Vanderbilt University

Date: Feb 23 2004
Major: Fine Arts - Painting/Sculpture/Photography/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
I made the mistake of attending Vanderbilt because it was a "brand-name school"… with a brand-name price, and because like, many others I knew, I was a reject from an Ivy. People warned me that I wouldn't like it, but I was determined to get into the best school that my academic record would allow me to get in.

For people who want a liberal arts education, stay away because Vandy declares itself as a

research institution

not a learning institution, so there is less-emphasis on teaching and MUCH more on research, publishing, getting shows, awards, etc. Vandy does have a fantastic medical school/hospital and if you are interested in the biology/medical research field, there are good opportunities available.

Greek life is HUGE here. So are Louis Vuitton bags, Gucci glasses. Get used to that - quick. People here are very attractive, thin, with great teeth and tans. It IS high-school—extended, expensive, and NOTHING ever changes. Sometimes, you you want to escape this warped and twisted version of Republican Twight Zone. There is a very hard Fundamentalist slant among the student body here.

To counter that, I must admit that Southern folks are generally very hospitible. People will open doors for one another. Nashville is a nice place to live.

There is a small tribe of precious professor who will make the $40K-a-year almost worthwhile because otherwise, the monotonous people and Bureaucracy and even corrupt administration and profs will ruin it for you.

Overall, I would definitely say that for liberal arts kids, it's NOT worth your money. Go to a liberal arts school on the East coast instead.