<p>I’m the parent of a 2009 alum whose experience at Vanderbilt could not have been better. The faculty was superb, and the opportunities afforded to my daughter for community service and internships were terrific. As a liberal Dem northerner, she was initially hesitant about attending, but quickly found her niche and a wonderful core group of friends. And Nashville itself was a great town to explore for 4 years.</p>
<p>Just adding to mathmom’s mention of Greek life: the participation percentages are about 50 percent for women and 35 percent for men. My d’s observation was that it was tougher to get into a frat than a sorority. My d was in a pretty low-key sorority and even had a leadership position on the Panhellenic Council. She felt the advantages outweighed any drawbacks. Her closest friends weren’t in her sorority, and many weren’t in any Greek organization.</p>
<p>My d’s first impression as a Vanderbilt student was “everyone’s smart here.” After spending 4 years in a high school where committed students were not usually socially successful unless they were athletes too, she liked that.</p>