Am I alright for RD?

<p>White, TN resident
Top 10%, ranked 7/144
3.8 unweighted, unknown weighted
31 ACT, (35 English, 34 math, 26 science, 28 reading)
30 ACT, (35 English, 31 math, 30 science, 26 reading)
31 ACT (35 English, 28 math, 26 science, 35 reading)
Another ACT I haven't taken yet (they will have all four)
No SAT Subject tests (are they required?)
3 on APUSH, currently in AP Eng. Lit., AP Calc AB (the only AP class my school offers that I haven't taken is AP Bio)
Good recommendations from teachers, etc.
3 years of French</p>

<p>Extracurricular:
-Music:
Marching band for 5 years on trombone (3 years) and mellophone (2 years)
Concert band for two years (trombone for one, horn for three)
Jazz band for four years (trombone for all four, bass guitarist for one. Also, this year, the jazz band class was taken off of the schedule, so I started it as a club.)
Several blue medals at Solo&Ensemble on trombone, trumpet, French horn
All-West Tennessee band twice on trombone (working on a third year)
UTMartin Honor band wind ensemble for two years (trombone), symphonic band for one year (French horn), working on another year
Gibson County Community Band for one year (trombone)
-Other:
Destination Imagination for 5 years, advancing to Global Finals thrice, placing 30th (5th grade), 40-ish-th (6th grade), 6th (10th grade)
Participant in Commonwealth Honors Academy at Murray State University (KY)
Runner-up in the regional qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
Alternate for Boys State</p>

<p>Intended major: Psychology or political science
Do I have a chance?</p>

<p>Just one question, where is your service? I know a guy that got in and all he really had was major band involvement, but he had a stellar SAT score and he did EDI. Make sure to write a really good essay.</p>

<p>Community service? (I’m just assuming that’s the kind of service you mean) I went to the Senior Citizens Center for a day. And my jazz band has done community service at Relay for Life and at an inner-city school for three years. Is that worth mentioning?</p>

<p>Community service is highly valued at Vanderbilt. Has your community service at that school and Relay for Life been consistent and for more than a few times each year? I think you should include it anyway.</p>

<p>Your dedication to and accomplishments in music are a plus, and the fact that you started the Jazz club shows leadership. I would say you have a good chance but not a guarantee, mainly because of the ACT average being on the lower side of the admitted students (but if they superscore, that helps you, though I dont think they do). Do you have honors classes/hardest curriculum your school offers? There will be no spot for your 5th and 6th grade activities on the common application, but you could probably mention your earlier Destination Imagination participation somewhere. Vanderbilt does not require subject tests (see [Application</a> | FAQ<em>|</em>Undergraduate Admissions<em>|</em>Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/faq/application]Application”>http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/faq/application)). Do you think you will want to join a band at Vanderbilt?</p>

<p>LBowie, we don’t have honors and I’ve taken three of the four AP classes. And no, I will not be joining the band.</p>

<p>Is your high school what one might call challenging and filled with overachievers?</p>

<p>LBowie, no. It’s a school of 600 in which the only overachievers are the top 15% of each class. We have little to no academic rigor and few classes outside of what is required for graduation.</p>

<p>*Vandy is a reach school with RD for you but you do have a chance.<br>
*Selective schools like gifted and talented students. They love gifted and talented students who use their gifts to make their school and community better.
*Selective schools like musicians and right brain students to balance their left brain premeds and engineering students. Your music may be a mini hook if the band needs horn players.
*Good luck</p>