Vanderbilt University is an outstanding private university with high-achieving students with diverse interests and involvements. Located in Nashville, TN, the school is in the perfect place for students to live in a college community, but also venture into the city and explore. This academic institution provides challenging courses, but also a wonderful and supportive collegiate community.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Apply for financial aid and scholarships-- Vanderbilt is very generous in this area and even offers several full-merit scholarships
Keep an open-mind-- even though Vanderbilt is known for being a traditional school in the South and well as having a large Greek population, there are many students on campus who don't fit the stereotype
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Vanderbilt has the reputation of "work hard, play hard' and students here certainly live up to this statement. Many of the introductory courses like biology and calculus are considered to be "weed-out courses" that may surprise high-achieving high school students entering their freshman year. However, if you are able to keep up with your studies, go to office hours, and avoid procrastinating, it is very possible to do well and succeed in whatever area of study you would like to pursue
Describe the dorm life at your college.
The freshman living situation is one that builds a great sense of community and one of the most outstanding experience of the four years. The living space occupied by freshman known as "The Commons" is composed of 10 dorms in which students are randomly sorted. This makes it easy for freshman to easily form friendships and find community within their house. There is a great deal of pride associated with living in each house, and like Harry Potter, the houses compete in the Commons Cup. All freshman and most sophomores live in doubles or triples. Upperclassmen are able to live in suite style apartments, most of which include a kitchen and private bathroom.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
Vanderbilt dining has won several awards for being outstanding in their quality of food and service. The campus consists of three main dining centers as well as several other smaller dining options to choose from. The food on Commons is considered to be the best on campus with a rotating menu of delicious options at the Chef's Table including salmon, steak, and pasta. This accompanies other options including the Wok, the Grill, the Pasta and Pizza station, as well as a soup and dessert section. Because of the multitude of options, it is difficult to get tired of this one dining center alone. The other dining center located in the Student Center has the Grill, Sandwich Station, Texmex, Lunch Paper, Chef's Bistro, and Bowls section which serves ancient grains with meat and vegetable toppings and ramen at night. Finally, the Kitchen has rotating menu of international cuisine as well as unique breakfast options. Other places to dine include Bamboo Bistro serving pho, Grins Vegetarian Cafe, the Pub serving traditional pub food, as well as cafes within libraries. In addition to the multitude of restaurant-quality options, there are also "munchie marts" that offer prepackaged food options for those on the go.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Nashville is an up-and-coming city with a fantastic music scene and night-life. There is live music playing on every corner downtown as new singer-songwriters emerge from this city. Nashville has great hipster places to grab coffee or brunch with friends or a hearty Southern meal. Centennial Park is a wonderful park to go for a run and even go inside the Parthenon, a full-size replica of the one in Athens. In addition to trendy neighborhoods like the Gulch and 12South that include fantastic restaurants and shops, East Nashville is also great place to eat and shop.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Vanderbilt hosts hundreds of student organizations, including cultural, athletic, musical, and service-oriented organizations. At the beginning of every year, Vanderbilt holds a student organization fair which advertises an overwhelming amount of organizations. This includes Alternative Spring Break, Girls who Code, Vanderbilt Student Government, and others. It is easy to get involved, but difficult to choose which ones you would like to get involved in. If you don�t see one that fits your interests, you can easily start your own organization.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
The Greek presence on Vanderbilt�s campus is quite substantial. Over 40% of the student population is Greek. Most sororities and fraternities have houses on campus, but only those in board positions live within the houses, allowing more opportunities for mixing of different Greek members as well as Greek and non-Greek students. Rush takes place in the fall for males and in the spring for females. While there are certain pressures to become Greek, it is not the be-all, end-all. There are more ways to get connected than simply through Greek life.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Even after a late night of studying in the library, I feel incredibly safe walking around campus to get back to my room. There are emergency lights that immediately put you in touch with the Vanderbilt Police Department when you are in need of help. The majority of campus is well-lit and additionally, there is an escort service which allows you to take a ride with the police if you are not feeling safe to walk on campus on your own.
Vanderbilt University is an outstanding private university with high-achieving students with diverse interests and involvements. Located in Nashville, TN, the school is in the perfect place for students to live in a college community, but also venture into the city and explore. This academic institution provides challenging courses, but also a wonderful and supportive collegiate community.
Apply for financial aid and scholarships-- Vanderbilt is very generous in this area and even offers several full-merit scholarships Keep an open-mind-- even though Vanderbilt is known for being a traditional school in the South and well as having a large Greek population, there are many students on campus who don't fit the stereotype
Vanderbilt has the reputation of "work hard, play hard' and students here certainly live up to this statement. Many of the introductory courses like biology and calculus are considered to be "weed-out courses" that may surprise high-achieving high school students entering their freshman year. However, if you are able to keep up with your studies, go to office hours, and avoid procrastinating, it is very possible to do well and succeed in whatever area of study you would like to pursue
The freshman living situation is one that builds a great sense of community and one of the most outstanding experience of the four years. The living space occupied by freshman known as "The Commons" is composed of 10 dorms in which students are randomly sorted. This makes it easy for freshman to easily form friendships and find community within their house. There is a great deal of pride associated with living in each house, and like Harry Potter, the houses compete in the Commons Cup. All freshman and most sophomores live in doubles or triples. Upperclassmen are able to live in suite style apartments, most of which include a kitchen and private bathroom.
Vanderbilt dining has won several awards for being outstanding in their quality of food and service. The campus consists of three main dining centers as well as several other smaller dining options to choose from. The food on Commons is considered to be the best on campus with a rotating menu of delicious options at the Chef's Table including salmon, steak, and pasta. This accompanies other options including the Wok, the Grill, the Pasta and Pizza station, as well as a soup and dessert section. Because of the multitude of options, it is difficult to get tired of this one dining center alone. The other dining center located in the Student Center has the Grill, Sandwich Station, Texmex, Lunch Paper, Chef's Bistro, and Bowls section which serves ancient grains with meat and vegetable toppings and ramen at night. Finally, the Kitchen has rotating menu of international cuisine as well as unique breakfast options. Other places to dine include Bamboo Bistro serving pho, Grins Vegetarian Cafe, the Pub serving traditional pub food, as well as cafes within libraries. In addition to the multitude of restaurant-quality options, there are also "munchie marts" that offer prepackaged food options for those on the go.
Nashville is an up-and-coming city with a fantastic music scene and night-life. There is live music playing on every corner downtown as new singer-songwriters emerge from this city. Nashville has great hipster places to grab coffee or brunch with friends or a hearty Southern meal. Centennial Park is a wonderful park to go for a run and even go inside the Parthenon, a full-size replica of the one in Athens. In addition to trendy neighborhoods like the Gulch and 12South that include fantastic restaurants and shops, East Nashville is also great place to eat and shop.
Every year, Vanderbilt hosts four cultural showcases: Diwali, ANYF, Harabee, and Caf�© con Leche. Within these showcases, students sign up for certain cultural dances and practice over the course of several weeks to perform the choreographed dances in front of the rest of the student population. Hundreds of dancers perform in each showcase to give a taste of culture from which the dance derives.
Vanderbilt hosts hundreds of student organizations, including cultural, athletic, musical, and service-oriented organizations. At the beginning of every year, Vanderbilt holds a student organization fair which advertises an overwhelming amount of organizations. This includes Alternative Spring Break, Girls who Code, Vanderbilt Student Government, and others. It is easy to get involved, but difficult to choose which ones you would like to get involved in. If you don�t see one that fits your interests, you can easily start your own organization.
The Greek presence on Vanderbilt�s campus is quite substantial. Over 40% of the student population is Greek. Most sororities and fraternities have houses on campus, but only those in board positions live within the houses, allowing more opportunities for mixing of different Greek members as well as Greek and non-Greek students. Rush takes place in the fall for males and in the spring for females. While there are certain pressures to become Greek, it is not the be-all, end-all. There are more ways to get connected than simply through Greek life.
Even after a late night of studying in the library, I feel incredibly safe walking around campus to get back to my room. There are emergency lights that immediately put you in touch with the Vanderbilt Police Department when you are in need of help. The majority of campus is well-lit and additionally, there is an escort service which allows you to take a ride with the police if you are not feeling safe to walk on campus on your own.