just123098, as a parent of a Vandy grad, (and husband and I were grad students there), I am glad you are going to Vandy to simply enjoy your admission and take a look. In the end, go with your instincts. I remember walking Vandy in April after our son was admitted. We were strolling around Easter morning, and Greek Row was covered with discarded beer cans and trash. (no I don’t like that-- the trash itself looks really entitled to me, but same at UVA, Duke, etc after tailgates --at scores of colleges.) I dislike the entire Greek system, but my other son benefitted from Greek life and insisted it was for him. He found it to be a supportive way to deal with what can be a challenging time in life.
Our Vandy son attended because he liked Nashville and the campus a very great deal, knew he would get a lot of smaller classes along with larger ones, the town had family resonance and he received a significant amount of merit aid. He never warmed to Greek life, but when 60% of the males do not pledge, you have to cop a big attitude to not realize you can create your own life just fine–be the master of your own experience anywhere. Perhaps it is a little tougher when half the girls go Greek if you are a girl. Keep in mind that by junior year anywhere, people are all about their summer experiences, semesters abroad and next move.
While it is pointless to defend Greek life or condemn it here, it is easy to point out that Vanderbilt also has several really vibrant graduate schools on campus. This definitely adds to the overall institution’s feel…just as it does at Emory, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Penn etc and your state flagships. Even though you want to have a cozy undergrad experience…you see what is coming next daily and that can be refreshing
It’s not like you are in Hanover, NH in the snow on a campus like Dartmouth (we loved Dartmouth…don’t get me wrong…) and there is nowhere to go but to frat parties on weekends. Nashville is not Boston but it is such a convivial place. I personally think Vanderbilt is a very vibrant and well-run institution with good leadership and very good instruction. The facilities are also exciting. Vanderbilt, UPenn and Harvard on your list probably have a lot of money to contribute to their student facilities and experiences, Harvard dwarfing most institutions in endowment.
I can’t remark on Harvard. I am close to a young woman who chose a top ten liberal arts school over Harvard, only somewhat wistfully. Her HS teachers were very upset when she didn’t take Harvard’s admittance. She received a Fulbright this year out of the prep she got from that little college she attended that wasn’t as “fabulous” as Harvard.
Harvard however is forever if you can imagine yourself there. I would encourage you to not be intimidated by Harvard re competition. There are savants at all these schools now. you simply run your own race and try to cheer for others along the way. Sure there are a few pathways that require high GPAs but the GPA is not that central to success as you might think. B students do AOK. Believe me. You will likely handle standardized testing well in the future when required again.
You will never get it “all” at any school. Small can also be very unique and special. Pick for your mental health and for your long term plan. Pick for your financial health for graduate school. Do not spend all your financial resources in your first four years unless you are happy to do grad school in public schools.
Enjoy your choices in this moment and allow yourself much of April to think it out. Be gracefully interested in others in your class and their decisions, and make sure to stay light-hearted while you decide. All of your options are golden.