I just got accepted to Vanderbilt off the waitlist and have to make a decision very quickly. This is quite difficult, however, because I’ve never visited Vandy (I’m trying to get them to give me extra time to decide so I can go visit, but I’m not sure if they’ll allow it). I’m currently committed to USC where I’m in Marshall studying Business Administration. I also have a 50% tuition scholarship at USC, so there’s a lot of perks that come with that like nice housing and a smaller scholarly community. Also, I’m in an honors program of sorts at Marshall called the GLP where I’ll get to be in an honors seminar and then go to China over spring break during my first year.
I would really appreciate advice/insight between the two schools. At Vandy, I would probably study Math and/or Econ. I feel like Vandy is a lot closer to the college experience I originally wanted in that it’s mid-sized, academically strong/prestigious, intellectual student body but great social life, and far from home (I’m from Orange County, CA). However, I really got excited about USC over the past month, and I will have a lot of great opportunities there and likely be more of a stand-out student. So, I’d love to hear CC’s thoughts. Thanks!
My D chose USC over Emory, WashU and Vandy. She was very impressive when she attended USC Explore for the admitted students. USC Marshall Business school is excellent. Have you visited USC? My D visited both schools… liked USC much more. USC is much bigger, but you won’t see how big it is within a small community you belong to. If your education expense is much better with USC, in my personal opinion there is no reason to select Vandy over USC.
very big Vandy supporter here but we consider tuition merit offers to be of great weight in a decision. That’s just us. We have limited resources and need to be focused on retiring. Son went to Vandy on a merit tuition break, and it gave him a great source of self satisfaction, and a sense of ease as he faced down his equally expensive graduate school pathways. (law --which is expensive and where graduates are entering a shrinking market). While I would be a bit sad for you that you would not have the fun of immersion into Nashville as a new experience for a Californian, I would save my $ for a little wind under my wings for grad school. As a business-focused person, you will likely work before applying to graduate schools. My son blew all his parent support on full price at Duke and then did not have the luxury of a full time MBA as a good option for him. He did his MBA at night while working full time. Not ideal but he has no regrets. He loved Duke. He had a good job while he did his MBA, but he also missed out on some of the fun of being a graduate student at night school.
If your parents have no financial limitations…you are a fortunate person. But think about your 25th year and ponder your personal assets and goals.
USC Marshall School of Business with a 50% tuition scholarship versus Vanderbilt as a full pay student is an easy decision. USC as a business major is the better option.
Vanderbilt will cost about $68,000 to $70,000 per year.
USC should run about $44,000 to $48,000 per year.
Additionally, as an undergraduate business major, you can forego an MBA which takes 2 years of fulltime study for a 10 month specialty masters degree and save about $100,000.
USC seems like the logical decision. In addition to extra tuition expense, you will also pay significantly more in travel expenses from your home to Nashville than to USC, assuming you travel to and from Nashville by plane at least 2 or 3 times a year.
Like @Faline2 , big Vandy supporter here. But I would definitely go with USC in this case. Or use what D said when she picked Vandy : “why do I want to go with more expensive option if I can end up with the same result?”
@Faline2@SincererLove@srk2017 Hello Vandy supporters! I know Vandy is a great school. I visited with my D and liked it very much. However, I wanted her to decide by herself … so it was USC. Are your children going or went to Vandy? What aspects do you like the most about it? I’m just asking because my next one is coming Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts!
@singingbear - In 2017, my son chose Vandy over UPenn and JHU (BME) because of Cornelius Vanderbilt scholarship and a very good research opportunity after visiting the campus. He is having great experience at Vanderbilt both academically and socially.
@singingbear I chose Vanderbilt over Notre Dame, Columbia, and South Carolina because it has a really strong undergrad-only music program. It also offers a lot more flexibility in a music degree—it is very unusual to be able to study secondary instruments with faculty, but you can here.
I’m a USC alum. My daughter lives in Nashville and I’ve walked around the Vanderbilt campus. As far as I’m concerned, the main advantage of Vanderbilt is that it’s in Nashville, which is a fantastic city. The Vandy campus is less crowded and more tranquil than USC’s campus, and it has some gorgeous vegetation and landscaping. Seems to me like the quality of students at each campus would be similar.
You probably already made your decision, but I have a Presidential Scholar at USC, moving out of McCarthy today - he also is Marshall. He loves USC. My daughter will start Vanderbilt in the fall. Two very different schools in my opinion, but for a business major (also considering the financials), I think USC is the way to go. The school spirit there is amazing and they just do everything so well. The Trojan network is very real. The GLP program is amazing. So many opportunities. While USC has a larger student population, the student-teacher ratio is small, and the campus is small and so easily walkable. I love the campus. Honestly we would have been happy for both our kids to go to USC, but our daughter loved Vanderbilt from day one on campus. She is also on a merit scholarship. We feel lucky to have So Cal and Nashville to visit regularly. Interested to hear what you chose! Best of luck!
Nashville is a great 3rd Coast American City. Heavy on the Arts and that support comes from local residents throughout the city. Town Gown relations with Vanderbilt are outstanding. This means a lot. Vanderbilt is a point of pride regionally, not just in Nashville or in TN. I personally believe that the surrounding graduate students and excellent graduate schools impact the lives of the undergraduates in positive ways. Nashville also has other institutions of higher learning in town that impact the city from historically black colleges like Fisk and Meharry Medical College to smaller conservative Christian colleges. Nashville is a home to the state government and thus there are some federal programs and offices in town. Business is booming. Nashville is booming. You really can have the idyllic campus plus find places to intern, do research or simply get employed. Nice four seasons! The freshman campus is truly outstanding and well thought out. The Trustees of Vanderbilt have been clear-eyed and intentional and have moved Vanderbilt along in many praise-worthy directions, starting with Need Blind admissions and financial aid in the form of grants with no loans based on need. Classrooms do include some large lecture halls but you absolutely can have the intimacy of small classrooms. Vandy is doing all it can do to convert student housing into great offerings. It’s a great place to meet the brave kids who now come from every corner of our nation. Lots of diversity of thought, race, politics and religion on campus. And yes, my spouse attended a Vandy grad school. And my son is a graduate.
@MadisonWI I’m going to Vandy! I visited this past weekend and absolutely loved it. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in such a cool and different environment for my college years.
I know Vandy is a great school. I visited with my D and liked it very much. However, I wanted her to decide by herself … so it was USC. Are your children going or went to Vandy? What aspects do you like the most about it? I’m just asking because my next one is coming