<p>This is for any students currently attending Vandy. Are there any particular teachers that should definitely be avoided, or any that are amazing and you should definitely try to take? Which classes are good to take and which are horrible? Any comments would be helpful to those of us attending in the fall!</p>
<p>I heard Professor Buckles was good for economics. Other than that, I haven't heard much.</p>
<p>Buckles is great, but his class isn't easy. Don't take it expecting an easy A, but you will learn a lot. </p>
<p>Masullo is also an awesome teacher. I had him for American Studies.</p>
<p>Definitely avoid Johnston for orgo. The man cannot teach for crap. Although you can teach yourself everything out of the book, you will still fail exams.</p>
<p>is it true that intro calc courses = death?</p>
<p>does anybody know anything about the bio and chem classes and teachers?</p>
<p>I took Stubbs/Singleton and really liked them. A lot of people tend to avoid them because they don't let you drop an exam, but I studied hard and did fine. Broadie and Patton have split into two separate sections this year, so I can't tell you much, but I do know Patton is teaching with Grahm who I had for cell bio and he was pretty good.</p>
<p>My Favorites ---</p>
<p>John Stuhr -- Pragmatism
William Caferro -- Any History Class
John Lachs - Ethics</p>
<p>Do not take Calc 150 unless you have to... I took 150B my first semester and it was miserable</p>
<p>If you are going to take macro, don't listen to this BS about Vrooman being easy. Unless you don't think you are very smart and need an idiot to explain it in idiot's terms for you, go for Buckles. You'll have to do more understanding and less memorizing in his class, but it's worth it. Vrooman explains everything in sports and drinking terms, which sounds awesome and is cool for the first month, but it gets old and you realize he has no idea what he's talking about.</p>
<p>Is Vanderbilt really all that cut-throat? My college counselor pretty much talked me out of looking to apply there next year for this reason. It was pretty high up on my list and every time I bring it up she basically cringes lol. So what do you think? Have you found it to be cut-throat or do you know of anyone who does?</p>
<p>if you want to apply then go for it. i just finished my freshman year, and most agree that the intro, "weed out" classes are cutthroat.</p>
<p>My daughter says it is not the least bit cut-throat, just that it is HARD HARD HARD. She says people are more than willing to help one another, but in spite of that, the grading is unforgiving and harsh. She did a lot better second semester than first, but says she doesn't think she'll ever get all As at Vandy -- that there are lots of classes where literally no one gets an A.</p>
<p>I strongly doubt that there are any classes where no one gets an A. Vanderbilt is hard, but it's not unfair!</p>
<p>Also, I wouldn't say that the atmosphere is cutthroat. It may be competitive, especially in premed classes, but students are helpful to one another. We're all in it together; why make it harder than it has to be?</p>
<p>My daughter has never mentioned anything about Vandy being cut-throat. Like miri it is just difficult. The professors know it is difficult. They are always willing to help out as are fellow students.</p>