Hi everyone! So I’m lucky enough to have been admitted to both William & Mary and Vanderbilt as a transfer for Fall 2021. My major for both would be double in linguistics and theatre, with the hopes of a music based speech pathology track. I had fallen in love with W&M way before I found out about Vandy, just because I didn’t think it was an option. I made friends, toured, loved it, whole nine yards. I have some money to go, and it’s cheaper overall, leaving me some money for grad school. HOWEVER, Vanderbilt is more highly ranked and I’ve met one or two nice people. Basically, I could make both work. My question is, how different is the prestige from Vanderbilt to W&M? I want to go to the best school I can, and I know the rankings, but I love W&M and am willing to overlook the numbers if the prestige levels are the same/closely related. Also, does Vanderbilt need GRE scores from undergrads looking to go to their grad school? Thanks so much!!
Don’t be fooled by rank. It’s subjective data used in a formula. Both are great, well respected. Don’t know who is better in theatre but read your post back to yourself. Unless vandy is way cheaper w & m is your choice. You love it. You can feel your passion for it. Plenty of students there are vandy worthy.
You will be there day after day for years. Just because a magazine says it’s better doesn’t mean it is.
US News says Florida is better too. So what. Anyone who knows academics knows w abd m is elite. What USNews thinks is not relevant
Go where you love, provided it’s affordable. Good luck
Good luck
Transferring is stressful enough and if you love the campus and met people you connect with/made friends you’re well on your way to a successful transition since social integration can be more challenging to achieve than the academic side. The quality of the W&M education is top notch and the icing on the cake for you!
Go with your gut! Wishing you success wherever you land!
Glenn Close is a W&M theatre graduate. Thought that might bring a smile to your face! You have two awesome choices - follow your heart. I would assume that most graduate programs require GRE but not certain.
OP wrote: “music based speech pathology track” = Vanderbilt University allows one to design an Integrated Music Studies major through the Blair School which may be of interest to OP.
Not enough information to recommend one school or the other, but both are well regarded academically–especially William & Mary.
I mean, c’mon. If you had fallen in love with a person, would you choose, instead, to date somebody because they were more popular than the person who you love?
W&M is just as prestigious as Vanderbilt.
William & Mary is the move