<p>Hey everyone</p>
<p>What is everyone's view of Vanderbilt from across the country. </p>
<p>As far as your opinions on the school based on where you live...</p>
<ul>
<li>academics</li>
<li>prestige</li>
<li>social life</li>
<li>etc</li>
</ul>
<p>Also, what schools would you compare it to?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Great academics (but doesn't really have any real "distinguished" majors), top SEC school, but lower in prestige than other top privates, comparable to Notre Dame prestige-wise, terrible football for a southern school. Fantastic social life, large Greek scene...heard Nashville is a very fun place. </p>
<p>I met a Vandy grad currently getting his MBA at Berkeley's Haas Business School...I could not have been more impressed.</p>
<p>I think Vandy is superior academically to Notre Dame and even a notch ahead of Emory (but close). Prestigious med and law schools.</p>
<p>vandy is often compared to emory, and rice. it has great academics, greek life, and hot girls</p>
<p>I agree that Vanderbilt's academic reputation is generally stronger than Notre Dame's. I can't speak for its reputation on the west coast, but in the places I have lived in the midwest and in the northeast, Vanderbilt is well known and well thought of. (My connections are university based, and that is the perspective I am speaking from.)</p>
<p>It has a lively social scene, and while I agree that the Greek system is alive and well, I don't think it dominates campus life to the extent that some other posters do--maybe my kid is an outlier. Nashville is fun, the area around the campus and between the campus and the downtown (mile or so away) is safe. Profs are very accessible, research among undergraduates is common, and the university prides itself on its record of service to the people of Nashville.</p>
<p>Here in eastern TN, Vandy is considered the equivalent of Harvard--perhaps higher. Every year the kids from the top of their classes at local high schools attend (if they can afford it, that is). </p>
<p>Judging from the responses above, I would say that rep does not hold once you leave TN.</p>
<p>So who cares what anyone thinks of it outside of Tennessee? Once you go to college in Tennessee, why would you ever want to leave? :)
I haven't even been here two years and I'm planning on staying forever!</p>
<p>^Hah, it's the opposite for me; I've lived here all my life and can't wait to leave!</p>
<p>Yea, and I'm from Western TN. About Vandy and Harvard being equal: not true. Vanderbilt has a reputation for great pre-med/bio programs, but lacking in just about everything else (except maybe engineering). It's a great school and a very nice city. However, I can't decide between Vandy and Emory (leaning towards Emory).</p>