<p>My son is deciding between UVA, Northwestern and Vanderbilt- can anyone shed some light?</p>
<p>See the other thread on this....some good advice</p>
<p>First of all, congrats to your son. Those are three terrific schools, and he's lucky to have such a choice!</p>
<p>Both my husband I went to Northwestern - although over 25 years ago - but we have friends with kids there now, and it seems most things haven't changed much. Here's my take...</p>
<p>NU is very strong academically (as are all your sons choices!), with a beautiful lakefront campus just twenty minutes from Chicago (a great city with everything one could ask for...museums, sports, concerts, restaurants, shopping, etc). It has a very diverse student body and an impressive, accessible faculty. And no one would argue that the Medill School of Jouranlism and the School of Speech are two of the best in the country.</p>
<p>Sports...well, what can I say? Yes, students get to see some great Division One teams, but what they also get to see is those same Division One teams stomp NU...at least most of the time :). And though Evanston itself is not a great college town, most students feel that's trumped by having Chicago just down the road. FYI, you don't have to have a car to get there - the L (elevated train) is right there on campus. The weather is a mixed bag - the fall is gorgeous, the spring is gorgeous, and the campus has both North and South beaches right there on Lake Michigan, which can make it tough to make those spring semester classes...especially after those COLD, BRUTAL winters. And that's not an exaggeration. When that wind whips off the lake, the wind chill factor dips well below zero. Students literally run to class. But you eventually get used to it - it's all part of the experience...</p>
<p>Social life is also a mixed bag. Greek life is big (40% now), which means that anyone who wants to be in a fraternity or sorority can find a house - although independents seem just as happy with their choice not to pledge. There are frat parties on the weekends that are usually open to everyone, and there are dorm parties, if the greek thing doesn't appeal. Evanston is dry - yes, dry - so restaurants can't serve liquor - but students make their way to the bars on Howard Street (the dividing line b/w Evanston and Chicago) when the mood strikes. There's also plenty to do without drinking at all. Lots of activites, dances, movies, plays, and social events on campus throughout the year. </p>
<p>I would have to say that most students are pretty intense (many downright nerdy) and very goal oriented. They like to say NU is the Harvard of the midwest. I even remember a t-shirt that said "Harvard: the Northwestern of the East" Ha ha. Anyway, kids do spend a lot of time studying.</p>
<p>All in all, NU is a great school, and I'm sure your son would be very happy there. But I wouldn't think of comparing it to UVa or Vandy. My younger son is going to UVa this fall. To be honest, he did consider Vanderbilt as a close second to UVa, but NEVER considered Northwestern. He wanted a school in the south...which just feels very different than one in the midwest. Not better or worse, just different.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>My d is a 2nd year and UVa and we live 5 minutes from Northwestern. </p>
<p>They are both great schools--but different.</p>
<p>Evanston is not a "dry" town. It was, but it hasn't been for many years.
There has been a lot of development in the last 10 years and there is a lot to do there, and the "L" is close and you can go to the city if you want.</p>
<p>Charlottesville is an older town, with a lot more history. And warmer. Coming from a Chicago winter, My d feels that there are only a couple of cold days a year in Cville.</p>
<p>I think it would depend on what your son wants to study.</p>
<p>Both are great schools, but different climate in more ways than temperature.</p>
<p>I stand corrected about Evanston being "dry." Shows how long it's been since I was there :) But you're right about the two schools being different. UVa is warmer...in both personality and climate. Not that I don't love the midwest - I grew up there - but the south can't be beat when it comes to being warm and friendly...at least in my experience. (And since my husband and I have moved eleven times and lived in the northwest, west, south and midwest, I have a bit to speak of). I also have the sense that that the student body at UVa is a bit more spirited than at NU. Then again, that might be because they have teams to cheer about...</p>
<p>My time at Northwestern was wonderful, but to be honest, if I had it to do over again, I'd think long and hard about both UVa and Vanderbilt. They provide a warm environment (literally and figuratively), a happy and spirited student body, and excellent academics...not to mention two beautiful campuses. IMO, your son couldn't go wrong with either. It's more about fit than anything else.</p>
<p>hey cganyard,</p>
<p>Evanston is actually a great college town now. There's plenty to do and it got a hot housing market. Like meredesfilles said, there's been lot of development in the last 10 years. One of the most visible one is the cineplex in the middle of downtown. A lot of the restaurants/cafe on this list weren't even there when I left in 1999: <a href="http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/freshman/campuslife/eating-out.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/freshman/campuslife/eating-out.htm</a></p>