<p>Princeton review rated vandy as the #5 least race/class interaction. Is it because some ppl are shy and just isolate themselves on purpose or is it because ppl are just intolerant of other class/races? As a minority I enjoyed my visit to vandy but this came sorta as a shock to me.</p>
<p>Something totally unrelated- hows vandy's financial aid package to ED I and II applicants? Do they tend to be less than RD ppl? </p>
<p>Would someone from vandy clarify these stuff?</p>
<p>gatorade, to my knowledge:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Vanderbilt is located in the south, let's get the obvious out of the way. Although racism is certainly no longer widespread in the south, it still exists to a certain degree. Now, I'm not going to label that as the defining reason as to why Vandy has little racial interaction, but it does factor in to some extent. Another thing you have to look at is the composition of the student body. The stereotypical Vandy student is white, conservative, and Republican. I know many will resent that statement, but it's a stereotype for a reason. The school is only 7% Asian, much less than what I am used to (my HS is 30% Asian). As an Asian-American, I do not have a problem with a large white student body. In fact, it is generally my Asian friends who tend to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. My white and black friends are just downright normal people. I am sure it is the same way at Vanderbilt. Since the minority population at Vandy is so small, I bet that they all tend to stick around each other for familiarity and cultural reasons.</p></li>
<li><p>I had a similar question because I am applying ED II to Vandy, and financial aid is definitely a concern for my family. I have asked current Vandy students and they have assured me that the financial aid package would be the same regardless of whether one is applying ED I, ED II, or RD. The only difference, however, is the merit scholarship money. If you are applying early, do not expect to receive any merit money. Universities use merit money to try to "lure" students to the school; and if you are already applying ED and committed to the school, the University has no need to entice you.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I concur with what avant-garde stated about financial aid. I'm currently a freshman, admitted through ED I last year. Need-based aid is the same regardless of when you apply, but merit is used to "lure" people in...therefore, regular decision.</p>
<p>I am wondering if the "christianity" of the student body translates socially. How kind are people to one another?</p>
<p>I have not noticed much of a split between students of different race. I am currently a freshman, so I have found that my friends tend to be those who are in my floor and in my dorm building. This includes black, white, asian, latino, and indian students. We all have become close simply because of we are in such a very close proximity (don't worry, I have seen first hand that the housing gets MUCH better as you become an upperclassman...). Race has not played a factor in who is in my group of friends.</p>
<p>Also, I have found the student body to be quite friendly in general. This is not because of the "christianity" of the student body (while there are a significant amount of Christians on campus, I would not say that the majority of students are Christian...), but simply because of the culture of Vandy. We definitely have the southern hospitality thing going for us. ;)</p>