Visit Report by Mary.loves.you (Member since January 06 2006 with 487 posts) Visit Date - June 2006
Visit to Vanderbilt University in June 2006 by Mary.loves.you (Student, HS Class of 2006)
Visit Activities:
Vanderbilt University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
Every Vanderbilt student I met was genuinely nice.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 5 - Excellent -
I met the pre-health advisor, several 'Engineering Business' professors, and several heads of engineering departments. All were both good at their jobs and extremely pleasant.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
The Vanderbilt campus is a national arboretum! The buildings are (almost) all red brick... and there are squirrels aplenty. It's a really beautiful campus.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
All the buildings were kept clean. (But I don't know if that's because it was summer and very few students were there...)
Dormitories: 3 - Good -
They did their job, but they definitely aren't palaces. If you want to live in a single room, you'll be in Kissam... but be warned, its far from the rest of campus.
Security/Safety: 3 - Good -
VUPD is omnipresent. Police escorts are available after dark, and emergency phones/alarm-buttons are conveniently located throughout the campus.
BUT, Vandy is an open campus. Anyone can come on campus at any time. That worries me a little bit.
Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good -
The campus is beatiful, the people are friendly, the academics are top-notch. It's tough not to like Vandy.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 4 - Very Good -
Vandy is surrounded by anything you will ever need. The surrounding area is well kept (for the most part), and beautiful.
City/Town/Community: 4 - Very Good -
(FYI, Vandy is located near downtown Nashville)
Nashville is a hopping city with great music (not just country), good food, a good social/party scene, extraordinarily friendly people, pro sports teams, and more. I liked it a lot.
Campus Visit Notes for Vanderbilt University:
Visit Description:
I didn't actually "officially" visit the campus, but I stayed there in the summer for 6 weeks (for a pre-college program).
I got a very good vibe from this university. The Vandy students I met were from all over the world, and were friendly and helpful. The professors I met were very passionate about their subjects and about Vanderbilt.
I loved Vanderbilt, and it is still on my college list.. my only hold back is that the greek/party scene is quite large. I'm not a partier at all, and I don't plan on going greek.
However, if you want to balance top-notch academics with an amazing social scene, Vanderbilt might be the school for you.
If you have any questions, PM me.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
Loews Vanderbilt Plaza is right across from Kissam Quad, and there are several hotels located on West End Ave (the same street as the Admissions Office). 'Union Station - A Wydham Historic Hotel' is beautiful, but it is a little more expensive.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
There are plenty of places to eat near campus, including restaurants of almost every different cuisine...
Or you could just eat campus food (which I wouldn't recommend).
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
If you can, visit downtown Nashville, Riverfront Park, and the Grand Ole Opry.
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Every Vanderbilt student I met was genuinely nice.
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All the buildings were kept clean. (But I don't know if that's because it was summer and very few students were there...)
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They did their job, but they definitely aren't palaces. If you want to live in a single room, you'll be in Kissam... but be warned, its far from the rest of campus.