Calling All Commodores...

<p>Hey everyone, I'm sorry about adding to the rising number of chance threads but Vanderbilt is one of my top choices and I'd really like to know how things are looking. As of now I will either be applying to the school of engineering (for BME) or Arts and Sciences (for Neurosci or MCB). </p>

<p>Anecdotal evidence/advice/suggestions are all completely welcome (:</p>

<p>Also, I'm not sure if this matters much, but one of my siblings and a brother-in-law attended Vanderbilt. Both LOVED it. Not the traditional legacy, but the supplement did ask about relatives. </p>

<p>Alright here is the information. Thanks in advance!
PROFILE
Caucasian Male
Region: NE Wisconsin
School: uncompetitive public (relatively small)
GPA: 4.0/4.0 UW (our school does not provide weighted GPA)
Class Rank: 1/312
Potential Hook: none</p>

<p>1st ACT Composite: 31
Current ACT Composite: 33 (retake again?)
English: 36
Math: 33
Reading: 34
Science: 29 (ugh)
Combined E/W: 31 (8 writing)
PSAT: 196...no studying but still makes me think my SAT would not be too strong</p>

<p>AP Classes
Biology (5)
US History (5)
*Only others offered at my school are AP Psych/AP Calc BC/AP Euro. </p>

<p>SENIOR SCHEDULE
No Spanish IV (could this hurt?)
CC Expository Writing
Honors Economics
CC Philosophy of Human Nature (on private college campus)
CC Elementary Latin I and II (on private college campus)
CC Calc/Analytic Geometry I and II (on private college campus)
Planning to independent study CC Chem or something similar to AP Physics B</p>

<p>*Originally planned to take AP Physics senior year but it was eliminated
*Only other challenging science course not covered will be CC Human A & P
*School does offer AP Calc II but no Calc I/Calc II block</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR (weakest part):
Varsity Cross Country (9, 10, 11, 12)
-3 time sectional qualifier
Cross Country Captain (12)
-Organize team events (pre-season canoe outing and pre-race dinners)
-Attendance
-Team Practice Leader
Varsity Track and Field (9, 10, 11)
-3 time regional qualifier
Summer Running/Weightlifting program
-Lead stretches and provide assistance to others in high school weight room
Metro Math League (11, 12)
NHS (11, 12)
Science Bowl Team (11, 12)
HOPEFULLY hired for a job at local store in September</p>

<p>HONORS/AWARDS
Cross Country Most Improved (9)
Cross Country Varsity Letter (9, 10, 11)
Track and Field Varsity Letter (9, 10, 11)
Should I include running awards not associated with school...like local road races?
Certification in CPR (May 2010) I know...not that important
High Honor Roll (9, 10, 11) Got some medallion thing for 20+ academic points
Nominated for AMC 12 (11)
Golden Scalpel (awarded to student with highest cumulative dissection quiz score in Human A & P) (10)
NOTE: School does not hand out other awards</p>

<p>VOLUNTEER WORK
Summers 2009/2010
National Railroad Museum (90+ hours)
-Conductor
-Inventory Assistant
-Facilities maintenance</p>

<p>2008 – present (~30 hours)
Student Assistant (tutor) in Student Resource/Math Resource Centers during lunch periods</p>

<p>Miscellaneous Volunteer Work (10+ hours)
-Referee/Timer at local middle school track meet
-Helped out at GB Cellcom Marathon WPS Kids Run
-Helped raise money for Malawi Well Project</p>

<p>MAYBE volunteering at local hospital and/or church this year if time permits. </p>

<p>OTHER
Planning on pre-med
Currently in the process of applying for Air Force ROTC scholarship
Essays should be decent, but probably nothing spectacular
Recommendations from AP Bio/APUSH/English/Precalc teachers). Maybe from professor at private college. </p>

<p>If more information is needed (like classes taken freshman through junior year) refer to this link.
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/980843-narrowing-college-list-serious-chances-needed.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/980843-narrowing-college-list-serious-chances-needed.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>very impressive, no one can guarantee you’ll get in, but you’ll definitely be competitive.</p>

<p>The sibling is a definite plus. If you take the most rigorous courses offered it will not work against you that your school doesn’t offer as many choices. Also going outside your school to further challenge yourself academically should help. I think you have a very good chance. Ifg you are sure Vandy is for you, you can improve your chances by applying ED. Before you do that, make sure you are positive about your choice. Best of Luck!</p>

<p>^I cannot apply ED because I will need to be able to compare financial aid packages ): But thanks for the response. Does Vandy really consider the sibling “legacy?”</p>

<p>Anyone else have opinions? I’m really worried about my ECs - that they are not diverse enough, exciting enough, etc.</p>

<p>You can still compare financial aid packages if you apply ED - but, if there’s no extenuating circumstances in which you really feel the need to apply ED, then apply RD. </p>

<ul>
<li>Note: Although you can compare financial aid packages at ED, it’s a tricky business. If your EFC comes out to 20k (surprise, surprise) and your family was unaware it was going to be that high…and Vanderbilt gives you around 30k of aid…then it’s going to be a hard battle trying to convince them you want more money, you need more money, or that you need to break the ED contract because you didn’t do enough research. (Not to be rude to those in that position, of course, but there are online financial aid calculators that will usually tell you your EFC with a 1-4k standard deviation).</li>
</ul>

<p>But as I said before, it’s tricky business. Which is why most people will immediately tell you that you can’t apply ED & compare financial aid packages, instead of telling you that it’s very possible to do it if you really want to and if you do your research. The risks that come with not doing the research, however, are too high, which is why many perpetuate the myth that you can’t compare ED financial aid packages. It’s simply easier and less stressful for the parents and students to be told to apply RD than to do research about their finances, or have an incredibly intuitive sense of what their EFC will be ahead of time. </p>

<p>(I applied ED at Vanderbilt looking for financial aid. I didn’t send a deposit check in until receiving financial aid from my other universities. I was never harassed, and Vanderbilt’s aid ending up being the best).</p>

<p>According to their admissions staff, siblings are a plus. I have two children at Vandy and this was a question we asked several times. I undersatnd waiting for the financial package as this is what my first did. Best of Luck!</p>