Transfer to Northwestern, Vanderbilt, or Notre Dame?

Transfer Students
1

I’m a rising sophomore who attends a large public university in Pennsylvania. However, I want to transfer from my school because it isn’t what I wanted from college. I wanted to be amongst peers who can inspire me to do better, in an environment where people care more about learning than partying. My current school’s culture is so tightly intertwined with that of the ugly side of greek life that the two are nearly indistinguishable. I’d like a school with plenty of intelligent and curious students.

My current aspiration is to become a writer for National Geographic. However, I am unsure of the best academic path to take to fulfill this goal. Ideally, I’d like to study something that has to do with the environment.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been accepted by Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and Boston College, and I’m still waiting on decisions from Notre Dame, Swarthmore, and NYU. Of these schools, I’m currently most interested in Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and Notre Dame. However, I am not sure of which school would be most similar to what I seek.

My thoughts on my top schools:

Northwestern

I was admitted to the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern, so I would study journalism with a concentration in environmental science if I went there. However, I worry that a major in journalism is too narrow in terms of job prospects and that it’d be hard to switch out of that school if I decided against journalism. I’m also not a huge fan of the winter, and I’ve heard Illinois winters are brutal. I’ve also heard that because of the quarter system, Northwestern students say they are constantly taking midterms and finals and that it’s hard to learn a subject in depth.

Vanderbilt

I’d most likely study environmental sociology, communication of science and technology, or both at Vanderbilt. Nashville seems like a great city and Vanderbilt is apparently one of the happiest campuses in the US. My primary concern is the prevalence of greek life at Vanderbilt and its effect on the overall school culture. I’d really like to try a school that is vastly difference from my current one, especially culturally. Do Commodores party harder than the students at large public schools generally do?

Notre Dame

I’d probably study English if I were to attend ND. I have a similar question regarding ND’s school culture and whether partying is as prevalent there as it is at a large public school.

So which school would you say fits me best? Are there any other distinguishing factors about these schools that I should be aware of?

2

Do you have the aid packages, and are they all equally affordable? Your goal career is not particularly well paid, so you should aim to graduate with little or no debt.

3

I don’t have the final aid packages yet because I need to update some of my financial information. As of right now, they’re all similar and pricey, so I’m not factoring in the financial aspect until I update my info.

4

If you are looking to go into journalism, I would vote for Northwestern but honestly they are all great schools. You wont go wrong anywhere so look where the financial aid is best. You don’t want to be strapped with debt.

5

Northwestern is a strong school for journalism and all the sciences. However Greek life is very very strong at Northwestern and a whopping 40% of students join a fraternity or sorority. Ditto on Vanderbilt, 42% join a Greek house. Notre Dame might be a better match, if you want to avoid Greek life.

Boston College has unofficial Greek houses, and more conservative Catholic school, with a strong business college.

I don’t know which school you attend, but if its Penn State, I think its only 12% of the student body? How is it you cannot avoid Greek life there? I just tried to look that up, I know its large there, but Northwestern and Vandy are both more pervasively Greek, I believe. Notre Dame offers no fraternities or sororities, only single sex dorms. There are rules about visitation between boys and girls at Notre Dame, so be sure you are comfortable with that. Notre Dame is well known for its ethical business college and English program.

Look for a program in environmental science if you want to minor in that. Look for a large English or journalism program.

6

D is a rising sophomore at Vanderbilt. She is not into greek life, and manages to find very fulfilling social life.

Did you get admissions from all three schools already on transfer?

7

OP got into Boston College, Vandy and Northwestern.

Waiting on NYU, Swarthmore and Notre Dame.

Swarthmore is the most intellectual, perhaps, very small, and OP can do intense work on interdisciplinary science writing there, its a very personal education, for the right kid who wants to work one on one with a professor in writing.

8

I also agree journalism as a major was very narrowing. D was admitted to Journalism and engineering at Northwestern. She picked Vandy, but in her case the $200k merit scholarship has a lot to do with that decision. :wink:

Update your financial information as soon as possible. You can not look at the reputation and prestige of the schools by itself. The money or return on investment needs to be part of the consideration.

9

Northwestern for your stated goals and preferences. If you can make it work financially. I would choose any of the three you have been accepted at for the best price. All fabulous. Of the three you have, BC will have zero Greek presence and not known for a real party culture especially the first two years. Mostly social life is around football hockey basketball all short walks from dorms on campus. And clubs. And Boston culture Which can’t be overlooked. The museums plays concerts pro sports like Red Sox Boston marathon day and other colleges are a big part of the experience

For journalism it’s not as strong as the other two. But still a top school.

Swat will be exactly what you want too. NYU also.

Great choices. Best of luck!

10

Unless your family is happy to be full pay, you need to get the final aid offers. It is entirely possible that the money issue will make the decision for you.

11

Thank you for all the insight! I will be sure to update my financial information ASAP.

@Coloradomama It’s not necessarily the presence of greek life that I’d like to avoid, but rather, the negative effects it can have on a school’s overall culture. While the percentage of people who participate in greek life at my school is relatively low, I believe the nature of greek life there (mostly wild frat parties) has caused a kind of general consensus that drinking and partying multiple times a week is what’s normal for most students. As a result, not participating is more of an exception than a norm. Since I’ve only attended one college before, I’m not sure–is this actually the case at most schools, including the ones I’m interested in?

@SincererLove At Vandy, transfer students can’t qualify for merit-based scholarships their first year, unfortunately, so I don’t predict any large-scale financial awards for me there. What are your D’s thoughts on Vandy student culture and academics?

12

Also @happymomof1, I’m fortunate enough that my family will be covering most if not all of the expense, so money is not a huge concern at the moment though it can be the determining factor.

13

The only wrong college is the one you can’t afford. Right now, unless your parents are wealthy, or you have a huge scholarship, all of these schools are wrong. You’re in a great school. Get your education and be happy you did.

14

Update: I’ve been accepted to Swarthmore.

15

@Coloradomama : US News reports different figures for Greek life membership at Northwestern. 29% in frats & 32% in sororities.

Vanderbilt is reported by US News as 37% in frats & 51% in sororities.

16

@wystery : To which school at Northwestern University were you offered admission as a transfer student ?

17

Assuming similar costs, I would lean toward Northwestern or Swarthmore, depending on whether you want large or small.

Northwestern’s recent “and” advertising campaign suggests that double majoring or minoring should be doable http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/journalism/undergraduate-journalism/exclusive-opportunities/double-major-opportunities.html and if you change your mind on journalism, I suspect it wouldn’t be difficult to move over to Arts & Sciences.

Just for sake of accuracy, this is not true.

18

@Publisher I was offered admission to the Medill School of Journalism.

19

Congrats on the choices! Does the environment of the school matter very much to you? Vanderbilt is going to have MUCH better weather than Northwestern. In the same way, Swarthmore is going to have a way different vibe and feeling than Vanderbilt or Northwestern. If you haven’t visited them all but are able to, I highly recommend it. A school that looks amazing on paper may not be that great to you once you physically visit it.

20

@evergreen5 Thanks for your helpful comments! I’ve been doing more research on Northwestern and it does seems easy to switch majors/double major, so that clears up some of my reservations with Northwestern. Do you think Swarthmore’s small size could be limiting in terms of opportunity and diversity of perspective, or would that not really a problem?