<p>Hey guys!</p>
<p>I was accepted to Wash U today but also offered a full tuition scholarship to Vandy. I am extremely pleased but this leads to some hard decisions... </p>
<p>My family is going to receive a decent bit of financial aid, but we will probably have to pay around $20000-a year for Wash U vs. $15000 for Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>I love Wash U and have been obsessed with it over the past year. However, I was equally obsessed with Vanderbilt as a freshman and sophomore. I am interested in PNP at Wash U or Psychology/Neuroscience at Vandy.</p>
<p>What are the pros and cons of each school?
Also, what would you guys suggest I do in this situation? </p>
<p>Thanks for any help you give! :)</p>
<p>I have a daughter at Vandy and my son just got admitted to Wash U.<br>
Vanderbilt is a great school, however, it can be socially exclusive. The Greek scene is very dominant. The campus is beautiful and the programs are top rate at both schools, but the social atmosphere seems to vary greatly. We are from the East and Wash U does not have the same name recognition, when I talk about Wash U most people have never heard of it.
My daughter loves Vanderbilt, but it is not for everyone, my son did not even apply there.
He will be much happier at Wash U.</p>
<p>Go to Vandy… more name recognition plus 5000k more a year seems hard to pass up.</p>
<p>It is a personal decision. Assume you visited both. Did you list categories and rate each school? Are you responsible for the additional $5,000 each year (loans) or your parents? If it is our parents, they deserve significant input.</p>
<p>There definitely seems to be a certain culture associated with Vandy, much more so than at Wash U, mainly concerning the prevalence of fraternities and southern conventions. Basically, if you really like the atmosphere and vibe you get from Vanderbilt, you’ll probably have a much stronger connection to there than to Wash U. If you aren’t quite sold on the campus culture, you’d probably end up fitting in better at Wash U. </p>
<p>In the midwest, Wash U is usually compared to Northwestern, U Chicago and Notre Dame, with not many people looking at Vanderbilt, but it’s clear both schools are somewhat regional outside of their specialties, such as Wash U and biology/pre-med.</p>
<p>From a brief look online, people seem to generally think wash u housing and dining are a step up. From my experience, the food is amazing and the dorms are extremely nice at Wash U. That will probably be one of the bigger differences you notice between the two schools. Wash U usually ranks very highly in terms of quality of life and student happiness, so the big question you have is if the extra amenities are worth the additional money. </p>
<p>Overall, I’m extremely happy at Wash U, I doubt I would have appreciated Vanderbilt’s charm, but you really can’t go too wrong picking between the schools.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your great choices! Can you visit both again?</p>