<p>Hey Im really have a tough time deciding between these two schools. Which one is better if Im looking to go into medical school after undergrad? Please help</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Look up what percentage of undergrads get into med school. I don't know about Vanderbilt, but ND's percentage is huge like 80-90%.</p>
<p>You should also take into account how competitive the students are there. If someone's always breathing down your neck, trying to slit your throat, college won't be fun.</p>
<p>Well, what is important to you? What are you looking for in a college? What do you want the atmosphere to be like with your fellow students? Are athletics important? The answers to these questions will help a great deal in helping you find the right place!</p>
<p>joeswim54, I am a freshman at ND, and last year, my final college decision came down to ND and Vanderbilt. It would have been an easy choice to go to ND, except for the fact that Vandy offered me a full tuition merit based scholarship (I do not receive any financial aid at ND). I did overnight visits at both schools, made extensive pro-con lists, and thought about it for a while, and just had to choose ND in the end. It was tough to turn down all that money for a "perfectly academically comparable" school; however, I have never regretted my decision.</p>
<p>I don't know if you live in the South, or are very familiar with it, but Vandy is extremely "old-money Southern." I live in the South (Georgia) and I could hardly believe how pervasive Vandy exuded "Southernness." While everyone I met there was very friendly, the Greek scene is prevalent, SEC football is worshipped more than God (and this is the Bible Belt), and the fact that everyone dresses up for football games and takes dates to them was extremely strange to me. Don't get me wrong, I love living in the South and miss it all the time, but Atlanta (where I live) is quite different. I think most top schools in the South (Duke and Emory are the first that come to mind, both of which I visited) are truly national schools, with diverse student bodies, but Vanderbilt seems more of a "southern" school (at least, I don't think I could see myself fitting in there if I was from the north). In that regard, ND is much more national and has a geographically diverse student body; while there are many people here from the Chicago area, I don't find one state or region of the country to DOMINATE the student population.</p>
<p>Athletics at both schools are quite good. Vandy mens basketball made it to the Sweet 16 this year, and their baseball team is currently ranked #1 in the country, I believe. However, their football team is not quite as competitive; most of my friends at Vanderbilt spend almost the entire game tailgating and never watch the games. ND football is adored here, and the team has been very good the last few years, a streak that will hopefully continue this year. Mens basketball made it to the NCAA tournament, and mens hockey was ranked #1 at the end of the regular season. I would give a slight edge to ND on school spirit, but I think Vandy students are very spirited as well.</p>
<p>Like I said earlier, social life at Vandy mostly revolves around Greek life. However, ND does not have fraternities or sororities; rather, your single-sex dorm becomes your "family." ND social life is more campus-centered, where as I believe Vandy students go into Nashville more for concerts and restaurants. I don't know that one "type" of social life is better than the other, but they are quite different at the two schools.</p>
<p>Finally, academics. ND has very good science programs, and we just built the $72 million Jordan Hall of Science that just opened this year, with state-of-the-art facilities. Pre-med majors can easily double major, due to the unique preprofessional program (more info about this can be found on the ND website) and science majors are always helping each other with problem sets and lab reports. I know Vandy has a medical school and a hospital, both of which can be more helpful for undergrad research and internships, however. You really can't go wrong with either ND or Vandy's pre-med programs.</p>
<p>In conclusion, Vandy and ND are quite similar in many ways, most notably academics, athletics, and school spirit. It really comes down to what type of atmosphere you want and what kind of student body you want to associate with and what kind of social life you want and whether you've had your heart set on one of them for a long time. I knew that if I went to Vandy, whenever I saw an ND football game on TV or something, I would feel a pang of regret for not going there and a lot of jealousy for those students there. I wouldn't feel that about Vanderbilt; I wasn't emotionally invested in the school. I'm sure part of my feelings came from the fact that I had a lot of family go here, including my mom, and I grew up loving Notre Dame, but I digress. Both are fine schools, so just go where your heart tells you to go. My head said Vanderbilt, but my heart said Notre Dame, so I had to follow my heart.</p>
<p>very good post happygirl!</p>
<p>That is a nice post by happygirl, and she obviously made the right choice for her. But as a lifelong Chicagoan and Vanderbilt alum, with a son going there next year, I have some familiarity with the campus and would not describe it as extremely old-money Southern or exuding persavive Southernness. There is a southern flavor to the campus but also a national feel. All 50 states are represented in the student body, with more than half the students from outside the South and many from New York and Chicago. The Vanderbilt web site has some more detail on this issue and I would encourage you to review it. After a bit of initial adjustment I had a great time there with kids from all over the country, and I think that kind of experience is even more typical today. </p>
<p>I realize this is the ND board and I have nothing negative to say about Notre Dame; I know many people who've gone there and have close friends with a daughter there now who loves it. But you would find just as many parents and students around the country who are equally enthusiastic about Vandy. I agree that the schools match up well in academics and athletics and that social life at the two schools is different but not necessarily better at one or the other (although there is a lively social life at Vanderbilt without the frats and sororities). I just don't think either school can claim to be much more national and geographically diverse than the other. My suggestion would be to make your decision on fit and to follow your heart, like happygirl did. Good luck.</p>
<p>A pretty good post for the most part by happygirl and a good/necesssary supplement to her post by rainman. I will further emphasize rainman's point that there is a healthy and lively social life outside of the Greek system if that isn't for you. All in all, they are very helpful and informative posts for people deciding between the two schools.</p>
<p>Mate, if you didnt get the Chancellors at Vandy, then go ND unless you have financial problems. ND really is the clear winner.</p>
<p>For happygirl and SweetLax, ND is the clear winner over Vanderbilt; for others, the opposite is true. Perhaps joeswim has made up his mind by now, but I still see this as a tough call that should be based largely on fit. In comparing the schools on pre-med, you should consider Vanderbilt Hospital and Ingram Cancer Center. Both are great pre-med resources.</p>