how hard

koreanxpanda · 09-28-2009, 09:19 AM

how hard is vanderbilt in comparison to your high school? is it really difficult to keep up a great GPA? do you guys often stay up late everyday studying?

I'm really scared that vanderbilt will be too hard for me.

whoistebow · 09-28-2009, 07:08 PM

The majority of people handle it just fine, you must be a capable person to look at Vanderbilt. Many students go out on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the weekend.

dshinka · 09-28-2009, 11:34 PM

I spent more time in class in high school, less time on homework. If you make it in, I wouldn't worry about not being able to handle the work load. You can do it.

GCN2 · 09-29-2009, 10:11 AM

We've apparently had vastly different experiences.

Faline2 · 09-29-2009, 11:56 AM

GCN2, you are hilarious.
Lab science is exacting and demanding at Vanderbilt. Time management is crucial as is face time in the lab with some awareness that long hours are required. That said, you get to do it in excellent facilities with faculty members who likely know your name as you age out of the intro survey courses. Even Vandy Med school is well known for the humanistic experience for students...for those lucky enough to get in...for med school that is.

My son was impressed to see professors in the Vandy undergrad labs instead of just TAs like you often see in schools where class sizes are huge. Not that TAs don't have their good functions.

Look at the graduation rates of the colleges where you apply. Vandy's is very high, as are the graduation rates at many other fine institutions.

If you are admitted, you are likely to be able to do the work give or take the emotional maturity required to manage your time and priorities.

My son is at Vandy now. He told me that there are students he knows are "smarter than he is" (probably in hard sciences/math talents) and yet he feels he is right where he belongs. He feels comfortable. One reasons he is comfortable is that his classes are really terrific with talented lecturers and access to teachers (while not in tiny classes of 15-20 typical at fine LACs) is quite decent and homey. He can go to a teacher for a review of his paper or whatever by appointment.

He works pretty hard but he expected to work hard. His roommate does a lot of face time with his books as well.

if you are admitted to Vandy, there is a pretty good chance you will do fine. So much of college is simply prioritizing and attitude and work ethic. Admissions tends to know what they are doing and plenty of kids who did not get into Vandy could have done the work fine as well...

The whole issue of who can make it to med school or in hard sciences or engineering or law school gets shaken out no matter where you end up.

Chin up...a lot of college is really how much effort you will put into it no matter where you end up

GCN2 · 09-29-2009, 03:32 PM

Well said. I just wanted to make sure no one got the notion that you can come to Vandy and cruise your way to a 3.8 + GPA.

herrina · 09-29-2009, 03:52 PM

Yes, it is not easy to get 3.8 GPA. You have to set the time to study. The past spring semester, my daughter took Org/Bio/Physic and some other classes, she was so busy ,I think she was over loaded, plus an RA job, she made all A and A- for the post two years, I do not know how she did it. When she was in high school, she did not study this hard as she said her self. So you can do it with a good time management.

kelsmom · 09-29-2009, 10:49 PM

My D has learned to balance her time. I couldn't believe the number of books she had to buy last semester - and she read them all! She spends a ton of time reading, and she writes a lot of papers. She doesn't feel overwhelmed, though.

dshinka · 09-30-2009, 02:17 AM

I suppose I should clarify. After re-reading my post, I see I might have sounded like Vandy's easy. It's not easy, not by any means, and time management is indeed, crucial. HOWEVER, it is DOABLE, and what I meant was if you make it in, you are almost certainly capable of handling it... now whether or not you excel in practice, though, is up to you.

vandygirl12 · 10-02-2009, 07:59 AM

My guess is that GCN2 is in the College of Arts & Sciences (like me) and Dshinka is in Peabody. Like probably everybody else at Vanderbilt, I took all the demanding classes in high school. There is no comparison to the workload I've had at Vanderbilt (and in comparison to many of my friends at other schools). I have a lot of work all the time. Even without math or science this semester, the workload is intense. It's not that its so difficult, it's that there is so much. Typically, I'm one of those people who goes out Thurs-sat nights, but last night I had too much to do. Last Saturday I stayed in and worked on a paper. Even the classes considered to be "fun" are typically graded at very high standards. If you want to do well, plan on spending a lot of time studying.

pixeljig · 10-02-2009, 08:15 AM

How are the CS courses at Vandy and the faculty? Are the classes interesting?

dshinka · 10-03-2009, 10:05 PM

You should probably make a new thread for a question like that.

ibnhf1 · 10-07-2009, 07:35 PM

My son is a freshnan now. He says it is very hard. He is a great student. He is not partying etc. He worked real hard studying for a Gen. Bio exam and got a B-. He was very dissapoited but he was amazed at how many failed. He is doing better in Chem and Calculus but it is taking alot of energy. i do think the science track is tough. Alot of the kids who are leaning hard on the social track are getting low grades. Sometimes low failing grades. Just giving you his side.

karabee · 10-07-2009, 10:11 PM

Honestly, my grading system has changed radically since being here. In high school, I got literally all A's except for an 89 one semester in APUSH. I always thought people who were excited about 3.0's were kind of slackers.. Now, I study hard, and am taking classes that I took in high school (albeit sophomore and junior year), and am more than satisfied with a B.

Then again, I'm not going to med school.

lion0709 · 10-08-2009, 09:51 AM

My daughter is a junior and was not prepared for the academic rigor. She should not have taken Calculus or Bio Sci her first semester - failed them both. Her public high school curriculum was not intense and she was not ready for those courses. She also lacked good study skills. We should have chosen her courses more wisely first semester. She really had to dig out of a hole. I think that the key is to make sure that your courses are appropriate for you. D now reads the course descriptions carefully, asks fellow students about the courses, and reads "ratemyprofessors" before selecting a class. She is doing ok now - making Bs which is fine with her. She always attends class and does all the required work, but I don't get the impression that she's working all that hard.