<p>I'll be applying for the 2012-13 school year. I intend to apply for the engineering program.
Here's all my stats and stuff:
[ *] SAT Verbal: 710 (meh, I KNOW I could do better. Worth retaking?)
[ *] SAT Math: 790
[ *] SAT Writing: 780
[ *] SAT Total: 2280
[ *] SAT II: Chem 800, Physics 780, Math II 800, Lit 750
[ *] ACT: 36 (35 in English)
[ *] AP taken/scores: Calc BC (expect 5), Language (expect 4), Physics (expect 5). Will take next year: Chem, Literature, German, Statistics, Psychology
[ *] GPA weighted: 4.62/4.83
[ *] GPA unweighted: 4.0
[ *] Rank or % estimate: 2/450</p>
<p>[ *] Essays: Still thinking of ideas
[ *] Teacher Recs: Should be good
[ *] Counselor Rec: Probably will be generic
[ *] Hook (if any): In my school's 50 year history, nobody has gone to an Ivy League. Neither of my parents have college degrees.</p>
<p>[ *] State or Country: IL
[ *] School Type: Public
[ *] Ethnicity: White
[ *] Gender: Male
[ *] Legacy Yes/No: No
[ *] Recruited Yes/No: No
[ *] Important ECs: Drum major in the marching band for 2 years, tutor at a tutoring center, 8 years playing the clarinet, 4 years of math team, 4 years of Scholastic Bowl, 1 year of speech team, 2 years of NHS, 2 years of Link Crew (freshman support/leadership group), National Merit Semi-Finalist (hopefully Finalist eventually).</p>
<p>I like my test scores, but my lack of awards (and opportunities) sucks.</p>
<p>Don’t really see anything to indicate why you wouldn’t get in.</p>
<p>Hard to beat #2 out of 450 students…</p>
<p>Seems like a shoe-in to me.</p>
<p>your fantastic test scores are not uncommon anymore in Vandy’s freshman class. Don’t worry about “awards”…those can be so lame anyway. </p>
<p>it is your job to let them get to know you on paper in short essays and this is difficult</p>
<p>Instead, focus on writing great essays. Vanderbilt wants students who will enter and join up and contribute somewhere. Are you interested in marching band? there is a student here that answers questions who is a leader and it is a very fun social circle at Vandy. </p>
<p>Definitely write a bit about being first generation to get to college. Give the reader a birds eye view into your family history and culture. Look at the Chancellors at Vanderbilt and look at their essay requirements</p>
<p>You are going to be admitted to many colleges and to your state honors colleges, so it is time to really think hard about where you would be happiest learning and what if any vocational goals you have.</p>
<p>Be thoughtful in all of your college apps re finances. Can your parents pay your FAFSA is a big question to address? If so, you can apply anywhere. Vanderbilt is among the colleges that has very very good need aid. It also has merit packages that you should apply for. Odds are against winning but you never ever know if you don’t try and this gives them more essays and more ways to get to know you whether you win a merit offer or not…</p>
<p>Reference letters count. Make sure you approach your writers thoughtfully with a list that makes sense. </p>
<p>You should be applying for the merit programs at private colleges like Vanderbilt. But before you do this, make sure you like each college for a specific sincere reason. This summer is the perfect time to work hard on essays, read essay books, take notes and get going on downloading the merit application essays you should be doing. It takes a lot of hustle to win merit money. But again, be thoughtful about where you would be happiest…liberal arts college, state honors college, Ivy, large private, regional private etc. </p>
<p>There are many youtube videos online for colleges if you are not visiting them in person…get to really know Vandy and other colleges any way you can</p>
<p>I’m an enrolled student of Vandy’s Class of 2015, Biomed Eng major and I think you’re a shoe-in. I still second everything that faline2 said though. Those are all really good things to think about. Vandy gave me a wonderful aid package and is really good with financial aid. I got into great schools but Vandy was willing to pay for me which was really important. Good luck! Don’t sweat the generic stuff like grades. Really concentrate on those essays. Vandy didn’t have a supplemental essay when I applied so all I had to back on was my commonapp essay.</p>