Vanderbilt - Atmosphere, Preppy?!

shay_888 · 10-29-2009, 05:38 PM

I'm interested in Vanderbilt, but I haven't had the opportunity to visit yet. However, I have heard/read from some bloggers that it has a very preppy atmosphere. Girls are wearing make up at 9AM and have clutches? I'm a cheerleader now, and I have no problem making friends. However, it seems crazy that girls are that concerned about their appearances.
Is this all hype.. what is it REALLY like?

dshinka · 10-30-2009, 04:15 AM

Hmmm I have a girl in my class at 10 AM that rarely wears make-up. I don't think make-up in the morning's that big of a deal and has little to do with being preppy.

There's plenty of non-preppy people. Walk into the McGill dorm (just north of Rand) when you go on your tour when you visit if you want to see not-preppy.

Bridie · 10-31-2009, 10:02 AM

i think you'll be fine! don't worry! my D and her friends wear the same sweats, jeans and t-shirts you'd find at any school.

wakka · 11-01-2009, 10:36 PM

I visited Vandy yesterday and the girls didn't seem preppy at all. a lot of them were wearing sweatpants and flip-flops

shay_888 · 11-02-2009, 10:08 AM

Okay, great. Thanks for the insight!

nicole07 · 11-04-2009, 12:31 AM

All the replies to this post are BS. How can you actually post under this thread that Vandy is like all other schools in that regard? I suggest you sit at Rand around 12 and look around you. Yes there are non preppy places (Mcgill), but do you realize the size of this population of students? Girls have very expensive designer clothes and things here, and wear them on a daily basis. I probably see about 30+ pairs of Tory Burch flats a day. Even the guys are ridiculous in how they dress, wearing polo's button ups to class tucked in, boat shoes.

To the OP, I don't want you to get the wrong impression of what Vandy is truly like. When I was applying I asked the same type of questions and got the same responses, then realized that it was all BS. Sorry for the rant!

cocoaluna · 11-08-2009, 09:02 AM

i think there is a very preppy southern part of vandy, but there is also a normal just like every other school part of vandy as well. its a big school im sure you could find what you are looking for.

suzyfirst · 11-08-2009, 11:27 AM

Just be aware that the greeks rule Vandy. All others are dismissed as GDI's -Goddam Independents! This school is preppie on steroids.

wakka · 11-09-2009, 01:32 AM

my bad, nicole07. i was visiting Vandy and that what i just thought. i didn't say i was an expert; i just said i visited Vandy. i didn't have time to stay there for the whole day to observe the preppiness. it just seemed the me the students weren't preppy for the 2-3 hrs i was there.

keep in mind though, shay_888, that Vanderbilt is a college w/ around 5000 students. you'll most definitely find a group of friends you like...

Lauren:) · 11-12-2009, 12:13 AM

Nicole is absolutely right, and anybody who says that it is not a preppy school is in denial. If you go to a tailgate, all you see are polos and sundresses and tory burch flats, and girls do go to class at 8 am with makeup and kate spade bags. It is true that there are non-preppy people here, but that is by no means the majority, and if the preppiness is truly something that bothers you, think about that I guess. I feel like I fit in with the preppy culture (though I can't afford a designer wardrobe) but I think the main point is people tend to care about and maintain their appearances here, and it is more prominent than people make it out to be.

shay_888 · 11-12-2009, 11:36 AM

Thank you.. I appreciate what you guys say. I'm a little preppy myself, I enjoy dressing cute, and I'm a cheerleading (not that it makes me preppy), but I don't want to go to a school where I won't fit in.. the "preppyness" is fine as long as people aren't staring at you if you don't have the newest coach bag.. and whatever else. I want to be able to fit in without buying 5793827 dollar clothes!!

karabee · 11-13-2009, 07:52 PM

although people have the preppy clothes here, they're less concerned with the label than you'd think. yes, most people will have the ralph lauren with the tory burch and sperry's, but if you have the target versions of the same clothes for a much better price, all the more power to you. i own one complete outfit from j.crew and i love it, but i haven't gotten nearly as many compliments on it as some things i bought at target and even goodwill. it's about looking clean-cut and professional, not necessarily upper class (although that is a prevalent subset)

10mwil · 11-16-2009, 10:33 AM

I don't go to Vandy but I will say that for almost all real preps, not the materialistic new money type, it doesn't and shouldn't matter where your clothes come from--it matters how they look. I am not sure if this is the attitude of Vandy students, but if they are "real" and not posing, then you will be fine even if you don't have name-brand everything.

shay_888 · 11-16-2009, 11:17 AM

Okay, great. I'm still very interested in going there, so I'm sure if I got in.. I'd find a place to fit in.

TheKillerAngel · 11-17-2009, 06:10 PM

There's definitely a visible preppy aspect of this school, and I wear boat shoes/polos fairly often, but there are enough people who dress "normally" for you to fit in if that's what you want.