Chance Me (Updated)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>I know I've posted on here before, but a few things have changed enough that I must make this new thread. Please read all of my post to get a full idea of my strengths and weaknesses (especially grades). Please also assume that I will be able to achieve my goals in the national competitions for next year as I study a few hours every day for them in this summer. Finally, please refrain from lecturing me on my past. I regret it, alot. But, I'm only looking forward, and please do the same, although feel free to tell me how everything might affect me. After you have done all this, please post my chances of getting into Vanderbilt University next spring. First opine on my chances for early decision (24% acceptance this year), then regular decision (12% this year), and finally a full tuition scholarship (a one in a million shot for me, I know). </p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Pakistani American </p>

<p>Age: 17</p>

<p>Schools:
Large Public in IN (9)
Small Private in TN (10-11)
Medium Public in TN (12)</p>

<p>Family: Doctor-MD (Dad), Master's (Mom), 2 younger siblings</p>

<p>Recs (Potential- I've talked to the teachers about what they will write): AP Euro History Teacher, AP Bio Teacher, Counselor (Even though I will be there for only one year, I hope to always be at the top of my class and do much better than my previous record)</p>

<p>Essays (Potential) : One on being a Pakistani American Ahmadi Muslim (a minority group) Democrat in Tennessee, One on how I found a passion for learning (which had previously felt forced), especially math and science, that drove me to study all of them for many hours and partake in competitions.</p>

<p>Intended Major: Physics or Chemistry</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<p>Grades (9-11): Semester 1 (9): 7A/1B, Semester 2 (9): 1A/4B/1C, Semester 1 (10): 5A/1B, Semester 2 (10): 5A/1B, Semester 1 (11): 2A/4B, Semester 2 (11): 4B/2C in All Honors Classes and 2 AP Classes: AP Chemistry (Semester 1: B, Semester 2: C+) and AP Calculus BC (Semester 1: A-, Semester 2: B)</p>

<p>Senior Course Load and Grades (Potential): All A's (98% or better) in AP Biology, AP Physics B, AP European History, AP English Literature, AP Statistics, and Honors Spanish 4, at School and an A in Organic Chemistry with Lab in an online class </p>

<p>GPA/Class Rank (Potential): 4.10 at private school and ranked in the top 15% at the end of junior year, and 3.85 (Weighted) Ranked in Top 25% in 300 Students after first semester of senior year (Potential)</p>

<p>SAT: 2400 ACT: 36 SAT Chemistry: 800, SAT Math II: 800, SAT Physics: 800, SAT Biology M: 800, SAT US History: 800, SAT World History: 800</p>

<p>AP Exam Scores: NONE</p>

<p>Extra-Cirricular Activities:</p>

<p>Speech and Debate (10-12): State 2nd Place (10), 350 Tournament Points</p>

<p>Piano (9, 11-12): Gold Star Rating in Region (9), Do Well in Regional Festival (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Mock Trial (11): Lawyer- 2nd Place in Region</p>

<p>Young Democrats (10-11): VP (11)</p>

<p>NHS and Mu Alpha Theta Member (10-12)</p>

<p>Community Service (10-12): 100 Hours in Mosque and Science Center; Local Library (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Employment (12-Potential): Work at Kumon as Math Tutor for 5 months </p>

<p>Math Club (9, 12): President (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Student Newspaper Member (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Table Tennis Club (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Research (12-Potential): Independent "Research" done in Science- mainly with a home telescope and in some higher math</p>

<p>Other Awards/Distinctions: Regional Math Test Top 5 (9, 10), National Merit Commended Scholar (12), State Math Problem Solving Test Top 10 (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Awards to be sent after initial submission of application (all potential): </p>

<p>Intel STS Semi-Finalist in Math (Sent in Late January)</p>

<p>USA Physics Olympiad Semi-Finalist and AMC 12 Top 1% (Mid-February)</p>

<p>USA Chemistry Olympiad Top in Region and USA Biology Olympiad Semi-Finalist (Early March)</p>

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<p>BUMP…it seems a ton of people have looked at my thread but no one has replied yet. Please do so.</p>

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<p>BUMP…PLEASE POST!!! No ■■■■■.</p>

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<p>ED = 5% chance
RD = 0% chance
Scholarship = if you apply, watch out!</p>

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<p>I don’t know how big of a role your grades will play…
I was admitted this year to Vanderbilt with an unweighted GPA of 3.28 but then again I like to think of myself as an exception because I emphasized my strengths in my application.
I would say just try…
You never know.</p>

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<p>@Commodroe15, why do you say that? @sdwang, if you don’t mind asking, what race are you and were the strengths you refer to?</p>

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<p>I’m Asian which is why I was surprised I was admitted.
My high school is the second biggest feeder school into Vanderbilt so the counselors know the other side pretty well (Vandy knows my school- the curriculum, the grading, the different levels of classes while my HS knows Vandy- we have a special department of counselors just for the college process and my high school counselor regularly contacts my Vandy admission’s counselor.
I have national awards in Science Olympiad and piano.
I didn’t require need-based financial aid. I’m lucky that my family can comfortably pay tuition.
I’m immersed in Alzheimer’s Disease research. I wrote about my experience in my common application essay (which I thought to be really strong) and I also mailed in supplemental materials with my application (copies of research papers I was involved in, certificates from national conferences I attended, additional support letter from the professor I worked with who is the head of the department at Northwestern)
I emailed my admissions counselor about my grades and interest in Vanderbilt.
I also have a good enough relationship with the principal of my school to have him also send a letter in (my class size is 1200 kids so doesn’t do this often)</p>

<p>I was very fortunate to be accepted.
I just tried to show I am more than my grades…</p>

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<p>@sdwang, did you get in early or regular? Also, what high school do you go to btw? Brentwood High by any chance?</p>

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<p>I got in regular decision
I went to New Trier which is in Winnetka, IL</p>

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<p>Hmmm…sdwang, early decision has twice the acceptance as regular at Vandy. Do you think I’d have a better chance for that, especially since I live in the area?</p>

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<p>I’d say go for it.

  1. The implied interest will help you.
  2. You’ll know sooner…</p>
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<p>Oh great more New Trier kids…</p>

13

<p>^ this.</p>

<p>There are 19 of us in the Class of 2016 which happens to be the same number as in the Class of 2015.
Funny how that worked out.</p>

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<p>Out of curiosity, what’s the number one feeder school to Vandy?</p>

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<p>From what I’ve heard it’s MBA in Nashville</p>

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<p>I found out that instead of a 3.85, I’ll actually have a 3.97 weighted GPA, about a 3.54 unweighted GPA, and will be ranked anywhere from the top 20-30% of my class at the end of my first semester of senior year which I will report to colleges. Does that put me in a better position for getting into Vanderbilt considering I will go to a Williamson County public high school next year?</p>

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<p>DoctorMagic, your essays and references will be important but most of the Vanderbilt incoming class is not only in the top 10%, they are in the top 5% of their high school classes. The admissions staffers understand that every high school is a different animal and they will look at the context of your education. ie our sons went to a high school with a 50% drop out rate. Considerably easier to be in the top 5% when fewer kids are college ready in the first place, compared to high schools in affluent suburbs where the majority of the class is college bound and the top 20% may mean something else entirely.<br>
Make sure to apply to match colleges and to pursue them with vigor.</p>

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<p>98.4% graduation</p>

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<p>DoctorMagic,</p>

<p>Why are you changing high schools yet again? Your new high school counselor really won’t have much of a chance to get to know you. In addition, you have a few things that you are hoping for in the new school (being an officer in clubs) that may be difficult since the kids in the clubs won’t know much if anything about you to be willing to elect you. You mention where you expect to be by the end of the first semester. If you apply ED1 then by that point it really won’t matter. ED1 applications are due well before the end of the first semester and the decisions are made by the middle of December.</p>

<p>All you can do is try. I will tell you that Vandy tends to look for good well balanced individuals. </p>

<p>Last but certainly not least…please try to stop focusing on your “potential” offices, awards, etc. I think you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try but it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t achieve those goals and it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get admitted to Vandy. Vanderbilt seems to find people that are a good fit. If you are a good fit then it will all work out for you.</p>

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<p>@vandymom7, ma’am, I hope to get a decent rec with my counselor as I hope to establish a personable relationship with him, but I am not trying to be an officer in any clubs and will just join a few. Unless my new teachers display a unique favoritism towards me, I’ll get recs from my previous teachers. I also regret being apathetic towards my grades in high shcool and am willing to admit that may be the sole reason I’ll get rejected from Vanderbilt and other amazing schools like it. I hope to never put myself in such a position for college and later in life. I am only on here to ask if what I’m doing is maximizing my chances of getting in to Vanderbilt. On the potential things, I work on them for many hours each day in the summer and the reason that I list them as potential is that I think I’ll be lucky to get half of them accomplished. I just add them in to see if they can boost my application as this gives me the motivation to give up many hours of my day for these potential goals. Also, would EDII allow my first semester grades for senior year and most of the potential things to be considered in my application? Finally, do you believe that I should apply RD as I will have had the most amount of time to show my interest for Vanderbilt, my hopeful improvement with my responsibility, and hopefully allow the Vanderbilt admissions committee to see my talent in math, science, and debate?</p>