So I recently was accepted into Vanderbilt (YAY!) with a pretty substantial financial aid package. However, I will be transferring there from another school, and I have heard that regular students look down upon transfer students because it is “easier to get in as a transfer.” I also feel like I may not fit in socially, as I am not the type of person to dress up for class who is very into fashion and looks! That may just be a stereotype, but does anyone have any insight on how regular students treat transfers and about the preppy/looking put together all the time factor? And should the financial aid package be reason enough to attend? (basically free tuition, just paying for room and board)
I really don’t care if someone is a transfer student or not. And j think, like any school, there’s a range of people. Personally? I feel ready for my day when I’m dressed well with makeup and hair done. But I’ve seen plenty of girls with sweatpants on who are perfectly happy. (Same for guys, as far as I can tell.)
I don’t think your FA should be your ONLY reason to attend, but if your financial situation demands that that be important, then it is what it is. Don’t overthink it; you have a great opportunity, let your gut decide whether or not you should take it!
We visited last month and saw several students wearing active gear: nice shorts and tee-shirt, athletic shoes or sandals. I’ve heard the dress-up and makeup stereotype too, but really everyone looked like they were just coming or going to a work out!
My daughter is a freshman at Vandy. She was never one to wear workout shorts and t-shirts in high school, but it’s just about all she wears at Vandy. The stereotype is really overblown.
There is certainly some sentiment about it being easier to get in as a transfer, but it really has no effect on how students treat eachother. Transfers students are treated exactly like every other student, as far as I know, and as far as the transfer students I know.
The dressing up thing is mostly a myth. Students are perhaps more dressed up on average than most schools, but we all still just look like normal college kids, as the others have mentioned.
congratulations on your transfer invite with substantial need aid. Please celebrate and be positive. You would not be admitted if they didn’t think you could handle the challenges. There is a parent who posts here whose daughter was a transfer…maybe she will see your queries. Her daughter did not go Greek but joined a couple of other campus organizations, did local internships and now has a very good job back up in the northern Midwest where she hails from. I am pretty sure transfers are introduced to each other. You will have an academic advisor and resources on campus to advise you as you get adjusted. Vandy students dress in a pretty broad range of styles. Bring rain shoes for slippery rock stairs when wearing a backpack and a some kind of a raincoat. Consider saving up to go on Alternative Spring break in your first year. An excellent way to make friends with a group. There are fees for transportation to the sites that you have to front. Like most highly selective schools with blind admissions, a significant number of students are on financial need grants and have budgets for personal purchases and wardrobes, and some students do not have financial worries. Same at Duke or Wash U or NWern or many other schools. Just the nature of the beast. I always tell my guys “good opionion of yourself and a high opinion of others” is all you need.
That’s wonderful that you got such a good financial aid package–Vanderbilt is a great school and you should grab this opportunity and make the most of it!! A quality education at a top 20 university for the cost of R&B is worth it. You may feel a bit left out at first since you don’t have the shared first year Commons experience that most of the other students have but I think that the school has ways of introducing the transfers to one another so you can start with that as your group of friends. There are many, many ways to become involved on campus (Alternative Spring Break that Faline mentioned and Alt. Winter Break are just two examples); make the extra effort to get involved. Once you meet people, you will be fine. About attire–as part of her FA, my daughter has a job on campus 3 days a week to which she wears a tee shirt and jeans and probably not much make up as she leaves her dorm about 6:45AM 
Most days she doesn’t take time to change before heading on to class. On the other 2 days she will sometimes wear a skirt or dress (she told me her friends complimented her and wanted to know the special occasion the last time she took a little extra effort with her appearance.) Enjoy your time at Vandy!
Another little tidbit to share for your perspective. Since all of the admits to highly selective colleges are technically “gifted” academically, I wanted to share something we learned at a seminar on giftedness presented at a Governor’s high school years ago. The more gifted …academically speaking…you are-- the more you are not like the “mean” or norm on a bell curve–ie the ways you are gifted are unique from others. This means that the 1600 plus students at Vandy or other selective colleges…do not really resemble each other in discreet ways. It is a challenge to teach 1600 gifted people who are not like each other! Which is what is so great about college years. It is fun to be in this scene if you can appreciate just getting acquainted with so many people heading in different directions. So do not be intimidated. Think on the thousands of equally qualified people who were not admitted-- which is really such a random outcome from school to school. Just enjoy getting acquainted with a wide range of people pursuing different muses and talents, and sometimes stumbling on the way…and sometimes taking flight! Transfers are like hundreds of equals on the waitlist and those last minute waitlist walk-ons! No distinction. good luck with your decision.
Vanderbilt is a great school, but transfers have it rough. Transferring to any college where students have a really strong freshman experience makes it hard to break in socially. You have to work at it. Transfers have an “orientation” but the people who run it leave you hanging. You’ll be housed with other transfers, so you have to hope you like your roommate and/or are outgoing enough to meet other people. The most successful transfers already know people at Vandy who adopt them into their social circles. Girls have it easier, because they can go to the frat parties. Members of the administration have even admitted to me and people I know that transferring here isn’t easy. The education is worth it, if you don’t care about your social life. But it can be pretty lonely sometimes.
Not necessary to start a post with “So…”
Got accepted but not sure if I want to go …I have concerns. one is location of the school, and then I heard that it’s not diverse enough… I don’t know… I need advice./.I currently go to college of William and Mary which is not too bad. So I am having a hard time deciding whether or not to accept the offer.
If having a hard time, stay in place. If you have concerns about Nashville, you are evidently very poorly informed. Odd statement.
William and Mary is one of the pearls of USA state colleges. Very good class instruction, devoted faculty, diversity in economic background --but all fine students. NoVa provides Virginia state universities with a lot of ethnic and national diversity because of the transient population working in the DC burbs. You get a nice smattering of Middle Atlantic state students thrilled to be at Wm and Mary as well.
That said, as a Virginian well-acquainted with Wm and Mary and doffing my hat to a college I deeply respect… Nashville is 100% more fun as a host city and Vanderbilt is a jewel in American regional research institutions.
I don’t know why you bothered to try to leave Wm and Mary behind. Your post leaves a lot to be desired. Being a transfer student requires resolve and a fabulous attitude re embracing what is offered in the new institution.
You sound woefully uninformed about the phenom that is Vanderbilt and its host city.
Life is full of difficult passages and challenges that require fortitude and bearing up when lonely. If the $ is the same, and you have matured since you were 18 and just out of high school and you are ready to give 100% to Vandy, you should look inside yourself and see if you are up to this gift and this opportunity/challenge. Making it sing is really going to have to come from inside you as Vandy is bigger than Wm and Mary and students must work to find their own happiness. If this sounds too difficult, dig in and improve your appreciation for Wm and Mary.
Vanderbilt is a National Research University, not a “Regional” one. That would be some place like Univ of Tenn etc etc
RHU1995–Nashville is a great city but the Vanderbilt campus is fairly urban, can see the skyline from some of the dorms, near the bustle of a major hospital, located between 2 main thoroughfares for the city–a big difference from the quaint town of Williamsburg (except that both places get lots of tourists) Is that your concern? Students talk about being in the "Vanderbubble " while in school but also seem to enjoy the easy access to all that Nashville has to offer, but big city living may not be your thing.
As for diversity, according to the stats on College Board, the 2 schools are fairly similar in the number of minorities on their respective campuses. Vanderbilt has way more out of state students, (89% v 30%) with a good number hailing from California, Texas and the northeast, certainly more than are at W&M. What doesn’t show in those statistics is economic diversity, however, Vandy does have that as well, despite the old stereotype that the school is full of rich white, private school kids.
All of that said, if you’re on the fence, you might be better off staying put–Faline makes several good points about the attitude needed to be a successful transfer student.
Good luck to you!
@RHU1995 I’m actually deciding between W&M and Vandy right now! What do you not like about W&M??
Don’t try to pretend you know what’s going on in other’s life… I have a hard time because it’s very complicated. Like someone mentioned WM is really regional… I come from Shanghai, a place that’s exciting and alive 24/7. and it’s super diverse. There’s a lot more in my situation as I am international student and I’ve stayed in the States(Not just VA) for more than four years…So there’s a lot going on. If you can not offer me useful suggestions, it’s fine, I am not here to be judged. Sorry, I didnt like your post either.
Hey everyone. I transferred to Vanderbilt last year and just finished my second year there. If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM me.