Vanderbilt or Notre Dame?

Faline2
Thu, 06 Apr 2006 21:54:40 +0000

happygirl…so you are from Atlanta…I also moved to Nashville from Atlanta–twice actually, once to study and once to work. Gone for 15 years but have friends on faculty at Vandy and visit often. Slipstream, I remember when you were trying to make up your mind last year…how has it gone for you for the first year?
My son actually did meet and talk with a full prof working in an accelerated level Chem lab, but probably didn’t realize that the TA’s often do it solo. Teachers seemed approachable and to know so many freshmen by name by October. The mock election had just taken place and the student body had just split 50/50 Bush/Kerry. The level of debate going on in their college rags and papers has picked up as Vandy has become a national draw. Religious diversity is also part of the ethos of the Div School and student body and there is a new Jewish studies center. S attended two other classes among other things. Re “there are plenty of very cool people who don’t go Greek and in a town like Nashville, your social life is not going to have to be tied up there” not meant as negative commentary on Greek life which is a choice that has been meaningful for my own son. What I like about the Vandy of today compared to my generation’s undergrad scene there is that there are segments of the student body who choose to be independent and enterprising in other directions. Frat life is a choice that people make for better reasons than “there is nothing else to do in this town at night.” Most of all, I like Nashville for field placements, first jobs, summer jobs, internships and exposure to a hospital that makes a big contribution to the welfare of the entire region.