<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>I am transferring from an Ivy to one of these two schools likely, and I just want the god's honest truth about which one y'all think is best. NOTE: Money is not an issue, per say, but the 14K less a year at UVA is appealing.</p>
<p>Considering their similar atmospheres, student life is not very much a deciding factor for me as they both cater to what I want -- vibrant, spirited, sports, etc. I want to do greek life, and will Fall rush at either one as a transfer.</p>
<p>I am more curious as to which school would be best for a politically minded student like myself. At UVA I would apply for the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, or would study Poli Sci with an Econ minor. At Vandy I would study Poli Sci and Econ as well.</p>
<p>Which is best for this? I hope to work in DC after graduation, hopefully in governmental consulting, on the Hill for a Congressman, at a Think tank, or for a lobbying firm. Please, don't mince words, just give me the straight dope!</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Also note -- generally pre-law, as in I plan on going after working for a few years.</p>
<p>Is there something specific about your past school that made you want to transfer?</p>
<p>Between their strong academics and location 2 hours from DC, I would have to imagine UVA would be a better place to go. </p>
<p>@Pancaked it was simply the environment – hostile and competitive, along with a stronger academic focus/strengths in the hard sciences and business. </p>
<p>Go to UVA. Less ivy in atmosphere, IMO.</p>
<p>My daughter’s final college choice was between Vanderbilt and UVA. Though she thought she wanted UVA more, she ultimately chose Vandy because it was considerably less expensive for us. She is now finishing law school at UVA. Her professional interests are quite similar to yours.</p>
<p>She has said many times that she knows she made the right decision in choosing Vandy for undergrad. She loves both schools, as do we, but she thinks the social environment at UVA, while similar to Vandy’s, is actually more intense and stratified than at Vanderbilt. She was active in Greek Life at Vanderbilt, but doesn’t know if she’d have been as comfortable pursuing that at UVA. </p>
<p>Academically, both schools are outstanding. My daughter found 2 (unpaid) summer internships in DC as an undergrad, including one for a member of Congress. Vandy has a great support system for internships and jobs. She also worked in DC both summers during law school - of course, the summer hiring process is far different for law students. Best of luck - you can’t go far wrong with this choice. </p>
<p>frazzled1: “She was active in Greek Life at Vanderbilt, but doesn’t know if she’d have been as comfortable pursuing that at UVA.”</p>
<p>Just wondering why she wouldn’t have been as comfortable? Too much pressure to dress/look a certain way, not in the same social class, etc.?</p>
<p>Her feeling was that UVA turned Greek life up a notch from Vandy, both in terms of the partying and maybe, from the sorority side at least, the intensity of recruitment. My d doesn’t mind in the least dressing well, so it wasn’t that.</p>
<p>This just what she’s mentioned to me, based on her experiences on both campuses. As a law student, she’s obviously an observer and not a participant in Greek life. She’s said she’s glad she got to be a student on both campuses and thinks she did that in the right order.</p>
<p>I find the idea of spending 14 thousand dollars x 4 more for Vandy hard to swallow for a political science minded person. UVA is strong in these arenas…public policy school…english, poli sci, history…that seem to be more in your interest area. For a premed or science student, I vastly prefer Vanderbilt’s resources. If you can afford the extra 56 grand, I have no objection --but in our family that money would be banked for law school debt load. One of our Vandy son’s majors was poli sci and he, like Frazzled1’s daughter, had excellent internships. He had a paid internship in a major network in DC and unpaid internships in both the Senate and the House in DC out of Vandy. So kudos to Vandy for these placements. Took some hustling but it will take some hustling out of UVA as well. Just make sure you understand the poor job market in law, the modest starting salaries in relationship to the loans taken on, and the realities re parental income required in many law schools until you are 27 or 28-- before you throw away the lower price of UVA undergrad. (ps, would be sooo happy if our son could A. get into UVA Law and B. could win a discounted tuition there…as our income will be a factor there till his 28th BD). UVA is a fabulous law school. Get very real on the cost of law school before you make this decision. If money is no object, pick your preference for a home for four years…and if possible…change it up so you won’t be in the same place for 7 years. PS, we are Virginians and proud of UVA…hang out there frequently but also have deep roots in Nashville where spouse attended grad school at Vandy!</p>
<p>For the most part I agree with the above. I can see why students are attracted to both UVA and Vandy and consider them peer universities at this time. My only concern is that UVA has goverance and financial challenges that Vandy does not have. Vanderbilt is a hot U and is “moving on up”. UVa’s governance and financial problems may move UVA in the opposite direction if not corrected.</p>
<p>When schools are similar (and UVA and Vandy are) the default position should really be to go where they show you the money. So I’d vote for UVA. That said, our own experience in exploring the two campuses was that Vanderbilt appeared to be more racially/ethnically diverse and there was less social pressure to conform (ie, to dress a certain way, to go Greek or to be passionately Greek). That’s one of the reasons my son chose Vandy. (The other, more significant one was that they showed him the money!) I mention this only because it surprised me. We are a NY family and didn’t have any personal knowledge of either school before visiting–only “pre-conceived notions.” Based on those, we expected that UVA, being a state school and not (geographically) deeply “southern,” would be more diverse and relaxed while Vandy would feel rigid and uniform. We came away with the opposite impression.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt’s largest Alumni base outside of Nashville is Washington D.C. There are very strong Vanderbilt connections in the city so even though there are more UVa grads, there are definitely Vandy people in D.C. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt and UVA have comparable student bodies, but Vanderbilt has more geographic diversity while most kids at UVA will be in-state. </p>