<p>I love the campus and I love Nashville, but I'm afraid I know very little about Vandy's academic programs and how they compare to other similar schools. Why are some of Vandy's strengths and weaknesses? For reference, I'm looking into possibly studying physics or mathematics in college, potentially even engineering.</p>
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<p>Academically Vanderbilt is a very strong school. It may be best known for bio, bio engineering and education, but all 4 undergraduate schools are strong. I have one child in engineering and one in A&S. One of the attractions for my kids was the ability to explore different interests and the ease of changing schools within the university (except Blair).</p>
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<p>Obviously, as a top 20 college, Vanderbilt is really strong in all areas. The math department is a little weak, especially for the basic calculus courses. However, the hard science classes are very strong, with lots of research options. Engineering is ranked decently high (though nothing in like the UIUC range), and Blair is pretty decent. However, Vanderbilt is known for Peabody School of Education, ranked first in the nation for graduate studies and quite distinguished for undergraduate as well.</p>
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<p>I’d actually be interested to know the answer as well. does anyone know how strong Vandy’s english, communications, french, and economics departments are?</p>
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<p>Vanderbilt graduates a large number of students from the economics department each year. In S’s class ('06), I think I counted just over 200 who had an econ major. They had 5 or 6 who took honors in the class by completing the honors thesis.</p>
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<p>Actually, regarding o dad’s comment about Blair … One of the many things my son finds attractive about Vanderbilt is that it IS easy to take advantage of Blair’s many offerings. Easier than a lot of other quality music schools on likewise quality campuses. Blair will apparently really work with interested students to be sure their needs and interests are met. We agree with o dad – it’s easy for kids to explore all their interests at Vanderbilt. It something that’s encouraged there. But according to what we’ve heard, that’s true even at the Blair School of Music! :)</p>
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<p>SimpleLife - My meaning was that it is really easy to change schools within Vandy (basically you only need to be in good standing). Blair is different in that you must audition to major or minor in the school, however you certainly can take classes and from what I have seen at Vandy, I’m sure that if/when you develope a passion for something (including music) you are going to get a lot of help and support.</p>
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<p>^I understood what you meant, o dad. I have a music major in (a different) college right now, and another non-music major but “ensemble, minor, & private lesson wannabe” applying to college right now. Not all music schools on college campuses are as amenable to working non-major students into their program as Blair is. Or so we’ve been told. I was just pointing out that Blair is supposedly quite flexible in that regard – more so than a lot of campuses (with dedicated music schools) that we’re quite familiar with.</p>
<p>But, of course, you must have some level of talent or experience – or it’d probably be a really bad experience for everybody involved! :)</p>
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<p>Blair is fantastic and the classes and private lessons are available for everyone. </p>
<p>And, yes, the math department is suuuuuuuccckkkkkk.</p>
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<p>^by “suuuuuuuccckkkk,” do you mean the teachers are bad? The material is too hard? They’re disorganized? Classes not readily available? Tutoring not available? What’s so “suuuuuuuuccccckkkk” about it, specifically? :)</p>
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<p>Haha, I knew that statement would draw some questions. The material isn’t any harder than at any top 20 school, I’d imagine… there is tutoring available, though how “good” it is I’m not sure (I’ve never bothered to go, I’m not into school-offered tutoring seeing as I’ve worked as a private tutor for ~5 years and have never been satisfied with the volunteer offering…). The classes are, erm, “available,” but they do fill up quickly and it’s very irritating for when you are trying to fulfill your major (ex - I’m graduating in 3 years total with a double major in Mathematics and Classics, and I SHOULD be able to plan all my classes for the next three semesters here, but I can’t because the advanced math classes fill up so quickly and there’s often only one class time offered per course. So I may be stuck taking some math courses that I’m not that interested in, because the ones I want fill up). Mostly though I just don’t feel that the teaching staff is that amazing… there are brilliant professors here, definitely, and even my diff eq professor right now is one of the writers of our textbook. I mean, clearly he knows what he’s talking about. I just haven’t felt that the teaching is that amazing in the math department. It’s one thing to just cover some practice problems from the book and write theorems on the board and give homework problems and then you take the exam. I mean… does that require much teaching ability? I think not. I’d expect more from some of the professors. One of my math professors, when I went to him during office hours with a fairly simple question (couldn’t get the right answer because I was messing up one little part, pretty early on in the problem, but I understood the concept), took one look at the problem and was like, UMMMMM I’m gonna have to get back to you on that after reviewing that material. I was like, uh, lol, forget it, and I figured it out myself. </p>
<p>Mostly - I believe that the calculus courses are the weakest at Vanderbilt (single-variable, I mean) - from what I’ve heard anyway. I skipped them and went straight to Math 175, Multivariable Calculus because of my credit from the BC Calc exam in high school. Apparently the 150 and 155 courses are hellish. I don’t know that they’re actually that difficult, but I’ve heard the teaching doesn’t even match up with what’s on the exams, that they don’t really teach much at all, etc. I wouldn’t know personally, but it’s all hearsay. </p>
<p>And no, the courses aren’t disorganized either… I dunno, again, it’s not that the professors don’t know what they’re talking about, it’s just that they, for the most part, give very empty lectures without <em>really</em> explaining what they’re teaching. I’ve encountered teachers and fellow tutors in the past who can really explain math and make it amazing, but I’ve not encountered that here. Often, though, you can get some of them to do that during office hours, but a class shouldn’t require that you go to office hours every week to really grasp everything, lol. </p>
<p>Also now, of course, I made the math department look terrible. Remember, it’s still Vanderbilt, the professors are still brilliant, you’ll still learn the material, sure, but I’ve heard better from MIT lecture series, lol… also, had I gone into college intending to be a math major, I dunno that I would have chosen Vanderbilt. Actually, lol, I would have, now that I think of it, because the rest of the experience here entirely makes up for any “weak” math department. It is still a top 20 school - a weak math department here is better than most everywhere.</p>
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<p>^Excellent answer! Thanks so much for explaining it all so well! I can definitely see why you said it was suuuuuuccckkk. I would have disliked every one of those things when I was in college! :)</p>
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<p>^^I’ve heard that about the SV calculus courses too. I think I’m just going to take the 205 series. Anyone have thoughts on that?</p>
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<p>205 is is hard. But well worthwhile if you are willing to put in the effort. Its proof based, and you get into some very theoretical stuff. Remember, its HARD. More so because it your FIRST SEMESTER at college, so you may not be up to the level of college academics. But with HARD WORK, you should come out okay. The professor Bruce Hughes is great ftw! Really knows his stuff and is really helpful. </p>
<p>If this doesn’t sound like something you’d like to experience, just take 175 instead.</p>
<p><strong>A 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam is a prerequisite</strong></p>
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<p>^I noticed you took Calc AB. How did you go about your math sequence?</p>
<p>I’m fine with the prereqs, and I’ve also already taken multi calc at a local uni, so I thought 205 wouldn’t be too bad…?</p>
<p>I didn’t take Calculus AB, I took Calculus BC.</p>
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<p>^My mistake, I just found that off some chance thread of yours. Thanks for the PM!</p>
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<p>How is the economics department as a whole? Do econ majors find jobs easily?</p>
<p>If you can, DON’T take math 150 or 155. INVENIAMVIAM is right. The teaching does NOT match up to the exam and the profs are lazy when it comes to teaching it. There is just no way to prepare for the exam because your prof isn’t even making it.</p>
<p>I am a second semester freshman retaking the course this semester. All but five of my 30 student class are retaking the course.</p>
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<p>^25 out of 30 students are retaking? That seems a little unbelievable.
Which class, 150a/b or 155a/b?</p>
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