Vanderbilt Class of 2025 — Regular Decision

OITB1
Wed, 12 May 2021 14:39:22 +0000

@xanthous1 - Just scrolling around, came across this and thought I’d offer my modest insights, sinice I know both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame quite well. In terms of their contrast to my perception of WashU, you’re right - they’re similar in that both have DI sports and the student body is perhaps less academically oriented, for better or worse. Beyond that, however, they’re extremely different culturally. Vandy students like having SEC sports around, but athletics is a central (arguably THE central) point of student identity at ND. The entire campus (and town) culture in South Bend is centered around 7 Saturdays in the fall, and when that’s over they move on to basketball and hockey games. Vanderbilt kids leave most football games at halftime because they’re down 27-3 and it’s all about the pre- and post-party, anyway. Also, as you alluded to, Notre Dame has no Greek system. Fraternity and sorority life is very prevalent to the feel of Vandy, on the other hand. Not so much as it was 25 or 30 years ago, but there’s definitely a social hierarchy based on whether or not one is in the Greek system and if so which house they’re in. Add in that Vandy is still predominantly southern in student body composition, Notre Dame is still predominantly Catholic, and one is in a vibrant city while the other’s in a sleepy town that wouldn’t exist without the school, and the student experiences at the two are very different.
May not end up mattering to you and your son, obviously, depending on WL decisions. Just thought I’d throw it out there. Good luck!