Vanderbilt 2013 Forum

[observationalist]

1: You are going to want to get a car

and 2: Nashville is definitely not redneck. Certainly, you will meet some rednecks in your day to day if your out and about, but that is probably true of most places. In general, Nashville has been able to support a very good variety of posh/modern/trendy restaurants right along with its honky-tonks. And I assure you there are plenty of liberals in the Vandy area.

Look at it this way, recently we got an all-male strip club called "arrow". I'm just saying, a town that can sustain that can't be too conservative right?

Not gunna lie. Nashville just gained a little more of my [strike]interest[/strike]... regard.

A shame about the car thing, though. Sounds like I'll have to re-learn how to drive. Thanks for the info about the Nashville atmosphere, much appreciated.

Honestly, one of the Vandy trolls (Observationalist) says that he's made it 3 years with no car, but you just have to live pretty close to the school. He's said that there's a couple of bus routes that are fairly standard and reliable that can get you to the main areas you'll need to be.

I have a few friends who don't have cars here and they get along just fine. It's really not necessary. The bus system doesn't have all too many runs, but it runs on time.

Yeah if you live anywhere right by school or down on the Number 7 line (where I live) and you'll be fine without a car. I've been slowly convincing my friends over the last few years to take the bus when we go out... it's free for Vandy grad students wherever and whenever you want to take it, so seriously look at the bus routes regardless of whether you have a car. [Reminder to Vandy 1Ls on this thread: stop cabbing to go out and take the bus for free. You're wasting two pitchers at Paradise Park every night you go out because you're too lazy to go to http://www.nashvillemta.org and click on the bus schedules.]

I will point out that I do, however, have a car that I use from time to time. It got its greatest use during OCI 2L year when I wanted to minimize walking around in a suit in the August heat. Now I use it generally whenever friends come to visit. If you live at 20& Grand, Adelecia, Barbizon, University Square, or Bristol on Broadway, you are less than a 5-minute walk to the law school and right on the Number 7 line which takes you down to Harris Teeter/Whole Foods/Trader Joes for food and Green Hills Mall for your other shopping needs.

Sorry for sounding like an infomercial on public transportation... I'll stop now.

[thickfreakness]

Yeah if you live anywhere right by school or down on the Number 7 line (where I live) and you'll be fine without a car. I've been slowly convincing my friends over the last few years to take the bus when we go out... it's free for Vandy grad students wherever and whenever you want to take it, so seriously look at the bus routes regardless of whether you have a car. [Reminder to Vandy 1Ls on this thread: stop cabbing to go out and take the bus for free. You're wasting two pitchers at Paradise Park every night you go out because you're too lazy to go to http://www.nashvillemta.org and click on the bus schedules.]

I will point out that I do, however, have a car that I use from time to time. It got its greatest use during OCI 2L year when I wanted to minimize walking around in a suit in the August heat. Now I use it generally whenever friends come to visit. If you live at 20& Grand, Adelecia, Barbizon, University Square, or Bristol on Broadway, you are less than a 5-minute walk to the law school and right on the Number 7 line which takes you down to Harris Teeter/Whole Foods/Trader Joes for food and Green Hills Mall for your other shopping needs.

Sorry for sounding like an infomercial on public transportation... I'll stop now.

OMG disgusting anti-sedan trolling.

[observationalist]

Yeah if you live anywhere right by school or down on the Number 7 line (where I live) and you'll be fine without a car. I've been slowly convincing my friends over the last few years to take the bus when we go out... it's free for Vandy grad students wherever and whenever you want to take it, so seriously look at the bus routes regardless of whether you have a car. [Reminder to Vandy 1Ls on this thread: stop cabbing to go out and take the bus for free. You're wasting two pitchers at Paradise Park every night you go out because you're too lazy to go to http://www.nashvillemta.org and click on the bus schedules.]

I will point out that I do, however, have a car that I use from time to time. It got its greatest use during OCI 2L year when I wanted to minimize walking around in a suit in the August heat. Now I use it generally whenever friends come to visit. If you live at 20& Grand, Adelecia, Barbizon, University Square, or Bristol on Broadway, you are less than a 5-minute walk to the law school and right on the Number 7 line which takes you down to Harris Teeter/Whole Foods/Trader Joes for food and Green Hills Mall for your other shopping needs.

Sorry for sounding like an infomercial on public transportation... I'll stop now.

OMG disgusting anti-sedan trolling.

haha. [Still in library.]

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

Been complete since 1/4, still no decision . . . why can't they just let me in now instead of making me lose all this sleep at night

[missvik218]

observationalist, Vandy should pay you for all of the PR you do for them on this site! Also, if you happpen across the admissions office go put in a good word for MissV ... I REALLY want them to let me in off the WL

[hhg]

observationalist (or anybody else if you know the answer...) - for people on the wl, if admitted, does vandy provide any aid? i'm assuming schollys are out, but is need based aid still available? if so, how generous do they tend to be with it? thank you!!

[pleasetryagain]

observationalist (or anybody else if you know the answer...) - for people on the wl, if admitted, does vandy provide any aid? i'm assuming schollys are out, but is need based aid still available? if so, how generous do they tend to be with it? thank you!!

No info on how waitlist affects $ but for comparison I received no need-based aid and I'm broke.

[najumobi]

observationalist, Vandy should pay you for all of the PR you do for them on this site! Also, if you happpen across the admissions office go put in a good word for MissV ... I REALLY want them to let me in off the WL

hey where are you leaning towards so far in your cycle? wustl? gw? wake?

[missvik218]

observationalist (or anybody else if you know the answer...) - for people on the wl, if admitted, does vandy provide any aid? i'm assuming schollys are out, but is need based aid still available? if so, how generous do they tend to be with it? thank you!!

No info on how waitlist affects $ but for comparison I received no need-based aid and I'm broke.

[pleasetryagain]

observationalist (or anybody else if you know the answer...) - for people on the wl, if admitted, does vandy provide any aid? i'm assuming schollys are out, but is need based aid still available? if so, how generous do they tend to be with it? thank you!!

No info on how waitlist affects $ but for comparison I received no need-based aid and I'm broke.

yes, sad face indeed. It'd be interesting to see what their qualifications are for need based grants/aid. I guess my income of <10k/year and my parents income of <30k/year doesn't cut it these days. I don't know what I'll do.

[somewherewarm]

To hhg and miss V, I emailed Vandy admissions asking the question that hhg posed: if admitted off of the waitlist can one still qualify for need based aid because, alas, I too am on the waitlist. I was told that applicants admitted from the waitlist are considered for need based aid to the "extent that resources are available and if the Need Access form has been completed." I hope this helps and good luck getting off the waitlist (just don't take my spot).

[hhg]

To hhg and miss V, I emailed Vandy admissions asking the question that hhg posed: if admitted off of the waitlist can one still qualify for need based aid because, alas, I too am on the waitlist. I was told that applicants admitted from the waitlist are considered for need based aid to the "extent that resources are available and if the Need Access form has been completed." I hope this helps and good luck getting off the waitlist (just don't take my spot).

haha, thank you somewherewarm! i was going to do the same thing. sounds like i won't get a very useful answer though if that's all you got out of them. where are you looking as an alternative? i got a pretty good amount of money from emory, and it caters to the markets i'm interested in (same as vandy), but the added prestige & respect that vandy has over emory is keeping me wondering which is a better option. (there are several things about emory though, proximity to family etc, that have keep me really interested in going there...) grrr decisions.

[LS18]

So what's the usual wait time between DM and receiving your letter in the mail?

[missvik218]

To hhg and miss V, I emailed Vandy admissions asking the question that hhg posed: if admitted off of the waitlist can one still qualify for need based aid because, alas, I too am on the waitlist. I was told that applicants admitted from the waitlist are considered for need based aid to the "extent that resources are available and if the Need Access form has been completed." I hope this helps and good luck getting off the waitlist (just don't take my spot).

Thank you for the info!! What is the Need Access form?!

[entrechatsix]

So what's the usual wait time between DM and receiving your letter in the mail?

my admit was ~3 days. acceptances are sent priority mail and come quicker than rejections/wl.

[somewherewarm]

To hhg and miss V, I emailed Vandy admissions asking the question that hhg posed: if admitted off of the waitlist can one still qualify for need based aid because, alas, I too am on the waitlist. I was told that applicants admitted from the waitlist are considered for need based aid to the "extent that resources are available and if the Need Access form has been completed." I hope this helps and good luck getting off the waitlist (just don't take my spot).

Thank you for the info!! What is the Need Access form?!

Need Access is similar to FAFSA but it's a little more in-depth. Some other schools require it (Boston U, UCLA, and some T14s) It was due last month at Vandy for admitted students but since we're on the wl I don't think it matters when we have it completed, just as long at it is before we get accepted (IF we get accepted). It costs ~$28 which is kind of a drag but if it helps us get money we need then it's worth it.
I'll post the link (I'm not sure if it'll work, I've never posted a link on TLS before). Just fill it out and under the section where it asks what school it's for, make sure you say Vandy.

http://www.needaccess.org/

[LS18]

Are scholarship offers sent with the acceptance package or separately? If separately, will they inform you regardless of you receive a scholarship or not? Thanks!

[starrydecisus]

Are scholarship offers sent with the acceptance package or separately? If separately, will they inform you regardless of you receive a scholarship or not? Thanks!

I got my acceptance package first, and a scholarship offer a few weeks later in the mail.

[observationalist]

observationalist, Vandy should pay you for all of the PR you do for them on this site! Also, if you happpen across the admissions office go put in a good word for MissV ... I REALLY want them to let me in off the WL

well so long as they offer up some sweet deal to subsidize my IBR payments for a few years like GULC/UCLA etc are doing for PI grads, I won't have any complaints. JD's are too expensive right now but I've enjoyed my time in Nashville immensely and until Belmont Law opens up in a few years there's no other way to simultaneously get a law degree and live in Music City. Just picked up tix to see Levon Helm at the Ryman next month and am going to Foreigner at the Ryman this Tuesday... such an awesome venue.

I can't say that I have much pull with admissions but I can encourage you to do what most of the successful WL-accepts have done in past cycles... visit, stay in touch, update your file, and develop a rapport with the team that will be periodically reviewing your file. much more so than with other schools, they seem to treat the WL as the chance to sort out who they like. to get in with lower numbers than the accepted pile you generally need to show that you're employable, whether that's through a well-managed campaign on your own behalf for why they should admit you or whether it's by revealing yourself to be a personable, articulate candidate who will be able to land a job despite your performance in law school.*

* this is admittedly a littler harder to do this year than before, which is why the 1Ls have had a harder time enjoying themselves than we did. but the best ones are still networking their way into summer gigs and representing the school well, and if you show yourself as having that sort of potential then I imagine admissions will look more favorably on you. since it's such a small school individuals can and do have a noticeable effect on the culture and presumably the brand name.

[Rawlsian]

How bike-friendly is Nashville?

[Thunder Jones]

How bike-friendly is Nashville?

Not too friendly at all.

[pearl_earrings]

How bike-friendly is Nashville?

Not too friendly at all.

When I visited, students unanimously said a car was needed. Apparently a few people survive without one, but it's not ideal.

[Thunder Jones]

When I visited, students unanimously said a car was needed. Apparently a few people survive without one, but it's not ideal.

Survive is the right term. I'm not sure Nashvillians understand the notion of "Yield to Pedestrians".

[Rawlsian]

When I visited, students unanimously said a car was needed. Apparently a few people survive without one, but it's not ideal.

Survive is the right term. I'm not sure Nashvillians understand the notion of "Yield to Pedestrians".

I just noticed your avatar for the first time, classic.

[gogators]

When I visited, students unanimously said a car was needed. Apparently a few people survive without one, but it's not ideal.

Survive is the right term. I'm not sure Nashvillians understand the notion of "Yield to Pedestrians".

I just noticed your avatar for the first time, classic.

As a student, I know that I personally couldn't survive without a car. But I know others who don't have one and just an enthusiastically say that its truly not needed. So long as you can get groceries nearby, the bus system as Observationalist said is pretty good (and pay close attention to his discussion about taking it to the bars as a ride to Broadway from the law school runs about 10 each way and that tends to eat into your budget).