Middle class Southern Californians at Vanderbilt?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
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<p>I'm curious if any middle class ethnic students from So. Cal have had a difficult transition to the Southern culture of Vanderbilt. I am not even sure what Southern culture is but in reading various posts about Vanderbilt, it sounds so much different than what we're used to here in So. Cal.</p>

<p>We dress in flip flops, t-shirts, and shorts much of the year. People don't dress up here. Some kids do spend money on clothes but we shop at places like Walmart, Target, (and maybe Kohls if they're having a sale) for our clothes and will definitely check out a Goodwill store if we're near one. </p>

<p>My son is 1/2 Puerto Rican. He does have some rich friends from math circle and chess but most of the people we know from our neighborhood or church are lower or middle income. He has friends of many different ethnicities including Asian, Hispanic, white, black, etc.</p>

<p>I just wondered if there will be a real culture shock for him at Vanderbilt or other Southern universities, or even culture shock at universities where the majority of the students are wealthy. I also just wondered how students in his situation would aclimate. Never having lived anywhere except So. Arizona and So. Cal, and never having traveled to the South, I have no experience to share with my son.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>I’m not a student, I’m a parent of a son who is a senior. He is a computer science and math major, enrolled in the engineering school. I mention that because I think it might be relevant, a little bit, to the fashion aspect of your question. It has been my observation that engineering students don’t, generally, worry too much about how they dress, and computer science students are the least concerned of the bunch. Of course, let me be clear that I understand that there are exceptions, and I don’t like to stereotype, but that is what I see.</p>

<p>Sandals (the same pair I bought him in high school, no less), cargo shorts that are falling apart and a variety of T-shirts from his various clubs/volunteer stuff and jobs are his uniform. When I implored him to please go buy some dress pants for an interview, he went to Goodwill and got a “real find” for $3. They weren’t bad looking, but they were made for someone who weighs about 30 pounds more than he does.</p>

<p>So, your son might find a little company, at least.</p>

<p>It seems to me that the stories about how Vanderbilt students don’t look like other college students are exaggerated, at least for the day-to-day activities. The one football game I attended was a good deal dressier than most college sports activities, though. However, when I see students walking around campus on class days, I see normal looking college students (or, rather, a pretty normal array of college students). What is lurking in their closets I couldn’t say. I have been told that certain brands (pricier than Target et al) are popular for outerwear, especially with the girls. Whether or not that bothers other students who don’t like to spend money on clothes probably depends on the psychic make-up of the student.</p>

<p>FWIW, I have been on, in and around college campuses in several different parts of the country non-stop since 1970 as undergrad, graduate student, post-doc, researcher, faculty and spouse of faculty. Most of those schools have been large public flag-ships. My youngest kid is a freshman at a large public flagship. That doesn’t make me an expert on how all of the kids at Vanderbilt dress and behave, but I do have a good deal of experience observing college students, and I just don’t get the culture shock other people claim as their experience. My son, the Vanderbilt student, was born in Massachusetts, graduated from high school in the midwest (a very diverse college-town public school) and spent no time whatever in the south before attending Vanderbilt. His gf is from another country that couldn’t be much different than the American south. Based on their experience, I don’t hesitate to recommend that non-southern, middle class, and non-white acquaintances and friends check out Vanderbilt. (There have been one or two students who I thought might not find it a great fit, but that was based on personality traits, not class and cultural considerations.)</p>

<p>Oh, and the sandals: the last couple of winters have gotten a bit cold at times, so have him pack at least one pair of non-flip flops. Son had to go buy a pair to tennis shoes.</p>

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<p>Another thought: While I was waiting to pick up my daughter at her dorm recently (at Big State U), I was watching the other students coming and going, and it occurred to me that most of the students were less sloppy looking than was the norm back when I was in college during the hippie days. In fact, they were dressed a lot differently than in the 80’s and 90’s, when wearing pajamas to class was considered normal. Sometimes I think some parents of current college prospects are comparing what they see now to what was common when they were students, and they come to the conclusion that VU students are unusual. There are schools where students are more out of the norm in their appearance, but I think Vanderbilt looks more like the majority of campuses than some people think.</p>

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<p>We were recently on campus for my daughter’s audition at Blair, and the students (non-Blair too) all looked like regular students. I work in a large public city high school, and Vanderbilt students did not strike me as prepped out or extremely well-dressed. I noticed this more at Rice, to tell the truth.</p>

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<p>Interesting observations, Midmo and Moonmaid. Thank-you for the detailed response, Midmo. As I said, never having been in the south, I have no idea of what my son might expect. My son does like to dress in nice t-shirts and he is certainly the most fashion conscious of us all (well, he spends the most on his clothes) but I don’t know that he’s into name brand things. He loves to wear baseball caps and likes to wear them backward, too. He sometimes likes to look “gangsta” but he’s really a nerd. :slight_smile: He sort of defies stereotypes, which I like! LOL</p>

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<p>my son’s first roommie was a very good guy from LA area, middle class but conscious of money enough to compete for the financial reward of serving as an RA later on. He arrived with shorts and a variety of sandals, running/basketball shoes and a windbreaker.
My son is probably left of center of this young man but had more conservative clothes in his closet for an activity he does that requires suits plus we are from a place where men wear bowties and seersucker and no one blinks. Not all men! ha. But a preppy corner of VA.<br>
We showed his Mom a polartec with windbloc that was good for Nashville (I have lived in Nashville twice…also we assured her it would rain. A Lot. and a pair of water repellent like hikers goes a long way in Nashville for getting around campus. As well as a gortex type shell for when it Will Snow and when it Will Rain. If you want to rush and go Greek, you will want a blazer or two for sure. But you may need a couple of ties for interviews for internships or positions on campus. I gave my son a pair of shoes that are good for snow this winter and he loved them</p>

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<p>I’m probably going to go to Vandy next year, and I’m a middle class girl from Socal who wears flip flops pretty much year round. When I visited Vanderbilt, I realized how hard the girls tried to make themselves look nice in comparison to the beach scene where California girls are supposed to just naturally look nice. I don’t think, however, that it will be too difficult for a boy!</p>

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<p>We come from central Texas and there are a whole lot of different types in my D’s HS - from cheerleaders to jocks to ranch girls to athletes to musicians, nerds, etc. She’s used to girls who dress up every day, so I don’t think it will be too much of a shock. Southern culture might be a bit more jarring to those who aren’t used to it, but she’s had 4 years of it since we moved from NY! :wink: I also think that teenagers are teenagers to some degree - you can always find some people to relate to.</p>

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<p>Well, my son does own a tux for performances in the symphony and weddings, etc. He also likes to wear sweaters or sweater vests and ties for his rock band performances, so he does have some nice clothes. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>If he gets a chance to visit during the summer, I’m not sure he’ll get a full feel of the campus but that’s probably the only time he would visit before he decides to apply or not. We’re visiting Penn and Princeton shortly and I’m sure that will be another “culture shock” of sorts, too, though we have friends there so it will make it a really fun trip. </p>

<p>He’s been back east to Baltimore once for the Grand Awards ceremony for CTY at JHU but he didn’t like the univ. or Baltimore (but he had a great time watching a baseball game at the Orioles stadium). He’s particular about campuses and goes by “feel”, which I think is a mistake. He didn’t like U of Chicago because it felt impersonal. I think it would be a good fit for him but…He loved Taylor Univ. because the people were so nice and genuine (his words). He prefers the campus of Harvey Mudd to Caltech but he’s only been to each for math competitions and really has no other basis on which to go on.</p>

<p>I really think he needs to visit Vanderbilt before he applies since it’s a new area of the country for him.</p>

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<p>Nashville has a pretty groovy life for musicians of all types so hope he will keep Vandy in the rotation for consideration. There are plenty of free spirits at Vanderbilt despite the stereotypes. Edgar Meyer is on faculty and performed just the other night, the Nashville Symphony is sublime (not the Philadelphia Symphony but still quite exceptional) and performances at Blair from students and from touring pros are outstanding. There are a lot of studio musicians in Nashville who elevate the things you can see at any bar any night of the week. I would compare Nashville to Austin Texas as a great Third Coast city in the USA.</p>

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<p>Faline2, the reasons you bring up are part of the reason why my daughter considered Vandy & Blair in the first place. I thought it was important that she study in a town with a strong music presence to be exposed to different types of playing experiences. Lots of Nashville Symphony players on staff at Blair, and my daughter was asked to fill in for a friend’s absent bass player on a gig while we visited! I know she’ll encounter a variety of playing experiences, especially since I have musician friends there.</p>

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<p>Edgar Meyer??!!! Whoa! We <em>adore</em> Edgar Meyer! My boys played “Old Country Fairy Tale” (yes, a Mark O’Connor song but Meyer’s playing on all the CDs with O’Connor and Ma was so inspiring) for a chamber recital. My oldest, the rising senior, plays violin and my middle son plays cello.</p>

<p>Question about Blair: Can a person major in something A & S (in my son’s case, math or physics) and minor in music, thereby having access to and possibly dicounted private lessons through Blair?</p>

<p>My son is a good violinist but he’s no concerto winner. He’s been taking private lessons since age 6, went through all the Suzuki books by age 13, been in a university symphony since age 12, and does lots of freelance professional stuff (weddings, concerts with his band, etc) but has only entered 2 competitions and only been a winner in one. He will be submitting a violin CD/DVD as a supplemental to various colleges but he doesn’t want to major in music. Just wondering how it works at Vanderbilt.</p>

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<p>There is a performance minor at Blair, and there is a semester cost for lessons involved:
[Music</a> Minors | Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music](<a href=“http://blair.vanderbilt.edu/undergraduate-students-families/non-bachelor-music/music-minors]Music”>http://blair.vanderbilt.edu/undergraduate-students-families/non-bachelor-music/music-minors)</p>

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<p>sbjdorlo</p>

<p>It evidently can be done. A student graduated a couple of years ago with majors in computer science and math and a minor in music performance. </p>

<p>Your son sounds very interesting. I hope he likes what he sees when he visits this summer. I think the campus does have a more ‘personal’ feel than U. of Chicago (I like U of Chicago, that is not meant as a negative comment); I don’t know if that comes across when school is not in session.</p>

<p>In any case, he doesn’t have to visit before applying, but I hope you do find the time. Needless to say, he should visit before he accepts.</p>

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<p>I think everyone above me has already pretty much hashed out what life looks like here. Just to put in my two cents about the music minor - it’s very possible. There is the general minor as well as the performance minor, all with the 50% discount for lessons. (I’m A&S Bio, dbl majoring in music.)</p>

<p>As for the “dress stereotype” - it’s pretty prevalent if you look out your window on Friday and Saturday nights, or on game days, but for a regular schoolday, T-shirts and jeans / shorts are the norm.</p>

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<p>sbjdorlo-</p>

<p>This is at least the 5th forum where I have run into your posts so I probably ought to reply. Apparently , we have a lot in common, but you post more! Our post count is about the same, but I joined years ago. Not sure how folks find the time but I do so appreciate all of the good advice to be found on this site.</p>

<p>Anyway, I saw your post on the Davidson thread about physics and thought that was unusual. We also have a physics/math /music kid. Saw the query about housing at Harvey Mudd as well. Apparently our boys have the same value system concerns. They would probably make excellent roommates! </p>

<p>S defines his take on campus visits as a sense of ‘community’. He also is heavily influenced by the niceness factor. That could be why our kids seem to share similar college lists which are not stereotypical for physics guys. Did I mention that S is also half hispanic and from the West coast? And he prefers Mudd to Caltech. (He may be a bit biased, as he has a sister at the Claremont Colleges.)</p>

<p>Anyway, he visited Vanderbilt, Davidson, Duke, Wm and Mary, Wash U, Chapel Hill, NC State…hmm…Georgetown and probably every school in California (more than once) with older siblings. Loved the first four mentioned, not the following bunch. I think he loves the ‘niceness’ and weather of the South. We do have family in the south-central part of the country and he feels comfortable there, for sure. He has visited the SE on a couple of trips and that is more or less exclusively where he has talked about wanting to go to school until recently. With sister in CA, he has increasingly been made aware of the pluses of that option, especially with the strong programs available in his areas of interest.</p>

<p>As for Vanderbilt, when we toured a sorority girl was our tour guide. My kids are not interested in going Greek, but she was great and dressed very casually. My D ended up going back last winter. She was admitted as a Chancellor’s scholar, attended Mosaic and had a blast. Vanderbilt was the last school she let go and she still wishes she could have attended!</p>

<p>As for southern schools for west coast hispanic kids…that is a tough one. To be honest, in the end D was a little bit concerned about providing diversity. She has been overseas and to programs around the country so she has friends everywhere but my kids think it is hard to beat the relaxed mixing in the West. What she and her sister (who has also spent a lot of time all over the place) tell their brothers is, they like that it just isn’t as much of an issue out here.</p>

<p>As far as dress, etc., from our experiences I don’t think that Vandy would be a problem. A lot of southern schools got nixed from the college lists because of a potentially dominate frat scene but the ones D applied to she felt had plenty of social life outside of the Greek system. </p>

<p>We also come from a lower/middle income area. We have found that the top colleges all have a strong contingent of well-off kids. I guess that makes sense. My oldest tells me that it is most likely to be a problem at a small lac where you really have to look at the culture of the place for fit or risk being miserable. (She has spent a lot of time in the NE.) My kids seem to gravitate toward the mid-sized colleges. They all really liked the Claremont Colleges because of the total size with the smaller separate communities.</p>

<p>Culture shock? Maybe. But part of the reason to go away to college is to experience something new and different. I think the key is to find a place where they can grow but still do well academically. Now if only we can find that place for our son!</p>

<p>I seem to be straying from the Vanderbilt questions so I will stop here for now.</p>

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<p>Hey Critter,</p>

<p>I sure wish we had been able to visit all the campuses! I’ll have to live vicariously through you and other posters. :slight_smile: I’m glad to hear your son liked Vanderbilt and Davidson. (And I’m curious as to what he didn’t like about Washington Univ) If there’s any way for my son to visit those schools during the summer (on his dime and by himself), I’ll encourage him to do so. I’m glad the Vanderbilt experience was positive. Given that your son is similar to mine in many ways makes me think my son will probably be comfortable, as well. I don’t think my son is into the frat scene but he loves hanging out with other musicians. </p>

<p>Harvey Mudd is a small school but because it belongs to Claremont Colleges, it feels much bigger, I’ll bet. Did your son go to Spring FAST? My son was invited but couldn’t attend. He’ll reapply for the Fall FAST.</p>

<p>It’s funny-we’re in California but my son’s never done any college visits here but he is my oldest. He’s only been to Mudd and Caltech because of math competitions. He visited U of Chicago and Taylor Univ. last year because my dh wanted to go and visit his family in Milwaukee. That’s it for us so this week’s visit to Penn and Princeton is out of the norm. I usually stay home with my youngest, now 6, but I got the short straw so I’ll be traveling with my son.</p>