Vanderbilt or Smith - physics major

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Vanderbilt or Smith. That is about where my daughter is right now. Other choices have fallen off as we narrow to these 2. the difference in financial aid is 6k/year and for us, that is significant. One of these schools is essentially free. She wants to major in physics with graduate school to follow. These 2 are really different and she wants -with all her heart- a womens college. Any thoughts? I think that the adults say to go where it's almost no cost and the kids will tell her to follow her heart.</p>

2

<p>Do you mean that the difference in net price is $6,000 per year?</p>

<p>How much debt would result in each case?</p>

<p>Smith’s course offerings appear to be smaller than Vanderbilt’s, but cross registration with UMass - Amherst may help get around these limitations.</p>

3

<p>I’m sorry I wasn’t clear, but at vandy there are no student loans and at smith the aid package is something like a 3200 student loan in addition to us paying like 6000 - and i see that as $9200. I could swing $5,000, and upping her loan amount for her to go to smith, i just don’t think it’s wise. but is it all about the money? we are torn.</p>

4

<p>While she can get an excellent physics preparation in either school, the fact that Vanderbilt has a Ph.D. program in physics may offer different opportunities for undergraduate research and some insight into what a graduate program is like.</p>

5

<p>She should choose the cheaper option. If following her heart means it is difficult to pay, then you will have heartache.</p>

6

<p>what a spread. Vanderbilt is fairly big and frat heavy. smith is small and gender discriminatory.
I think of them as both schools for privileged elites (stereotype) the students at vandy drive a bmw and major is business. the students at smith major in gender studies and also drive bmw’s but have a Free Tibet sticker on the bumper to show they are worldly and not materialistic. if vandy was not so Greek heavy it would be a clear cut winner.(IMO) what did you not like about say carnegie mellon or case western? those might be a happy compromise!</p>