<p>
</p>
<p>What the hell are you talking about?</p>
<p>Collegeb0und,
You are correct about Georgetown. The Georgetown in the USNWR report is for Georgetown in Kentucky. My mistake. Sorry. However, I do think that Georgetown in DC has relatively strong Greek life even if not in the Top 100. </p>
<p>USNWR is a paid site, so I am copying and pasting the info rather than providing a link. Here are the numbers they present for fraternities and sororities and this include all categories of schools together, regardless of size.</p>
<p>Most students in fraternities
Following are the schools with the highest percentage of fraternity members.
School Percent
Clearwater Christian College (FL)100%
Washington and Lee University (VA)83%
DePauw University (IN)72%
Sewanee–University of the South (TN)70%
Wabash College (IN)65%
Westminster College (MO)56%
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 55%
Millsaps College (MS)54%
Wofford College (SC)51%
Transylvania University (KY)50%
Centre College (KY)49%
Rhodes College (TN)48%
York College (NE)46%
University of Richmond (VA)45%
Birmingham-Southern College (AL)44%
Presbyterian College (SC)44%
Washington and Jefferson Col. (PA)43%
Harding University (AR)41%
Bethany College (WV)40%
Davidson College (NC)40%
Gettysburg College (PA)40%
Kettering University (MI)40%
Baker University (KS)39%
Ohio Wesleyan University 39%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. (NY)39%
Franklin and Marshall College (PA)38%
Bucknell University (PA)37%
Dartmouth College (NH)37%
LaGrange College (GA)37%
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN)37%
Hillsdale College (MI)36%
Furman University (SC)35%
Hanover College (IN)35%
Randolph-Macon College (VA)35%
Rollins College (FL)35%
Willamette University (OR)35%
Case Western Reserve Univ. (OH)34%
Hampden-Sydney College (VA)34%
Rockhurst University (MO)34%
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)34%
Texas Christian University 34%
Vanderbilt University (TN)34%
Whitman College (WA)34%
Illinois Wesleyan University 33%
Lehigh University (PA)33%
Oglethorpe University (GA)33%
Wake Forest University (NC)33%
Westminster College (PA)33%
William Jewell College (MO)33%
Albion College (MI)32%
Drury University (MO)32%
Northwestern University (IL)32%
Oklahoma Christian U. 32%
Doane College (NE)31%
Emory University (GA)31%
Franklin College (IN)31%
Truman State University (MO)<em>31%
Cornell College (IA)30%
Drake University (IA)30%
Queens University of Charlotte (NC)30%
University of Virginia *30%
Wittenberg University (OH)30%
Austin College (TX)29%
Hamilton College (NY)29%
Southern Methodist University (TX)29%
Southwestern University (TX)29%
Worcester Polytechnic Inst. (MA)29%
Bradley University (IL)28%
Colgate University (NY)28%
Cornell University (NY)28%
Duke University (NC)27%
Kenyon College (OH)27%
University of Mississippi *27%
Olivet College (MI)27%
Coe College (IA)26%
Elon University (NC)26%
Linfield College (OR)26%
St. Leo University (FL)26%
University of Evansville (IN)26%
Valparaiso University (IN)26%
Albright College (PA)25%
Denison University (OH)25%
Georgetown College (KY)25%
Lafayette College (PA)25%
Pepperdine University (CA)25%
Tri-State University (IN)25%
University of Missouri–Rolla *25%
Washington University in St. Louis 25%
West Virginia Wesleyan College 25%
Allegheny College (PA)24%
Butler University (IN)24%
College of William and Mary (VA)</em>24%
Knox College (IL)24%
Mercer University (GA)24%
Nebraska Wesleyan University 24%
Samford University (AL)24%
Trinity University (TX)24%
Union College (NY)24%
University of Pennsylvania 24%
Culver-Stockton College (MO)23%
Lawrence University (WI)23%
Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC)23%
Ripon College (WI)23%
Stetson University (FL)23%
* denotes a public school. </p>
<p>Most students in sororities
Following are the schools with the highest percentage of sorority members.
School Percent
Clearwater Christian College (FL)100%
Washington and Lee University (VA)77%
DePauw University (IN)68%
Sewanee–University of the South (TN)68%
York College (NE)64%
Wofford College (SC)59%
Centre College (KY)55%
Rhodes College (TN)53%
Wake Forest University (NC)53%
Millsaps College (MS)52%
Birmingham-Southern College (AL)51%
Transylvania University (KY)50%
Vanderbilt University (TN)50%
Hillsdale College (MI)46%
Baker University (KS)45%
Bethany College (WV)45%
Lafayette College (PA)45%
University of Richmond (VA)45%
Elon University (NC)43%
Harding University (AR)43%
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN)43%
Duke University (NC)42%
Franklin College (IN)42%
Furman University (SC)40%
Southern Methodist University (TX)40%
Bucknell University (PA)39%
Lehigh University (PA)39%
Hanover College (IN)38%
Northwestern University (IL)38%
Westminster College (MO)38%
Wittenberg University (OH)38%
Dartmouth College (NH)37%
Rollins College (FL)37%
Samford University (AL)37%
Washington and Jefferson Col. (PA)37%
Presbyterian College (SC)36%
Randolph-Macon College (VA)36%
Texas Christian University 36%
Georgetown College (KY)35%
Westminster College (PA)35%
Oklahoma Christian U. 34%
Emory University (GA)33%
Kettering University (MI)33%
University of Mississippi <em>33%
Albion College (MI)32%
Auburn University (AL)</em>32%
Colgate University (NY)32%
Cornell College (IA)32%
Hastings College (NE)32%
Shorter College (GA)32%
High Point University (NC)31%
Southwestern University (TX)31%
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)31%
William Jewell College (MO)31%
Albright College (PA)30%
Brenau University (GA)30%
Denison University (OH)30%
Immaculata University (PA)30%
Linfield College (OR)30%
Ouachita Baptist University (AR)30%
Queens University of Charlotte (NC)30%
Union College (NY)30%
University of Virginia <em>30%
Butler University (IN)29%
Trinity University (TX)29%
Willamette University (OR)29%
William Woods University (MO)29%
Austin College (TX)28%
College of William and Mary (VA)</em>28%
Creighton University (NE)28%
Doane College (NE)28%
LaGrange College (GA)28%
Ursinus College (PA)28%
Culver-Stockton College (MO)27%
Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC)27%
Roanoke College (VA)27%
University of Alabama <em>27%
Worcester Polytechnic Inst. (MA)26%
Alma College (MI)26%
Adrian College (MI)26%
Allegheny College (PA)26%
Augustana College (IL)26%
Centenary College of Louisiana 26%
Emory and Henry College (VA)26%
Gettysburg College (PA)26%
Huntingdon College (AL)26%
Lycoming College (PA)26%
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 26%
Ohio Wesleyan University 26%
Whitman College (WA)26%
Bradley University (IL)25%
Carthage College (WI)25%
Concord University (WV)</em>25%
Erskine College (SC)25%
Illinois Wesleyan University 25%
Mercer University (GA)25%
Miami University–Oxford (OH)*25%
Muskingum College (OH)25%
Oglethorpe University (GA)25%
Pepperdine University (CA)25%
University of Dubuque (IA)25%
Washington University in St. Louis 25%
West Virginia Wesleyan College 25%
* denotes a public school.</p>
<p>I love the implication that just because you are in a social frat/sor, you have to be academically lazy.</p>
<p>Look I know that it can be a paradox sometimes that a school like Vanderbilt with a thriving southern greek scene can ranks so high in the academic world. I admit that when I was reviewing over videos and brochures Vandy sent me that I was turned off by the students in the videos. Some struck me as vapid, some as plain hicks and others as jocks who scored a freakishly high SAT score. But I was judging the school based on its appearence. I thought that it impossible for an academic powerhouse to foster an animal house like enviroment. Then I learned about Dartmouth, Cornell and even Yale for that matter. The Vandy scene is just more open about admitting its scene than others.</p>
<p>It ranks high because of its endowment, I think, and its endowment is that high 'cause it started out with a hefty gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt ($1 million).</p>
<p>As of the end of the latest fiscal year (6/30/06), Vanderbilt's endowment was $2.946 billion. In gross terms, this ranked the school 23rd. </p>
<p>If you measured the USNWR Top 30 on a per capita basis, however, the school probably ranked a bit higher (I limit it to 30 because there are some lower ranked schools with great endowments like Berea and U Richmond). Vanderbilt ($253,846 per student) does better than some higher ranked schools like Columbia ($243,184), U Penn ($224,151) and Cornell ($220,032), but its ranking in this universe would be about 16th. The public universities are hurt most in the per capita measurements due to their larger enrollments. This would include schools with Top 30 endowments like U Texas, U California system, U Michigan, Texas A&M, U Virginia, U Minnesota, Ohio State, U Pittsburgh and U Washington.</p>
<p>Ruben, you must not be from the south--because if you were, you would know that having a southern accent and being a social person is not inconsistent with being highly intelligent and intellectually curious. Vandy has a great balance between the social and academic arenas and while there is a large Greek presence, it is very easy to have a great social life without being Greek.</p>
<p>I didn't even bother to read half of this thread, and it amazes me how prejudiced and self-righteous some of the posters are. You knock the character and intelligence of Vanderbilt's student body when you know very little to nothing of what truly constitutes the Vanderbilt experience. Making assumptions regarding the intelligence/character of Vanderbilt's students based on the presence of a healthy Greek system is analogous to relating intelligence/character to physical beauty. Ignorant and misinformed. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt, Berkeley, Rice, Emory, Virginia, Georgetown, etc. are all very similar academically(undergraduate). These uneducated comments of academic superiority reeks of elitism.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It ranks high because of its endowment, I think, and its endowment is that high 'cause it started out with a hefty gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt ($1 million).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins has a smaller endowment than Brown, Rice, Emory and Vandy yet it seems to maintain it academic status as a premier research institution just fine.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Ruben, you must not be from the south--because if you were, you would know that having a southern accent and being a social person is not inconsistent with being highly intelligent and intellectually curious. Vandy has a great balance between the social and academic arenas and while there is a large Greek presence, it is very easy to have a great social life without being Greek.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, dg5052, thats how I thought before. Then I started to really to like the school a lot. I was just describing the prejudice I had against it and how I feel that prejudice is more rampant towards it than I thought. My opinion of Vanderbilt has done a total 180. </p>
<p>Whodunnit, you hit it right on the nail. I have been to several forums trying to get the overall opinion of Vandy and have come up with some of the most heated opinions towards it. A lot think that because of its social scene and its atmosphere that it doesnt deserve to be in the spot its in. I also see that its competitors, Rice and Emory, get way more respect because they're viewed as northern schools in the south, even when Vandy has made big gains above the two. I know this is so because I used to think just like that and can see the very same opinions in others. There has always been a bias against Vandy.</p>
<p>"I have been to several forums trying to get the overall opinion of Vandy"</p>
<p>You mean, trying to combat the overall opinion of it?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Shut up. You have NO IDEA what you're talking about, kid. If we're going to go by your logic that a school is ranked high because of its endowment, why are Cal Tech, Brown, and Johns Hopkins ranked so high? They're endowments are significantly less than Vanderbilt, and yet, they are ranked much higher than Vandy in the US News rankings -- <a href="http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0112636.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0112636.html</a></p>
<p>Your non sequitur banter bothers me.</p>
<p>avant-garde: are you flaming me? Review the rules here at CC before you get banned.</p>
<p>"You have NO IDEA what you're talking about, kid."</p>
<p>I sense some elitism. I'd suggest not pulling the age card.</p>
<p>"If we're going to go by your logic that a school is ranked high because of its endowment, why are Cal Tech, Brown, and Johns Hopkins ranked so high?"</p>
<p>Caltech - much smaller school.
Brown - more comparable in size, roughly the same ranking
JHU - in the middle, roughly the same ranking</p>
<p>"they are ranked much higher than Vandy in the US News rankings"</p>
<p>You call 2-3 spots "much higher" (in the case of JHU and Brown)? Caltech ranks due to its small student body and large endowment.</p>
<p>My point was that US News favors private schools with large endowments. (~$3 billion is large).</p>
<p>"Your non sequitur banter bothers me."</p>
<p>Er, are you sure you know what a non sequitur is? It's a conclusion based on an incongruous statement ("I like to drive cars, so I ride my bike to work every day"). Could you point out where I did such?</p>
<p>"Notre Dame is second rate ivy. But I do not mean that in such a way that its derogatory. For that price tag I would rather try harder to get into an older academic powerhouse like Yale or Princeton. And saying that Cal Tech, Stanford and MIT are second rate ivies is spurious. They are sometimes ahead of the ivies in all respects and are sometimes called "ivy plus" not "second rate ivy". There is a difference. Those schools stand on their own academic feet while schools like Vandy, Rice, Emory, Wash U and Notre Dame are known for mimicking the ivy trends in order to bring that atmosphere into the south and the midwest. There is nothing wrong with that but they all still have a lot to prove to get to I guess an ivy plus category like MIT. Duke has done it and Vanderbilt is my next pick for following in that direction. Gee is doing a great job making sure that it will happen."</p>
<p>Can you not read Ruben? I said that Caltech, MIT etc were above the Ivys in some respects and certainly above the lower tier ivys. Good lord, read before you post...</p>
<p>Again, Notre Dame is not some second rate Ivy, while plenty of people turn down Ivys to go to ND because of its atmosphere, I have yet to meet a person turn down an Ivy to go to Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>Yes, US News favors private schools with larger endowments, but Vanderbilt's endowment is nowhere near a principal reason for why Vanderbilt is ranked so highly. </p>
<p>Notre Dame is a very good school. Many of my friends turned down the so-called alluring aura of the "ivy" and Notre Dame...but what does that mean? The only thing it does is reveal the preferences for fit by the people I know and the people you know.</p>
<p>People in high school place far too much emphasis on the minute differences in academics. After everyone here goes to college, you'll realize how foolish some of your nitpicking sounds.</p>
<p>Speaking as a former Vanderbilt student, Vandy is not as good as it seems. Yes, it ranks in the top twenty universities nationally but it truly doesn't deserve to be there. The comments on the shallow, state school, party/frat scene are right on. Everyone essentially went to private high schools. They come from very affluent southern families and want to come to school with the goal of partying. Most girls hope/want to earn their Mrs. degree. Vandy is place for affluent to kids mess around for four years before facing the reality of the real world. If you are a prospective student looking at Vandy, I strongly urge you to think long and hard about it.</p>
<p>Sure Abby. Lets see, first post is this? Troll alert. At least make it plausable.</p>
<p>Modified from another post:</p>
<p>Over the course of reading CC for over a year, I have noticed a pattern regarding comments about Vanderbilt. Posters with low post counts and short paper trails create incendiary threads or posts whose major purpose seems to be to harm Vanderbilt's reputation. Vanderbilt has issues (as does every other school in America), but many of the criticisms reflect someone whose motives may not be pure. Perhaps this is legit, but it definitely raises the question of who are these posters and what are their real objectives. </p>
<p>To all the readers who are truly interested in learning about Vanderbilt, I suggest that you take your guidance from those who have high post counts and actual direct knowledge of the school, eg, current students, parents, alumni, etc. They know the real story about Vanderbilt and have demonstrated on CC the history and the integrity to comment on both the school's peccadillos and its many, many strengths.</p>
<p>Thank you dajada. I have noticed this too. I dont get it? Why is there this bias against Vanderbilt?</p>
<p>I'm wondering the same thing....there is all this talk of trolls, coming on just to bash Vanderbilt. Why would this be? Does this happen to other schools as much?</p>
<p>WashU gets bashed alot around here too. But its with people who post often...</p>