Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, is a private research university. It is named after rail and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the university with a $1 million dollar endowment to get started. Vanderbilt enrolls around 12 000 students annually from all 50 U.S. states. Vanderbilt is situated in an urban environment, but the campus is actually considered a national arboretum, and features over 300 species of shrubs and trees. 25 Rhodes Scholars have been affiliated with Vanderbilt as students or faculty.

History

In the mid 19th century, the Methodist Episcopal Church wanted to create a regional university in the South for the training of ministers. In 1872, church leaders voted to establish “Central University” and planned on opening it in Nashville. The South had been ravaged by the Civil War, however, and that combined with lack of funds delayed the opening of the college. Living in New York at the time was a wealthy man named Cornelius Vanderbilt, who was considering philanthropy in his later years. He originally planned to establish a university on Staten Island, but was convinced to donate $500 000 to help open Central University in Nashville. This endowment was increased to $1 million, and the school was renamed “Vanderbilt University”. Unfortunately, Cornelius Vanderbilt died before the school opened. In the fall of 1865, the first students were enrolled at Vanderbilt (approximately 200). During the 1920s and 1930s, Vanderbilt became influential among intellectuals because it hosted the Agrarians and the Fugitives, two groups of scholars who significantly impacted American thought. Today, Vanderbilt is a highly ranked institution and one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

Programs

Vanderbilt is home to the Peabody College of Education and Human Development which is ranked by U.S. News as the best Education School in the United States. U.S. News also ranks the Education administration and supervision, Education policy, Elementary teacher education, Higher education administration, and Special Education programs in the top 5. Peabody College offers more than 15 areas for students to specialize in, including Human Development Counselling and Reading Education. It offers 5 different departments: Human and Organizational Development, Psychology and Human Development, Leadership, Policy, and Organizations, Special Education, and Teaching and Learning. Each department has undergraduate and graduate programs with different areas of specialization. Peabody also has more than a dozen research centers and labs on campus which help contribute to the field of Education each year. Vanderbilt also has an excellent law program. Vanderbilt Law School is ranked by U.S. News as the 15th best Law School in the country. Its first year curriculum is composed of mandatory courses. Afterwards students are given the ability to choose their own electives and take clinical courses. Law students can also take joint degrees through the School of Medicine and Owen Graduate School of Management. Vanderbilt Law School offers academic specializations in areas such as Criminal Justice, International Law, Social Justice, and Law and Economics.

Pros & Cons

Vanderbilt is ranked by U.S. News as the 17th best university in the United States. Located in Nashville, Tennessee (known as “Music City”), Vanderbilt has a wide range of student activities. Nashville offers plenty of off-campus activities and options for shopping, dining, entertainment, and music. While there urban surroundings may be a drawback for some people, the campus is actually considered a national arboretum. On campus, freshmen are required to live in “The Commons”, which allows the opportunity for students to meet new people. Vanderbilt also has a thriving Greek life, with 40% of students taking part. About 30% of students take part in Vanderbilt’s study abroad programs. Vanderbilt only has a 16.4% acceptance rate, however, and tuition costs over $42 000. Because of the high expenses, almost half of undergraduate students receive financial aid.