Can I get into Vandy? I will chance back, just in need of help quick...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

School/Major: School of Engineering

Objective:

SAT I (breakdown): 1420 (720 - Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 700 - Math)
ACT: Not sending
SAT II: Not sending
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.88 UW, 4.5 W
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A, but made Principal’s List for top 20 students in grade each year
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP European History (not sending), AP Calculus AB (5), AP Physics C: Mechanics (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calculus BC, English Honors, AP Chemistry, AP French, AP U.S. Government
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar, National Honor Society

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Head of student newspaper, ambassador for school to give tours, basketball, on retreat team with some of my classmates each year to organize going away trip with my class
Job/Work Experience: Internship at Financial Firm, which was was paid
Volunteer/Community service: Habitat for Humanity Ambassador, Girl Scout w/ Bronze and Silver Award, Girl Scout Emerging Leader, National Charity League as Philanthropy Chair
Summer Activities: Internship at UCLA in Electrical Engineering, Internship at my high school in EE and coding (girls who code program), Vet Internship even though I don’t want to pursue this so it’s not too important, Vanderbilt Summer Academy, published author of grammar book series with my older brothers
Essays: Tough to say, but wrote about one of my internships and how it connects with my personality - that no one expected me to be into engineering because I am a total goofball and don’t usually take things seriously (not trying to offend anyone, it’s just the CA conception that engineer = geek, but I don’t agree)
Teacher Recommendation: 8/10 - from my math teacher and she likes me (I hope), but shouldn’t be amazing per say
Counselor Rec: 9/10 - I know her pretty well, so I hope that my CC is able to offer some insight into my academic career and who I am
Additional Rec: 7/10 - nothing special, but it is coming from my English teacher from last year who writes beautifully and is a sweetheart
Interview: N/A

Other

State (if domestic applicant): CA
Country (if international applicant):
Intended major(s): Electrical Engineering
School Type: Private
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: $150,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None

I know my SAT score is on the low side for Vandy and I don’t have any hooks, but do I have any chance at ED I for 2022? I did a summer academy there, have done internships every summer in my field of choice - Electrical Engineering, and have demonstrated interest (although I got the sense that Vandy doesn’t care about demonstrated interest at all bc they know people love their school). No one from my school has ever been accepted except for a girl with a 36 on her ACT… Do I have a shot or am I kidding myself? I need full honesty to prepare myself for a rejection and could apply ED to another school with less focus on scores. I don’t know what to do. I will chance back if someone helps me!!!

2

ECs look quite good, grades+AP scores seem fine. You’re right that your test scores are a bit low, even for EDI.

However, they aren’t so low that you’re out of the running - the ideal for EDI might be around a ~1480, so you’re not that far off. Combined with your strong ECs/grades and some well-written, smart essays/recs, I would say you have a shot. You’re by no means a lock and the score will be something you have to overcome, but it’s by no means a waste to use your ED here.

How many times have you taken the SAT? If you haven’t taken it many times, I could see you performing much better, given your AP scores. You could also consider taking the November/December ACT or SAT dates, and then applying EDII in January. However, I don’t know if it’s really worth losing the EDI advantage (it’s sort of a black box but the general consensus seems to be that EDI probably has higher admissions rates). Your app is close enough that it might be better to just send it now, unless you’re sure that you would knock the next round of testing out of the park. If you do decide to go EDI, just concentrate on making the subjective parts of the app the best that you can, meaning that you should drop everything and be heavily writing and editing your essays now.

3

Thank you for responding fdgjfg, you’re awesome!

I have taken the SAT 3 times and I am waiting for my score from the October SAT, and I don’t think that taking the ACT in October will be any better, but thank you for thinking of that.

Do you know if the EDII admit rate is lower than EDI or do I have a better shot at EDI? I know that if I took the November SAT that I could maybe get my score up to a 1500 as I have prepared for the SAT, but the October SAT was hard as I’m trying to get my math score to a 780…

I’ve worked on my essays a lot and feel that they are pretty good, but I am wondering if that will even make that much of a difference because Vandy wants to get their profile up by raising the standards for testing. Do you have any other input… I’m torn, but thinking that I will ultimately go ED I. Have you heard of anyone in the past getting in with a 1420, or do only people with extremely creative essays or hooks get in with a score like mine?

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Also, do you know if I would have a better chance applying to the School of Engineering or Arts & Sciences? Which is easier to get into?

5

I did some calculation last year using the past posts from the Vandy’s admission statistic on past classes EDs. It appeared to me that EDI is about 25% acceptance rate (about 2,000 applicants for about 500 spots) and EDII is about 18% (about 1,650 applicants for about 300 spots). Vandy only publishes combined rate of EDI and EDII of 23% acceptance rate. The ED rate is drastic higher than the RD, but ED I and ED II are by not much, but many of the ED II applicants could be much more stronger applicants then EDI becaue many ivyies’ and Due applicants not get in the EA and ED will apply Vandy’s EDII, and they are quite high state kids. So only if you are sure that you can drastically improve your SAT score, I would suggest that you apply EDI for the additional % of acceptance rate.

6

Thank you amNotarobot! That really helped and make me realize that my best shot is EDI, so thank you for your insight!

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*made

8

^^^ You are welcome! Also remember that standardized test is about 1/5 of the area that admission officer(s) is looking for, and usually is just a check mark if your score is in certain range. For your score, it won’t exclude you from being consider as a valid candidate for the 2022 class. The other areas: ECs as 1/5, GPA as 1/5, recommendations as 1/5, and the essay as another 1/5 have actually much more way to impress the admission officer and the selection committee. So work on these couple weeks to get the best essay as you can to let the person reading your essay knowing you as a person, and not just another one of the folder. You will have as a good chance as all other ED1 applicants to get in.

If I remember correctly from the material we got from my daughter earlier this year (after she got in by ED1 or might be from the PreVU tour), the Blair had highest % rate of acceptance (about 16%, although only taken 99 kids each year), the second was Peabody at 12%, and Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering were about the same at 9 to 10% range. As a girl, I think you may have an advance in applying to engineering schools in general.

9

I think I would plan on applying EDI, and just wait to see what that October SAT turns out to be. There’s probably a good chance that you improve, and then the test score concern will be diminished. You can always sign up for the November date, and then cancel if you like your score and decide to send it for EDI. If you don’t like what you get, you could consider going through with the November test and waiting until EDII, but again, it might not be worth it.

For what school to apply to, I don’t think it matters too much. Either A&S and engineering will be fine. Your classes and interests seem directed towards engineering and you have good scores in relevant AP classes, so I would probably just apply there since that’s what you’re planning on majoring in.

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That’s true amNotarobot! I have to remember that testing isn’t everything, even with a school like Vandy. Thank you for your encouragement as well! How does your daughter like the school?

11

Thank you again fdgjfg! I think that I am going to apply ED I still, and just wait for my testing. I had a question though. If I send in my scoring once I get my October SAT back, and then take the November SAT, can I still send that if I feel it’s better? I know the admission counselors don’t start reading apps right away, but even if I sent my November SAT in time in addition to my October SAT, would they even consider it? I know scores are coming back a lot faster since October, so I might even be able to get my Nov. SAT in by mid-November. Of course, I will make sure they have my 1420 score on file and whatever score I get for Oct. SAT, but will it update if my Nov. score is better? Sorry if this is confusing!

12

Just got my SAT back and I’m at a 1460 Super Score. Should I take again in November to see if I get any better and then send it in mid-November even though I’m applying ED 1 (if I get better than 1460) or is it not worth the risk of confusion?

13

I think you can email to the AO to ask/inform ^^^ issue if your November test again improves from the October. But again, usually universities do not like applicants took the SAT or ACT more than twice, and that what I have heard. Your 1460 Super Score is already in the range of past accepted ED1 applicants, so you should not worry to much, but try to perfect the other aspects of your application, and pray for the best.
My daughter loves the school. although she complained people seemed to have more fun than her did for the first three weeks, but since then she had joined couple school’s non-profits, a club, an association, a fellowship, few concerts… From her short texts, classes are hard but interesting to her. It’s a fine school.

14

I think the 1460 is probably fine. It’s possible but unlikely that they would be able to include scores from the November date (you should contact the office just to be sure), but you eventually reach the point of diminishing marginal returns. Personally, I think the admissions tests are not very fun to take, so if you’re in the range for EDI I would probably stop.