Vanderbilt suffered a significant drop in the US News rankings so I would think fewer students will be applying now that it’s barely a top 20 school.
What about Duke? Notice how Duke remained a top 10 school despite the change in US News methodology. Duke is in an urban area and clearly is the #1 school in the South. As an aside, Duke is ranked higher than Brown.
While Vanderbilt made a nice attempt to close the rankings gap with Duke (Vanderbilt once was ranked #13), the school’s efforts have clearly failed. Vanderbilt now ranks below Rice. A fact that admittedly is hard to believe but hopefully will spur Vanderbilt to improve its ranking.
OP please as mentioned above weight all your options. All people mean well, but they do not know you, your family, details of your application, your HS etc.
It is great to reach the moon, but you need to think about your priorities. My opinion is if you have good shot for very good school, take it. You do not necessarily need moon.
There were many students with extremely high stats that shoot for the moon and got nowhere but safety. Then they get very upset (there are so many posts about it in April every year…) Make sure that you are OK with that scenario if you will decide to do ED for top school other than Vandy.
Unfortunately, this logic would leave kids in a pickle every year.
Vandy is still Vandy - with its reputation intact.
That US News changed its methodology hammered a lot of fine schools - or perceived fine schools - from WUSTL to Tulane as examples.
The bigger concern to me is - well the biggest concern is the student doesn’t want to be in the South and Vandy isn’t the favorite - but academically, it doesn’t seem to have linguistics - and if that’s in part as to what I want to study - well, that’s not good they don’t have it.
I think when you look at Classics/linguistics - you can’t just pick schools but need to drill deep into curriculums.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful replies. At the very least I am feeling more confident about my chances at vandy. There’s more to the decision that I can explain in a post here but I am pretty confident that I will find more like minded people there than I have in Alabama. There is a big difference between Bible Belt Alabama and Nashville, although it may be nuanced to someone who didn’t grow up in the region. I just don’t want to go to school in Alabama or Mississippi and certainly not auburn where at least 60% of people I know will attend.
I’m glad to hear legacy shouldn’t hurt and I’m so hopeful I may actually get in. I’ll update in December!
And yes, I know I could try for an ivy or Chicago or duke, but I also know those are a crapshoot and I will be so pleased to get into Vanderbilt If I do. I won’t be too far from my baby brother and will get the midsize liberal arts school experience that I really want. I also want a robust social life, which is what knocked Emory down the list. School spirit is important to me. Basically I want a well-rounded college experience and I had the opportunity to attend classes in the classics department at Vanderbilt and felt very welcome and comfortable there. They have a strong language department as well so I can continue with taking 2 languages and maybe add a third.
Does anyone have any ideas for safeties that may tick more of these boxes? I know UGA isn’t a great fit for me but I’m a bit at a loss. Some suggested tcu and Villanova but tcu is NOT for me. I feel like there must be some school I just haven’t discovered or considered.
I live in the region - Franklin, just South of Nashville and work in Alabama and my kid went. Not as much as you think - but in general, in urban places, they are different. Ultimately politics is your call. I’ve brought up on other threads how schools and local politics are liberal for kids who refuse to consider a school - like Arizona or College of Charleston - blue dots in a red staet. But others say - it’s not the city or school but the states and there’s no doubt that Bill Lee may be a nice guy but he and the legislature make Governor Ivey welcoming to the LGBTQ community. Make no mistake about Tennessee politics - they are back to the mid 1900s. Bill Lee, Cameron Sexton, Tim Burchette, Marsha Blackburn. Scary as heck.
The bigger thing though was it’s not your top choice.
I also worry that they don’t have linguistics. How sure are you academically it’s a fit? Have you studied the course catalog, etc?
What is your jam - linguistics or classics?
That would matter in determining safeties…because if I had a blank canvas, I would never have chosen Vandy for you, just based on majors.
I mentioned Pitt yesterday - urban, smaller than your big choices, and has both majors - so to me, it’s a better fit. It would be a safety if you apply within the next 30 days.
Binghamton would be another target to look at.
Then there are some smaller - like a Rochester/Brandeis - I think you’d be ok at. But more small reaches.
I like Pitt a lot for you, especially as a likely.
First-of - yes, I sincerely believe that you’d be comfortable at Emory’s home town of Atlanta! If the license plates and “bless your heart” weren’t a clue, you wouldn’t know that you’re below Mason-Dixon.
My daughter is as liberal as you can be, and would be absolutely miserable in a non-inclusive environment. In Atlanta, one would not at all stand out for being queer/non-binary - in fact, the annual, huge Pride parade is happening this weekend.
To improve your odds of that becoming real, I second the recommendation of (also) applying at Barnard college - one of the four undergraduate colleges of Columbia University.
Everyone (essentially) shares the same campuses, facilities, clubs, academics – and diplomas, but Barnard has its own admissions department trying to identify exceptional young women.
And, Barnard women compete in the university’s Debate Society:
In fact, several DB board members are Barnard women.
Look into Dickinson! Mine is a classical civilizations kid and Dickinson was a great safety for her. Coincidence (or not!), there is a Dickinson kid at her classics focused study abroad program in Italy! More than half the kids are from top 20s, but Dickinson and other smaller schools are represented too. Dickinson had many elements similar to reachier places she applied. Maybe Rhodes too? That one didn’t make the final list but almost did.