<p>Which one is better? Right now these are my top two and I am torn where to apply ED. I intend on majoring in engineering, and financial aid is not a factor in my decision. Here are my pros/cons lists for each school:</p>
<p>Northwestern
Pros:
-better ranked engineering dept. (#23 as compared to Vandy's #36)
-more well-known nationally, thus probably better/more job offers after graduation
Cons:
-I heard the students study 24/7 and that you don't have a social life unless you go greek
-the horrible weather</p>
<p>Vanderbilt
Pros:
-sounds like an overall happier experience based on the reaseach I've done...students say they absolutely love it
Cons:
-lower ranking than NU, not as good in engineering</p>
<p>One of my main conerns is this: will going to NU for engineering be much better for my career prospects? I think I would enjoy Vandy more, but if NU will be more beneficial for my career then its definately NU. I intent to live either in the Northeast or the West Coast when I graduate, and I heard that Vandy's name is not as well-known in those parts of the country b/c it is a "regional school". So, what's your input?</p>
<p>There’s a difference between lay-people not knowing Vandy and employers not knowing.</p>
<p>Vandy is well-reputed for engineering in every part of the US–the difference in ranking is trivial (unless you start looking at specific concentrations like Mat. Science, etc).</p>
<p>Other things being equal, I’d say NU hands down.
But you say that you think you’d enjoy Vandy more, which makes all the difference.
Go where you’ll be happiest.</p>
<p>A colleague’s son transferred from Vanderbilt Law School to UCLA-felt it was too southern and not diverse enough-not a good fit for a west coast kid. Happily practicing in Santa Monica now.</p>
<p>They are both pretty good schools haha. To be honest you’re probably going to get a big bias posting here XD. If you are torn, why not apply RD?</p>
<p>Well, that’s silly. I went to a non-flagship public school that’s nowhere near as prestigious as NU nor Vandy and got into the top 3 PhD programs in my discipline. Could I have gone to a better school for undergrad? Yeah, but I was happiest where I went, and don’t regret anything.</p>
<p>At either school you’ll definitely have a social life if you want one. I know plenty of people who go there and are so happy and love it. They’re both amazing, and all though Northwestern’s ranked higher as long as you do well, you can get a great job out of either school. Go where you’ll be the happiest.</p>
<p>I currently have a son in each school. They both searched for the “best fit” when deciding where to attend. The universities are very different, and so are my sons. For example, one likes cold weather (attends NU), and one doesn’t (attends Vandy). Of course, there are countless other distinctions that make each school unique. One similarity between the schools is that you can get an exceptional education if you maintain your commitment to learning. College rankings and reputation certainly matter, but the most important name on your resume will always be yours.</p>
<p>It came down to choosing between Northwestern and Vanderbilt for me. I had visited Vanderbilt and really liked it, but when I visited Northwestern after getting accepted, I just had to go there. While both NU and Vandy are well-respected academically, I just felt more at ease on NU’s campus, not to mention the fact that it was closer to home for me and that you really can’t beat the location. Being so close to Chicago has been an amazing opportunity.</p>