@puremuddle Both schools have students from various states and countries, with Brown being more diverse on both fronts. We are talking over 20 years ago and Vanderbilt has become academically on par with Brown since then and is more diverse in many ways than it used to be – racially, religiously, geographically. It does not surprise me that Vandy has been more responsive. The school is extremely well-run. Not sure of how Greek both places are. Though Brown is definitely more liberal, I think Vandy runs the gamut with many liberal students, many conservative, and many in between. Conservatives at Brown were far less common. There also is something to be said for Vandy being the best university not only in the city but within hundreds of miles. The education will be outstanding at both places, and most students are very nice at both. In terms of your 7th criteria, “Intellectualism (and by that, I mean the active, extracurricular engagement of the general student body in thinking about world issues, philosophy, etc.),” that sounds like Brown to me. Though there is a large pre-med, pre-law, Wall Street/future MBA contingent at Brown, there also are a lot of students who want to work in non-profits, teach high school, save the world, or do other amazing things. Or protest on the lawn. We are talking about splitting hairs between two schools with amazing students and professors. On balance, I think the Brown students are more eclectic and end up doing many diverse and amazing things after college. If some type of grad school is in your future (I know you said no med school), a Brown degree could give you a leg up when looking at a non-Ivy for grad school. All I can say is try to visit both.