<p>Both Southern. Both academically awesome. Both great party scenes. Both accepted me.</p>
<p>So the deal is: other than the urban/rural thing, why is Vandy better?</p>
<p>(I'm thinking history or polisci and then going on to law school.)</p>
<p>vandy does have a better reputation</p>
<p>I also applied and was accepted at both schools, so I'll try my best to give you my perspective.</p>
<p>"Both Southern" I would say that W&L is a bit more "southern" than Vanderbilt. When I stayed there, it seemed like a lot of people fit the southern image while at Vandy, there certainly is that group of people but a lot of other types as well.</p>
<p>"Both academically awesome" Very true, although I would say that Vanderbilt has more national name recognition. For history or polisci and prelaw, I would say that either school is superb. Vanderbilt has a great internship program with The Washington Center in DC and also one with the Tennessee State Legislature.</p>
<p>"Great party scenes" For sure</p>
<p>The main difference for me between W&L and Vandy really boils down to breadth of opportunities. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Academics
Vanderbilt is a school with phenomenal programs in nearly every department, while you don't really hear of very many people going to W&L to get into a really good med school, as an example. Don't get me wrong, I think W&L is a great school (among my top choices), but I think Vanderbilt would provide a more balanced and broader education. </p></li>
<li><p>Social Life
Both are known, at least in part, as party schools. I think the main difference arises from the level of involvement in Greek life. Vanderbilt has only about 50% in sororities and 35% in frats compared to the ~80+% at W&L. Also, I'm not sure how it works at W&L, but at Vandy only the top 6 officers of a chapter live in the house, so the Greeks and the independents are more integrated, giving a nice balance. And, even though you said not to go into it, the urban/rural thing really is important. Lexington is, what, 7,000 people including W&L and the military institute? College is great and all, but sometimes you just have to get off campus and go do something else. Vanderbilt is an island in downtown Nasvhille, which means that if you are sick of frat parties, you can go to a club; if you want to volunteer at daily bread, well it's just a five minute walk; you want to go to the mall, 10 minute drive; want to see ben folds perform, 15 minutes away. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Another thing about social life that drew me more to Vanderbilt than W&L is size. At about 6,400 undergrads, I think Vandy is the perfect size - plenty of people to share interests with and to meet throughout all four years. W&L, at less than 2,000 total seemed more like high school to me, where everyone would know everyone's business. Just a personal choice which you like better.</p>
<p>In the end, it all comes down to which one you feel would be a better fit. Both are very good schools, but I think Vandy offers more balance, breadth, and choices in both academics and social life than does W&L.</p>
<p>i was scouted at W&L for track by coach hoey, hes a great guy and W&L is a great school but vandy has the better reputation and a great party scene</p>
<p>Sllipstream did a great job of contrasting the schools; D attended W&L Summer Scholars prior to HS senior year and we have several family friends who sent children to W&L, so I have a limited exposure to that school. One other comment to add to his social life comments would be Vandy's SEC sports involvement. Vandy has enjoyed respectable basketball performance the last few years (particularly on the womens' side) and the football team had just a few bad breaks that kept them from a bowl game. Not only are you watching very good performances from Vandy teams in football, basketball, tennis, etc., but you get the opportunity to see wonderful teams when the opponents come to visit (for example, who would have predicted 2 SEC teams in the Final Four this weekend and, as a UK grad, I have to say getting to see the Cats play generally rates as more of a treat than it did this year). I guess I'm jaded, but as a '78 UK grad, I experienced a football trip to the Peach Bowl and both a NIT and NCAA championship in basketball during my time in college. I can't imagine turning down an opportunity to get a great education and root for Division 1 teams!</p>
<p>I would personally choose Vanderbilt for a more balanced academic/social life, but W&M is certainly an academic powerhouse.</p>
<p>haha, it's Washington & Lee, not William & Mary.</p>
<p>It's smaller, and the students at W&L actually have fun.</p>
<p>Good comments slipstream.</p>
<p>One of my friends was accepted to both Washington & Lee and Vandy. He strongly considered the two and ended up going to W&L. However, a few months into his first semester he realized that he made a mistake and tried for two years to get accepted at Vandy as a transfer...he finally got in and is very happy as a premed/chem major, attempting to cure cancer.</p>
<p>In response to Dima's response on the W&L board:</p>
<p>When I discussed that I got more of a southern vibe from W&L, I did mean the social atmosphere there, not necessarily the geographic breakdown of the students, which I think is very similar for both W&L and Vandy. W&L has done a phenomenal job of recruiting from all over the country, but from the few days I was there, it definitely seemed like the southern factor played a big role in nearly aspect of life (not that that is necessarily a bad thing!). Perhaps that was just my first impression, though, so I defer to Dima (the respect is mutual) on the judgment of just how southern it truly is in terms of atmosphere.</p>
<p>I did not mean to imply that W&L does not have a good premed program (I was extremely impressed when I discovered their acceptance rate into med school), but I suppose that I think that Vanderbilts offerings for premeds are broader and deeper. With a world-class medical school as part of the campus, I think it would be hard to NOT find opportunities to expand a premed experience beyond just classes. In regards to professors caring, I think Vanderbilt is among the top in the nation when it comes to accessibility and friendliness of professors. I have not yet encountered a professor who was not willing or even eager to answer any questions I had. I had to get a letter of recommendation from a professor last semester and, when I asked for it, my professor actually seemed excited to write it for me! In reference to the research, take a look at the thread I responded to about research. In reference to W&L being a liberal arts college, its important that you know that Vanderbilts undergraduate program is based on a liberal arts program (actually called Achieving Excellence through Liberal Education AXLE). The main difference is that we have all of the amazing graduate schools that youll be able to work with in later years.</p>
<p>Comparing Nashville and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, well, I dont think there is a comparison. Vanderbilt has the opportunity to get away from just frat parties, which can be a very good thing, while at W&L, like Dima said, is mostly limited to the frats when it comes to parties. And: decent clubs are better than no clubs at all, arent they? Similar to the outing club at W&L, Vanderbilt has Outrec, which goes on excursions quite often.</p>
<p>Just a note about size, at Vanderbilt you are most definitely not just another number. My professors talk to me by name, Dean McIntire asks me (by name) how Im doing when our paths cross, and Ive never felt like Im just another kid on campus.</p>
<p>I agree with Dima that both W&L are very good schools and you cant really go wrong with either of them. I wouldnt necessarily say that one is categorically better than another, just different. So, its really up to you to find which one you mesh best with and then go with it. </p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Just a note: when I was talked about being "just a number" at large universities, I meant large unis in general not Vanderbilt in specific. Never having looked at Vandy, I don't claim to be an expert on it.</p>
<p>Hi Chris ;)</p>
<p>what exactly is the "southern thing?" i've been to atlanta a lot and have heard things about how the south is different, but if anybody could give me a better idea (with specifics) from experience, that would be great. fyi i'm from chicago and my dad went to vanderbilt.</p>
<p>oh yeah, and another question i didnt want to start a new thread for: obviously vandy has this reputation of being a school for rich kids, and my dad said he knew a lot of really rich kids while he was there. i was wondering how much of a factor that is in social life? is your social status affected if you dont drive a bmw and drink premium liquor, do the girls go for all those rich guys, etc.? my family has enough money to pay for school w/o financial aid, but i'm guessing i wont be loaded in terms of spending money.</p>
<p>ron- i know at some frats money/southern culture do play a part- but at a uni with 6000 undergrads it cant be a huge problem...</p>
<p>also the thing about big private schools - its a mix of rich kids who have mad bank - and those without who get fin aid from the rich kids so you should see a fairly homogenious body at first glance but really just cause everyone dresses nice doesnt mean everyone is rich</p>
<p>I ended up picking W&L over Vandy last year. After visiting and staying with a student at w&l, it became apparent rather quickly where I was going, my host showed me a great time and brought me to some parties and everybody I meet along the way was sincere and genuine, also the school has a "drunk bus" system that picks up and drops off people along all the main party houses off campus and the frats on the party nights. W&L also is probably more academically challenging although that could be debatable, however internships and other research can be had more easily at w&l due to the ample opportunities and obviously a smaller student body to compete with. Overall anybody who wants the finest education below the Mason dixon line, while balancing social life and being surrounded by the most genuine genteel people, W&L is the obvious choice </p>
<p>also correct me if I'm wrong, but I think W&L has become more selective than Vandy in the last few years, Vandy acceptance rate of 23% vs. W&L's 15%?</p>
<p>Both are great schools, you can't go wrong (W&L is a school I also considered late in the game).</p>
<p>W&L is incredibly remote though, so make sure you visit both.</p>
<p>Popot, pretty much every school I've ever visited friends at has a "drunk bus", but it might use a euphemism. Ours is called the "Vandy Van".</p>
<p>I have a unique prospective on this question: the older daughter went to Vanderbilt for six years, the other went to W&L and transferred to Vanderbilt. In my opinion, the schools are a dead heat. The schools have long enjoyed a strong affiliation and each has unique opportunities. The Vanderbilt provost became president of W&L and subsequently moved to Notre Dame, the former acting president of W&L graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity at the top of his class. A prospective student should visit both schools and if he/she are lucky to get in both the tie breaker should be Lexington vs. Nashville, small vs. medium.</p>