<p>im in at both, however, not sure which one I should choose. I'm interested in doing history as a major, and then maybe going to law school for grad. I wanted to hear some opinions from Vanderbilt, but I just wanted to hear some more opinions. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt
-I could skip 1/2 year with AP credit
-Practically free
-interesting double major program
-Study abroad program i heard was excellent</p>
<p>Georgetown
-School of Foreign Service
-8k a year id have to pay+ a Work study program id have to do
-DC is a big attraction for me in terms of Georgetown
-Internships are supposedly some of the best
-Study abroad program is excellent</p>
<p>The schools are peers schools and equally prestigious. If costs were the same I’d say go wherever, but I wouldnt pay an extra $24k – save the money for law school</p>
<p>As someone from the DC area (and admittedly a Vanderbilt student), I recognize the predicament – both have beautiful campuses and awesome reputations. You really can’t go wrong here. A few points:
paying more money for a school that is equally as prestigious may not make a lot of sense considering the cost of law school.
friends at georgetown have expressed to me that it is not nearly as connected to DC as one might imagine; for one thing, there is no metro stop anywhere in the Georgetown area, making it expensive to get into the city (whether for an internship or for nightlife).
Consider the fact that you will probably want to do most internships over the summer rather than during the school year (when you really should be focusing on getting a killer GPA, which is super important for law school). Vanderbilt has an amazing DC Internship program that is really well-regarded amongst the student body, and should get you placement in a firm you’re interested in. Check it out here (<a href=“http://www.vanderbilt.edu/oacs/oacs-programming/view[/url]”>http://www.vanderbilt.edu/oacs/oacs-programming/view</a>). Additionally, I got an internship offer the summer after my freshman year (that I ended up declining to do something else) with the Department of the Treasury, which I applied to through our on-campus recruiting network. You will have more the enough opportunities to work in DC if you’d like to!
Make sure you come visit both, but I think you’ll find that both have very similar preppy feels with similar student bodies and in both cases, great college experiences.</p>
<p>^I am sorry to hear that your friends at Georgetown are not taking advantage of the additional opportunities the location can provide, academically, culturally, socially, and professionally. It is definitely easy to get around the city given the Georgetown location–although there is not a metro stop in Georgetown proper, the metro bus stop in front of Healy gates at Georgetown takes you to the DuPont metro in less than 10 minutes, and an easy, beautiful 15 minute walk over Key Bridge or down M Street gets you to a metro stop as well. Also, internships during the academic year are generally far more rewarding and substantive than the 8-10 week summer internships over the summer (in fact, many Georgetown students who have the internships and job opportunities during the academic year are instructing and directing those individuals coming in for summer internships. DC is expensive, but not as much as you would think as a student–certainly less expensive than NYC or Boston–so much of what DC has to offer is free (Smithsonian, art galleries, etc.), and there are discount student tickets to concerts, Kennedy Center events, transportation, etc. Finally, Georgetown carries an edge over Vanderbilt as a top law school feeder (for law schools like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, NYU, Cornell, NYU, U Chicago, Stanford, Georgetown…eg. the “top 14”), so that is something to keep in mind if law school is in your future. Again, though, both options are great!</p>
<p>The majority of the competitiveness of your law school app is your LSAT score, and he would have to pay $24k extra for Georgetown. Many, if not most, people choose Vanderbilt even when cost isn’t a factor.</p>
<p>There are kids at Vanderbilt who go to T-5 law schools (Harvard, Yale, etc.) — you will have the same opportunities, and arguably more fun and less debt.</p>
<p>Very different campus cultures, I would think. Lots more people at Georgetown will be conservative and interested in politics. Vanderbilt has more of a mix. If you enjoy politics, you can certainly find activities and interest groups at Vandy, put it’s not the main focus of the campus.</p>
<p>One big difference between GU and Vandyis that GU SFS has a very focused curriculum that will leave you little time for electives. Generally, most SFS’ers are aspiring diplomats or CIA, NSC etc., as well as lawyers. If you want a regimented curriculum focusing on area history, languages, and foreign policy, then SFS is your ticket. If you want a more flexible curriculum, go with Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>As a Georgetown alum and current DC resident, getting to other parts of DC from GU is easy. In addition to the bus described above, taxi fares in Dc are still very low and if you really need the metro, you can bike across Rosslyn bridge to that metro (about a five minute bike ride (15 minute walk). Also, foggy bottom, where State resides, is about a 15 minute walk.</p>
<p>If you got into the SFS, I would seriously consider taking that position. You are in a prime place to maximize the use of that degree in DC re learning opportunities. This is a very regimented program that is career oriented.
Don’t go there if you are ambivalent about this pathway and you want a top education that has a couple of years of core curriculum. Bank the 24 thou. However, I think in this economy the SFS for 24 grand total is a deal…only if you are serious.
You can get a great History degree and prep for the LSAT at Vanderbilt or anywhere that has a decent academic reputation. Vandy and Georgetown run the same race in prestige for law students. It is really going to be about what you do with Vanderbilt and how you use it…ditto Georgetown. Congrats on your “problem”…you are going to get a great education for a great price either way you go. My Duke grad son applied for some major federal security type jobs in the recession and the competition is brutal. The SFS will be an advantage. Vandy’s public policy program doesn’t compare although Vanderbilt can be used to the max and you can get great results if you know how to take advantage of Vanderbilt’s DC program and internship opportunities.
DC is a great learning laboratory. We love Vandy and Nashville but the SFS is a competitive program. If you are not very interested in it…take a hard look at going to Vandy instead. You will meet great teachers and students at both institutions. The next class at Vanderbilt is truly amazing</p>
<p>^Vanderbilt has the reputation of being far more politically conservative in terms of student body and faculty; Georgetown has a broader and more diverse representation for sure, and Washington, DC is clearly more diverse in this regard than Nashville.</p>
<p>S went to Gtown. I went to Vandy. Very different eras, I know, but if I were chosing now, I would absolutely go to Gtown. 4 years in DC or N’ville? That’s not even a fair contest.</p>
<p>Small point - I would say Vanderbilt is divided roughly 50/50 between liberal and conservative, which makes for a good forum for debates and discussions. Coming from DC, I was used to most people being rather liberal, and it surprised me (and has been good for my development) to see people passionate about the other side. I have no idea about Georgetown’s political balance, though, to be fair.</p>
<p>A choice between SFS and Vadnderbilit is a no-brainer. Washington is home to the narrow eilite of the country/world-Congress, the World Bank, the major think tanks, the intelligence and diplomatic communities, etc. and SFS is thoroughly integrated into these communitties and its students are recognized for their talent in attending the leading international affairs school in the world. Classmates of mine at SFS worked during the year at such places as the Kennan Institute of Russian Studies, Brookings, the Carnegie Endowment, policy jobs at the Pentagon and CIA, for leading Senators and leading committees in Congress-the list goes on and on, and is not available to you in Nashville, TN. Foreign Policy magazine ranked Georgetown second only to Harvard as a pathway to the narrow eilite jobs of Washington. As one of the earlier posters says, you can get a great education and prep for the LSAT at Vanderbilt and at Georgetown. But if you want to be connected and a part of the policy making apparatus of the nation/world beyond becomming a highly paid professional with your life (and I am not saying there is anything wrong with that), you cannot ignore the hands-down advantages of Georgetown and especially the SFS program.</p>