<p>Vanderbilt was my top college choice for a long period of time, but I am becoming less sure as time goes on. So, I was just wondering why you (the pronoun representing any who dare answer my query) want to go to vanderbilt University. </p>
<p>Thanks for any responses</p>
<p>Vandy, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
<p>2) The undergraduate focus, ESPECIALLY on freshman. Yes, there’s graduate/med/law students on campus, but Vandy really wants to create a sense of community from the start. There’s VUcept, orientation, and Vanderbilt Visions, which pulls first-year students from different houses in the Commons and helps them adjust to college life. VUcept/VV have both a faculty and a student VUceptor, so you get both perspectives. I’ve already received an email from the upperclassman engineer who is to be my mentor for the year; so not only do I have a professor helping me adjust, I have not one, but two student mentors to turn to as well.</p>
<p>3) The idea of the Commons. Related to the sense of community, but important enough to receive its own listing. All first-year undergraduates are placed in one of the 10 Commons houses. The Commons are on Peabody campus (separated from main campus by a pedestrian bridge and about 5-10 minutes, depending on the house). This means that the first years have a similar experience, and are all living and learning together. Along this same vein, each house has a Faculty Head, who has an apartment in the house, and literally moves his- or herself/respective family members into it. They live with you, so you can get to know them on both a professional and personal basis. This brings your mentor count to 2 professors and at least 1 student (I don’t know if any of the other schools have upperclassmen mentor younger students, or if that’s VUSE-specific).</p>
<p>4) Cross-registration between schools is super easy, as is double majoring (even triple majoring, if you are so inclined), double minoring, what have you. OASIS, the registration system, can be a pain in a butt at times and the request periods take some getting used to, but overall a great system.</p>
<p>5) AMAZING financial aid. I cannot stress this enough to my friends who say that they’re interested, but could never afford it. Yes you can! My parents make, combined, about $160-170k. Yet, I was still able to receive a $32,000 grant from Vandy. All grants–Vanderbilt has a very special and very nice no-loan policy.</p>
<p>I could go on, but I think you get the point.</p>
<p>1) Financial Aid
2) Fairly intellectual Student Body
3) Attention to Ungrads
4) Well Known University
5) City
6) Women
7) Elitism
8) Great Majors, Minors and Courses</p>
<p>Vandy may have the Best Town Gown relationship with its host city compared to other mid sized important Research/slash/Liberal Arts institutions (I have lived in Atlanta where Emory is important/beloved and survived having a son at Duke during the Duke Lacrosse nightmare, just to name two peer institutions which also employ tons of civilians and support major hospitals on grounds). Not only is Vanderbilt positively connected to Nashville, and a place where Vanderbilt students find internships readily, the community surrounding Vanderbilt on foot “wins” for student friendly options/reasonable safety/plenty of entertainment and leisure options in all directions off of the West End, Hillsboro Village and Elliston Place interfaces with the Vandy campus.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt has vast missions in its region of the United States that many people from other parts of the USA may be unaware of…the Hospitals on grounds for instance serve a region, not a city. The Law and Business and Div schools are excellent and add sophistication to the campus for the undergrads who can also enjoy access to many events for graduate students.</p>
<p>If the arts matter to you, Nashville delivers…always someone in town who is super talented to see, sometimes in the beer joint or coffee shop nearby. There is a concentration of creative people residing in Nashville…think Santa Fe or Austin for other third coast cities that draw in working adults with creative talent.</p>
<p>I initally applied to Vandy as a semi-backup in case things didn’t work out with other top tier schools - I never had any true intention of enrolling there. But throughout the admissions process, Vandy ALWAYS made me feel special, like they WANTED ME to come. From the personalized responses to questions I had, to the optimistic service and hospitality offered to me when I visited campus, Vandy totally distinguished itself in its approach than any other school I applied to. This same level of hospitality and interest has remained intact as I prepare to live on the Commons in less than two weeks. I don’t know of any other top-tier institution in the country quite like Vanderbilt - the unique mix of nationally ranked academics with a personable, cordial atmosphere.</p>