<p>ACT: 31 composite; 29 writing
SAT II: 730 US H
Weighted GPA: 3.77 Unweighted GPA: 3.53 (consistent upward trend since freshman year)
AP: AP USH (5)
Senior Year Course Load: AP Gov, AP Euro, AP Lang, Pre-calc, International Business & Culture, Band, Orchestra</p>
<p>Extracurriculars: President of temple youth group (on youth group board 4 years); bassoon in band & ochestra, played in carnegie hall and austria (4 years); director, actress, stage manager educational skits in school district (4 years); manager high school basketball (4 years) and high school football (3 years); paid dance intern at summer theater camp (2 years); ap us history play script committee & actress; HELP and Spanish clubs (2 years); attended Jewish leadership training seminars and camp;</p>
<p>Volunteer/Community service: Homeless shelter in New Brunswick every year; Distribute clothes to the homeless in NYC each year; Pirate Players educational skits for children grades 2-9 </p>
<p>Which school did you apply to?: Blair as first choice; Arts & Sciences as second.
Major: Bassoon; English</p>
<p>State (if domestic applicant): NJ
School Type: 1,650 students; public; highly ranked & extremely competive
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Jewish!?; Bassoon player (the bassoon prof. encouraged me to apply to Blair instead of A&S)</p>
<p>Strengths: ACT score maybe?; bassoon; extracurriculars
Weaknesses: GPA & no honors math or science</p>
<p>If you have any questions feel free to ask me and thank you!</p>
<p>shamROX i would have advised to apply ED to vandy but given you are applying RD I feel vandy would be a high reach.</p>
<p>Even though you are applying to the music school, you have listed no awards or any special honors related to music outside of simply playing in the high school band. thus, it would be seemingly impossible to make up for such a low GPA to get into a school like vandy, especially considering your test scores are barely within vandy’s middle 50 percent. Also you have seemed to keep busy outside school however this means nothing when you applying to the music school which looks strictly on your talent to play the instrument, gpa, and test scores, which it seems all three all below par in relation to vandy’s standards. </p>
<p>So goodluck moving forward, this constructive criticism is not crush any dreams, its just people use college confidential for honest feedback, and this is what i have tried to give. perhaps you should look at schools a level below vandy’s level that are more in line with your gpa, strength schedule such as tulane or umiami.</p>
<p>best of luck</p>
<p>Not to be mean- this is my honest reply- but you probably should be looking at some other schools/threads. 3.77 GPA will really just serve as a moment of comedy for the admissions committee. Admissions officers know what “managing” a team really means- they will wonder why you weren’t doing something more productive or academic with your time instead of handing out water bottles and looking to socialize. Vanderbilt University is a highly intellectual school, most of the kids are at an ivy-league caliber of learning. Judging by your bio, it seems you are trying to get into college just on bassoon and your jewish heritage- thats pretty flimsy. If you plan on majoring in “Bassoon”, have you shown a record of success with the instrument throughout high school? any awards or regionals/states level recognition. You don’t specify if you are in a position of leadership with regards to music (section leader, Band president…etc), so if you wish to go into that field, or are looking to use bassoon to get yourself into college, you seem to be severely lacking in several respects.</p>
<p>Judging by the small gap between your weighted and unweighted GPA, it seems you did not take a very strong course load in high school. Taking pre-calc as a senior is fairly low in terms of a typical vanderbilt student- as I said before, vandy kids are at an ivy-league level of learning, and most ivy-leaguers have taken pre-calc at least by junior year, if not earlier. In terms of your strengths, the majority of applicants to vanderbilt will have ACT scores of atleast 31 or more- so your ACT score does not make you stand out in any way. Additionally, your extra curriculars seem to be more likely to hurt you than help you- it does not seem as if you progressed and excelled at any specific fields over the last couple of years outside of school.</p>
<p>I have a friend who tried using the french horn to help her get into college. However, she did not have anything special or outstanding about french horn in her resume, but felt as if she would get in because she received “interest” from the band directors of the ivy league schools she was applying to. she was rejected from her schools, and found out that the “interest” expressed by the band directors is generic- they are advised by the school admissions committees to do the same thign with every applicant, regardless of merit.</p>
<p>This is an honest evaluation, I think you will be a very strong candidate for a lower-tier of schools. Students at vandy are very intellectual- it requires a different level of learning (think the kids in high school that essentially excel at a courseload full of AP’s since sophomore year). If bassoon is your true interest, I hope you excel. Music is a beautiful subject to continue in college (if it is truly your passion)- and I wish you the very best!</p>
<p>Don’t get your hopes completely down. Vanderbilt does truly use the concept of holistic review. They may find something about you that they really like, which is why it is vital that you distinguish yourself in your essay.</p>
<p>You go to Ridge, don’t you?
Highly ranked my ass lol, go warriors!!
No, but yeah, I think ED2 would give you the best chance. Obviously you’re grades are going to be a stumbling block, but the ACT score is totally fine, don;t let others bring that down. That’s right in the mid-50 range.
And as for this “ivy level of learning” crap. Just because she doesn’t have perfect grades doesn’t mean she isn’t intellectual. Grades have just as much to do with ********,favoritism,and being a workhorse as intellectualism. I know brilliant kids with bad grades and dumb kids with excellent grades. So hop off your high horse, bud.
And We need not stoop to “Ivy Level”. As an admitted member of the lass of 2015, I pride myself in Vanderbilt and feel no need to compare it to ivies. It is one of the best in the country, no doubt.
Good luck, though I don’t know much about admissions with music or anything like that.
I think you have a slim chance, depending on the need for bassoon players, idk.</p>
<p>Assuming your grades are good senior year first semester, I think you have a shot.
If you can, try to make sure your essays are spectacular and you volunteer more to boost your resume! :)</p>
<p>I hope you get in, another jew from NJ!</p>
<p>773 views and just 6 responses?</p>
<p>I got in with a similar GPA. I did however have a 35 ACT, and a lot of other factors that I think really helped my application. So there’s more to it than GPA, but you should really try to bring up that ACT score and start demonstrating interest now and apply ED if you want an okay chance</p>
<p>You spelled competitive wrong. </p>
<p>Senior Year course load: AP lang
Major: English</p>
<p>Humorous?</p>
<p>hey shamROX how did it work out, i heard you were telling people in your school that you were worried about getting rescinded… but dont you actually have to get into the school before that happens? hahahahahahaha</p>
<p>hey shamROX, i heard the wallpaper on your phone was Vandy. time to change that?
“Yeah Buddy” - Pauly D</p>
<p>My scores were similar to shamrox’s (actually, mine were slightly lower), but I was admitted. My high school classes were far less competitive than his, and my only strengths were my piano playing and essays.
I currently have a 4.0 GPA at Vanderbilt and was recently elected president of an honor society.
Stop being ****** bags and give the guy a chance?</p>