Koreans on campus and we know how these conversations end up. One person disagrees with you and then everyone, to defend the school, will get on and say that person’s experience or opinion is invalid or wrong or that they are a minority in that opinion when we really have no way of knowing unless we surveyed all or most Koreans (or whatever minority of concern) at said campus. These conversations on here can get really nasty.
@bernie12 I asked this question not primarily because I applied a stereotype about the south (as I am a Korean American living in the south myself) but rather I was genuinely curious about the experience at Vanderbilt after hearing different posts that were consistent in tone. Btw vanderbilt is my dream school, which is why I asked.
@Dreamitdoit : Then just be honest about why you asked. You heard differing opinions specifically about the school, and wanted some opinions or rationale. Don’t shade the south lol.
@Dreamitdoit What kind of social life do you want?
Your experience will have a lot to do with your personality no matter what your cultural and racial background. Vandy is not as intimate and supportive as some of America’s small stellar private colleges. It is a mid sized research institution that has some small and quite warm and personal classrooms but offers a great deal of variety in students and in curriculum.
Although asking about the Korean American experience is a valid question, I don’t think there is a quantifiable or consistent answer. There are obviously universities with higher concentrations of Asian American and Korean American students. But your class at Vandy will be intensely varied. In a more general sense, I would say that Vandy requires that a student row their own boat from day one…best for self starter personalities. There is an openness in many student groups in the medium sized campus…ie…my son had no problem writing and publishing. Things are not so big that you have scant chances to participate. Very difficult to do at -say UVA-- where twice as many people submit articles. This sort of opportunity for new students is there in many organizations. Your experience in a hard science or pre-professional group like engineering or premed will be unique and not like those in arts programs. I think Vandy has some fine first year programs to ease students into college life but it will in the end really be up to you to seek out your happy places.
On the other hand, Vandy is large enough that you can make subtle shifts and changes in your social groups over four years…making new and previously never seen friends in new places all four years is typical and the campus is not claustrophobic as some wonderful LACs can be. When evaluating your potential happiness…evaluate a possible junior year abroad, your interest and/or tolerance for Greek life…summers, research opportunities, and town/gown community fit. Which school can prepare you for the job force and or grad school best? Play your long game. Vandy won’t deliver everything but it may put you on the road to finding your bliss very very well.
@Suffer A social life that consists of connecting with more people. Also, greek life heavily separate greek members from non greek members at vanderbilt?
@Dreamitdoit : That is basically the definition of social life. Come on. I think Suffer meant, do you really like Greeklife/influence of sports, lots of parties, etc, a more bookish school, a more politically engaged school, a multi-cultural type of vibe, etc. Schools differ not in ability to connect with others, but usually the venues through which students tend to connect with each other. As in the campus events that facilitate social interactions differ at various places (ultimately meaning that students body choose the venues through which they want to interact and while every elite private school has some balance, but there are also the biases depending on the student and institutional culture).
I do not mind for Greeklife on campus, but I am curious whether non-greek members will be excluded by greek hallmates.
In my experience there was no conscious effort to exclude non-greeks. The majority of people on your hall will be pretty friendly the whole year, no matter their greek affiliation. Actually greeklife members were probably more friendly than non-members, because people who join those orgs generally like socializing and have above average social skills.
However, if you don’t join greeklife, don’t expect to be hanging around at the house or going to pregames or date parties as a non-member. And if you want to go to parties and stuff second semester, you should have made an effort to at least know some brothers to be let in. If you’re a complete stranger to them you’ll be excluded. So there’s some separation based on the fact being part of greeklife gives you certain social opportunities that you don’t get otherwise.
@fdgjfg In your experience, did those involved in greek life have no problem in balancing between academics and social gatherings, parties, etc.?
@fdgjfg : Like most places, aren’t a lot of Greek parties just open to everyone? As in, they just host an event and people show up. There are some Greek exclusive events like the date parties I guess, but I thought generally they don’t mind being the center of social life on something like a weekend. However, what isn’t being discussed here is the fact that I’m pretty sure dorms host parties as well regardless of Greek affiliation and naturally some dorms will be centers for it and some won’t. I doubt Dream would have to limit themselves to Greek based social events and parties. And there are also a million clubs at these types of schools…
@bernie12 Thanks for the clarification, since I live in a college town where greek life is heavily present and the events there are usually exclusive only to greek members, I was wondering if this was the same for everyone. But I understand now
@Dreamitdoit : For a top 20 private, Vanderbilt certainly has a very heavy Greek influence in its social life, but the school is also known for its social vibrancy overall so in theory, there are just plenty of other things to do. And also, remember its location. It is in the city of Nashville. It is extremely easy to just walk off campus and enjoy what is going on in Nashville. Many schools are in suburbs or even isolated in heavily wooded areas and not all schools will readily provide students with easy ways to leave campus. These schools may have more monotony in the social life venues because of that and you kind of end up settling with whatever is dominant within the campus bubble. I think comparable schools location wise would be places like Georgia Tech, Harvard, and MIT, Chicago?, Columbia top schools that have actual campuses, you can just walk slightly off campus, and lots of things become accessible. Then there are about 3 suburban schools that give students solid access to offerings of big cities. Regardless, Vanderbilt shouldn’t be a problem in this arena unless you are a true nerd (or maybe I mean geek since every high performing student is apparently considered a nerd now which is a fairly strange bar in my opinion as not all perform super well in traditional classroom settings) or something (which I believe is totally fine). Questionable if there are much room for those at most schools (and in which case you’d want to find schools in nerdier towns/cities).
I think @Faline2 gave a wonderful answer. I can tell you that as a current student, I have not yet seen any flagrant discrimination against someone based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation. The campus culture simply doesn’t tolerate it, and I think this is especially the case given the current political climate.
Follow the wonderful advice Faline2 gave you, and acknowledge it by thanking them for writing such a thoughtful and thorough response to your question. If you are lucky enough to be admitted to Vanderbilt, you will undoubtedly be about to find your place here. Best of luck to you as you explore your post-secondary options.
I stopped writing posts at CC simply because @Faline2 always gives much better answers than mine. Her opinions and advice are thoughtful, balanced, compassionate, accurate, and above all mature and mother-like. I strongly recommend all prospective students and parents (especially of Vandy and Duke) to read @Faline2’s posts very carefully. I don’t believe you will get any better information and advice anywhere else. Thanks @Feline2. I always enjoy reading your posts.
P.S. I wish we had a national president like you.
When Vanderbilt was and still is ranked one of the “happiest” universities across the nation, do you think your personal opinion supports the ranking. Any thoughts/discussions?