<p>For those who are concerned that they will not fit in: Three</a> Stories | Vanderbilt View | myVU | Vanderbilt University. </p>
<p>In particular, the third story should help to shatter some of the notions that only certain kinds of people can be found at Vanderbilt. As several of us have tried to tell students, there are ALL KINDS of different people at Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>Be inspired!</p>
<p>thanks for the link, Kelsmom…I am really thinking hard about your mothers of seniors–have so appreciated each of you over the years. Got my sophomore home at 2am…and he is going abroad in the fall so that means he only has three semesters left at Vanderbilt. What wonderful opportunities he has had!</p>
<p>kelsmom, I applaud your efforts to portray Vanderbilt in the best light possible. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a certain of type of culture dominates Vanderbilt. Anyone would be a fool to say otherwise, and diminishing this fact wouldn’t be fair to prospective students. Just playing devil’s advocate.</p>
<p>How many times must I say it … there are ALL KINDS of students at Vanderbilt. To say otherwise is to misrepresent the truth. Too many are quick to point out one “type” of person or one aspect of the school. I am presenting an alternate reality that is available for those who are interested. Unless a student gives a d**n about the lifestyle/culture that you say dominates Vandy, it is irrelevant in the scheme of things. To believe otherwise is silly.</p>
<p>But you are simply downplaying the prevalence of Greek life and the culture that surrounds it at Vanderbilt. It’s not a matter of debate: Greek life dominates the Vanderbilt social scene. Some students love it, and others aren’t so fond of it. Sure, those who don’t ascribe to this culture can have a rewarding and fulfilling undergraduate career, but not without the accompanying challenges. I honestly don’t see why this fact is so difficult to comprehend, and it’s simply not fair to underplay Greek life’s prevalence at Vanderbilt. I’m a student there; you’re not. I have also experienced many facets of Vanderbilt student life, from my work with the newspaper, to my involvement in WRVU (typically an organization with fewer Greek members), to my involvement with my fraternity. So you cannot say that my viewpoint is one-sided. I have seen how the Vanderbilt social scene, as a whole, forces those who want to have some semblance of a normal college social life on the outside. </p>
<p>I enjoy Greek life, but I’ll be the first to admit that I wish it weren’t so superficial. Your daughter might have found a great social niche without going Greek, but she is definitely in a minority, as are the student profiles you posted. Why do you think Vanderbilt puts these profiles on their website? They are cognizant of Greek life’s place at Vanderbilt, and the administration is doing everything they can do to curb it. Quite frankly, it’s rather sickening. Furthermore, your daughter is a girl. I’d suspect that, if she ever even has a desire to enter a fraternity party, she’d have no problem. It’s much more difficult for guys. </p>
<p>You might criticize me for acting as if fraternities are the only places to be social. But let’s be truthful though. Outside of the classroom, dining facilities, and extracurricular meetings, you’re pretty much left with the dorms and occasional parties at Belmont. It’s not a school like Harvard, where dorm parties are the dominant places for non-academic social gatherings to occur. It’s not a school like Alabama, which, despite its thriving Greek scene, still has 25,000 other students, many of whom live in big apartment complexes capable of housing large social gatherings. It’s Vanderbilt, and to downplay the prevalence of the Greek scene is ill-informed, naive, and misleading to prospective students.</p>
<p>She may be downplaying it, but now you’re overplaying it. It’s clear that once people join a frat, that is their entire social partying outlet (one of the major reasons I didn’t join). Many parties happen in the dorms with friends, but if you want to party with LOTS of people, then I agree frats rule there. </p>
<p>This is coming from someone who came close to rushing and a male who never had that much trouble getting into the parties I really wanted to get into (having friends who were brothers didn’t hurt).</p>
<p>Here we go again…</p>
<p>Every post that even mentions the word “Greek” turns into this back and forth arguing.</p>
<p>For the record I disagree with pretty much everything waylay00 said and agree with pretty much everything wanderers said.</p>
<p>How about McGill?</p>
<p>I think it’s funny that I have been told I wouldn’t fit it in. As a returning student of 30 plus years, I KNOW I won’t “fit in”. But guess what, I don’t care. I’m not there to go to Greek parties and find myself. I know who I am. I don’t need a 19 year old students validation. Vanderbilt is a prestigious institution with a top notch anthropology department that came recommended from my professor at my community college. I’m not trying to say I’m not sociable, but I have my friends. I would love to make new friends, but honestly, I know that’s not why I’m going to school. I can definitely see where this may have a profound effect on freshman straight out of high school, but not me.</p>
<p>This post is from a year ago but I guess it’s nice to have it bumped up anyway.</p>
<p>For the record, people who attend Vanderbilt are human beings. If you are a human being, you have a really good shot at finding your place here.</p>
<p>The stereotypical Vanderbilt student of the past is no longer accurate. With ever-increasing admission standards, the population is changing - in a good way. Kids from all over the country with diverse backgrounds and interests all want to spend their 4 years of college there. That alone makes for a student population like a lot of other universities. I had 2 kids graduate from there and you can rest assured that every individual could be happy there. If you want to be happy, you will be - it’s up to you.</p>