Chance Me For Emory & Vanderbilt RD

hey guys im an asian female and im super interested in Emory and Vanderbilt! I also really would like the woodruff scholarship/full scholarship since i don’t qualify for financial aid, so please chance me for that aspect as well if you can!!

Unweighted GPA: 3.75
Weighted GPA: 4.4
ACT Score: 34 (should i retake??)

EC’s:
-Research at Local University (cannot say for privacy reasons)
-Baylor Volunteer (over 300 hours)
-Scottish Rite Volunteer
-Shadowing at Local Hospital
-HOSA-Regionals 2018

-Student Emergency Response Team
-Volunteered at a hospital for impoverished people in India
-Red Cross Volunteer
-Tutored Bhutanese Refugees
-Senior Home Volunteer
-Indian Classical Music 5 years (awards as well)
-Worked at Gideon as a tutor
-Debate 3 Years//Varsity Debate for 2 years

Leadership:
-Southern Youth Advisory Board
-Young Adult Action Council
-Started Club Regarding Helping Those in Need
-STIR Secretary
-Selected as Section Leader in India Hospital
-Local Human Rights and Justice Board
-Youth Leader of Local Organization
-College Ambassadors

Essays: i havent written them yet, but i feel like they will be genuine since i will be writing how i felt purposeless and lost (gives reason for dip in grades) until i went to a spiritual camp which helped me realize myself (the club that i started is based on this)

Rec letters:
i think they will be good, i hope to get a rec letter from my research supervisor as well

Nobody should be chancing any candidate for RD. Also, if the financial aspect is keeping you from applying ED, you would be surprised how generous Emory can be with aid. Somewhere on the admissions website there is a financial aid calculator which will give you approximate aid that you would receive from Emory. Before just writing off aid as impossible, you should use that online tool and see where you come out.

Do you have samples of the classical music you can submit as art supplements?

ummmm yes i could but would it make a difference? it’s indian and super traditional music so idk how the admissions council would really do anything with it, but yes i do have samples

ljberkow…my parents’ salaries are well above the financial aid line unfortunately and my parents arent okay with ED because they would like me to keep my options open

overall though, do you think my profile could possibly fit that of an accepted woodruff applicant or just as an accepted applicant in general?

The Woodruff scholarships are incredibly competitive and no one here can handicap your chances beyond saying it’s a high reach. With that said, your GPA is probably on the low side for the top merit awards at highly selective schools.

Run the NPCs at all schools that are on your list along with your parents…you need to know how much they will pay per year. If for example the Emory or Vandy NPCs show a number they aren’t comfortable paying, you will need to merit hunt and/or consider lower cost schools, such as in-state publics. Good luck.
https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/emory
https://vanderbilt.studentaidcalculator.com/survey.aspx

It’s almost impossible to chance anyone at Emory especially for RD. No one can tell you your chances of the Woodruff Scholarship. Assume that it is highly unlikely for everyone.

It’s one thing to keep options open, but it’s another to find that your top choices won’t be options at all because you might not gain admission applying Regular Decision. Both Emory and Vanderbilt are top schools and hard enough to get into ED, let alone RD. You would have two bites at the apple if you applied ED1 to one and ED2 the other. With my son, we decided that ED1 was an appropriate strategy because it decreased that risk. These are tough choices and good luck with them.

thx guys! i really appreciate your help. i’m going to be a junior and i’m already stressing. how much do you guys think the acceptance rate will change for class of 2025? also do you yall recommend taking subject tests?

i’m also from new jersey and i heard some top schools try to keep a quota per state about how many students they can take…is this true? and if it is, would it be harder for me to get in since new jersey is pretty competitive??

@kindalamelol you shouldn’t worry too much about admission rates and your geography, especially as a junior. Just focus on having a strong junior year and get an expanded college list and plan some visits.

Better chances at Emory than Vandy with the current GPA. Also, what is your potential major?

You are on the brink of acceptance according to the Naviances I have, but your own school’s data and charts would be more relevant to you. I suggest you add SAT2s.

Since you are on the edge of acceptance, stat wise, the chances of getting merit from these two schools is very low. Getting into E or V is very competitive.

If you need or want merit money, you need to know how much your parents willing and able to pay, and look for schools where not only are you sure to get accepted but you are well within the top % of students getting merit money there. Look at the Common Data sets of each as to how many freshmen get financial aid and the average amounts. You can assess where you are in each picture. A school like Susquehanna, St Lawrence, Tulane , Fordham are prospects. Depending on how much money you need, it can be quite the challenge to get merit money.

I agree that applying ED is a bad idea if it’s important to get merit money. Though I think Emory does include ED students for their awards, you don’t know until until spring and the chances are very small getting them. You are locked in if you accept ED.

Consider somewhere like UC. Berkeley. Your EC profile of volunteering and human rights board etc… fits very well with their profile.

^OP is likely OOS and Cal just isn’t worth it compared to Emory/Vandy if costs are a factor.

Your GPA makes it a little bit of a stretch. ACT score is great! EC’s are also pretty good. I would ED II, if your parents don’t let you ED I.