<p>Which has the stronger....
-econ program?
-professors?
-student body?
-quality of life?
-etc?
Which sends their students to better grad schools?</p>
<p>Those are very broad questions. Unless you somehow find someone that attended undergrad at both Universities (perhaps they transferred), it is impossible to compare: “better” professors, better econ dept, and better quality of life. Keep in mind that you are probably going to get a general bias towards each school on the respective board. </p>
<p>They are very similar schools. Medium sized, nearby a city, top-tier, great academics.</p>
<p>People tend to praise Wash U for the small class sizes, ease of double majoring, great dorms and food, an overall happiness that pervades campus, collaborative atmopshere, availability of research, and an even-handed Greek and athletic culture (not overwhelmimg, but not underwhelming). </p>
<p>People tend to go to Vanderbilt if the prefer a more Southern atmosphere, a bigger emphasis on the Greek system, and more athletic pride. I mean, Vanderbilt does many of those Wash U qualities listed above… but since I only go to Wash U and haven’t seen Vanderbilt, I’m just repeating general things that are typically echoed by many others. People just tend to attend Wash U for the reasons I listed – and that’s why I chose here. I never saw dorms as nice as Wash U, everyone just seemed content to be here, it isn’t overly party nor overly academic, and I knew that the academics and majors are quite flexible. </p>
<p>Both are fine schools — the major differentiating factors are probably going to be the Greek system, your residential life experience, and how much flexibility you want with double majoring or taking classes in any division you want. </p>
<p>The Princeton Review rankings rate Wash U extremely highly on a number of areas you mentioned (even #1 for Quality of Life). Since those rankings are entirely based on current student surveys, I find them a bit more legitimate than some other useless rankings guides – although Wash U does tends to be ranked higher than Vandy in nearly every publication… just sayin :). On Princeton Review, Vanderbilt is ranked #11 for Fraternity Scene and #20 for Little Race/Class Interaction… the only two categories it made. </p>
<p>Ultimately, visit both schools and see which ones click with you the most :)</p>
<p>chsdespot - Not to sound dismissive of your post at all, but unfortunately you cannot get what you are looking for from here or anywhere else. As vbball correctly points out, the schools are so similar on the core statistical categories that there is no meaningful differentiation there. And let’s check you other categories:</p>
<p>Quality of life - Yes, one can talk about the dorms and food, but in the end, of course, that is a completely personal fit issue. What is ideal for one student is irritating to another. This just cannot be answered for you other than a few generalities.</p>
<p>Professors - In your college undergrad career you will take classes from what, maybe 40 profs? At most; less if you spend time abroad. Out of a thousand faculty members or more, how meaningful is it to try and grade this between two such similar schools?</p>
<p>Econ Program - Beating my dead horse here, but DON’T pick a school based on your expected major. Between 70%-80% of students change their major from what they came in expecting to study, sometimes radically. Go with the place you really like and are challenged. Again, these two schools are so similar in peer quality that you will be similarly challenged at either one.</p>
<p>Grad schools - Has little to do with the school and tons more to do with you. But either of these schools will prepare you equally well.</p>
<p>So forget the rankings, forget the anecdotal stuff about the great prof/bad prof, etc. If you still can visit both, DO IT. Wash U often pays for you to come visit, don’t know about Vandy in that regard. If you cannot visit, then you are shooting a little blindly. You would have to try and decide what external factor(s) are important to you (sports? weather? live country music? Something or some combination of things) and see which would suit you better. I wish you the best of luck. I suspect you will be very happy with either choice; they are great schools with beautiful campuses and top-notch students and you are obviously very bright to have been accepted to both. Don’t obsess, go with your gut and be happy.</p>
<p>Fallenchemist answered this perfectly. We actually did visit both schools, and my D will be attending Wash U, not because it was “stronger” in 6 out of 10 categories, and that Vandy only was stronger in 4, but because it seemed like the best fit for her and it was where she best could imagine spending the next 4 years of her life. People love to quantify things, but it really comes down to fallenchemists last line:</p>
<p>“Don’t obsess, go with your gut and be happy”</p>
<p>wudude - you mean I could have saved myself all that typing and just said the last line? LOL. Congrats for your daughter. That is fantastic.</p>
<p>I will add, since chsdepot may not have seen this on my other posts, that my D got accepted to Wash U also, and she also felt it was #1 compared to about 8 other campuses she visited, most of which she attended classes and talked with profs and students, and half of which she stayed overnight, including Wash U. In the end she got no merit money from Wash U and full tuition from Tulane, which was #2 for her. Being the practical sort that imagines herself getting a PhD, she is saving the money for grad school or, if fortunate enough to get that paid for too, a house someday. My point is she also thought Wash U was awesome. She did not apply to Vandy, so cannot help you there, except to say I have been on that campus 4 times for various reasons, and it seems really great too. Beautiful place, and students gave off a happy vibe, for what that’s worth.</p>