Vanderbilt University Top Questions

Gradually, the student body appears to be trending towards social liberalism, which some consider a positive step for the university. Students are able to hold their own in a political discussion; however, they are not as politically inclined as I expected. Most students tend to dress pretty well at all times. Seeing individuals wear sweats to class is unusual, though not entirely unheard of. Most students are from the south; however, Vanderbilt has excellent geographic diversity.

The typical Vandy student is busy. A Vanderbilt student juggles academics, leadership positions, and a social life adeptly. Men and women are well dressed for class, show up on time, and participate actively. It is hard to tell, but many students feel overwhelmed by life at Vanderbilt. There is a lot of pressure to get good grades, go out three to four nights a week, and manage additional responsibilities on campus. By holiday breaks, students are excited for a little time off. Students at Vanderbilt come from all over the country. When I arrived at Vanderbilt, I was surprised to learn that Southern students made up only 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body. The Northeast and Midwest are also heavily represented, and there a few students from the West Coast. I believe that Vanderbilt's greatest flaw is a lack of integration between different social groups on campus. The diverse student body has many different types of men and women, but unfortunately these groups tend to stick together. It is rare to see students from the African American greek community having lunch with students from the Panhellenic greek community, who in turn socialize with each other more so than students who are not in any greek organizations. For that reason, students that are not affiliated sometimes feel out of place at Vandy. The school would benefit from more opportunities for these groups to engage.

The student body can be somewhat stratified. African-American Students seem to engage in a separate culture, as do other racial minorities. Gradually, the student body appears to be trending towards social liberalism and communalism, which is a positive step for the university. Students are able to hold their own in a political discussion; however, they are not as politically inclined as I expected. Most students tend to dress pretty well at all times. Seeing individuals wear sweats to class is unusual, though not entirely unheard of. Most students are from the south; however, Vanderbilt has excellent geographic diversity.

There is such an array of students at Vanderbilt. Students from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, race, and sexual orientation. There is truly a niche for everyone. Although Vandy tends to be more conservative, it is not a predominantly conservative student body. There is an endless amount of clubs that anyone could find one that appeals to them; and if you can't, you can create your own. From intramural/club sports to a myriad of charity opportunities to the philanthropy-oriented Greek organizations, there is something for everyone.

People at Vanderbilt are smart. Graduates are successful. Expect to find highly motivated people of all ethnicities, economic classes, and religions. There is an incredible diversity here but everyone shares the common theme of wanting to learn and wanting to get involved, be it politically, socially, or charitably. Even people who might be considered "socially awkward" or "outcasts" can find plenty of friends. It's difficult to pin down a universal description of the Vanderbilt student.

Students here feel like they own the world, and if they don't right now, they plan to. Kids wear Sperries and short shorts with backwards baseball caps and frat glasses all the time. Many people are rich. The odd kids are ostracized to McGill Hall.

Brilliant and inspiring individuals, who had no qualms in helping others even if we were competing against each other.

The campus is pretty homogenous, but it is becoming more diverse. There are a lot of minority students but they tend to be segregated from the rest of the student body. Miniority students still have a great time here regardless of how separate the social scene is! To that end, just because you're a minority doesn't mean you can't participate in the "normal" social life at Vanderbilt. The social scene is very accepting as are the people. I wouldn't recommend Vanderbilt to any extremely alternative person (i.e blue hair, extremely tight jeans, chains, piercings) as they wouldn't fit into the student body. Of course there are people like that but it might not be the best match. Also nashville is very alternative due to the plethora of independent music labels, so if vanderbilt doesn't meet your expectations, Nashville can. Most students are wealthy. Those who arent don't really speak about it/ you cant see it outwardly. The financial aid at Vandy is great so a lot of kids are on financial aid. Financial backgrounds aren't very important to students. Students don't really interact much with different groups of people, but if you do, it's not a big deal. You speak to the people you know regardless of race, economic status, or religion. Students are generally from the south east, midwest (ohio, illinois) or the Northeast, and some LA. Students know they'll earn a lot one day.

My classmates are diverse, motivated, smart, and, for the most part, helpful.

Many are very focused on their academic work but equally enjoy partying on the weekends.