Chances? D:

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>Hello, lovely people of CC. :]
So, like everyone else I'd just like to get an idea of my chances. Didn't get into my first choice school, but Vanderbilt is a very close 2nd. </p>

<p>White female/ California charter school (for the performing and visual arts :] ) student
SAT (not good enough...): 1880 (CR+M+W)
SAT II (also pretty bad): Bio-E 610, Math 2 570
Unweighted GPA (not counting 1st semester of senior year): 3.84
Weighted: 4.11
-Note: My GPA is a little weird because I've taken community college classes since 2nd semester of sophomore year, some of which were for high school credit. UC system that governs CA high schools doesn't allow for college classes to be weighted in GPA because of what they're replacing... (though, mine were really replacing APs, UC is the overlord...) SO 'A's in college classes essentially made my GPA go down.</p>

<p>Rank: 3/approx 70. (Also due to unweighted college classes)
-In high school, I've gotten straight 'A's except for geometry freshman year and chem sophomore year.
APs: only one, bio (3)
College classes: French 101 (A), Psych 101 (B), US Hist-both semesters (A in each), MacroEcon (B), US Govnt (A), Intro to Stats (A), French 102 (A), French 103, Modern Philosophy
ECs: Marching band freshman year, acted in Shakespeare plays sophomore and senior year, top wind ensemble 10-12 grade, jazz ensemble 10-12 grade, student government (10: newsletter editor, 11: secretary/staff appreciation commissioner, 12: vice president), began Mock Trial/ Forensics teams 11th/12th grade (prosecution trial attorney both years, student congress and original oratory in forensics), United Way volunteer/project leader, GFS (Episcopal girls' organization), college classes (not really an EC i guess), went to state science fair freshman year (hoping to go again this year- haven't done a project for the past 2 years)</p>

<p>My school opened 3 yrs ago, and I've been very involved with starting new organizations and also basically running student government. Only 3 APs are offered at my school- Bio (my year was the teacher's 1st year teaching AP), USH, and World Hist. AP World began my junior year (I had already taken honors world sophomore year).</p>

<p>Oh! This year's course load (not counting college classes): ASB (student government), Symphonic Winds, Costume Design II, English IV H, Physics, Calculus (which is being taken online as a college class through BYU- my school pays for us to take the independent study course; there are 6 students, including me, enrolled), Big Band, and Mock Trial/Forensics.</p>

<p>I make balloon figures as well, and I included some pictures in the additional info section on the Common App.</p>

<p>Any ideas? I mean, I'm a pretty decent writer but I'm not sure if the essay will be good enough to compensate for my SAT and AP scores. I applied to college of arts and sciences, and right now my intended major is neuroscience.</p>

2

<p>Are you going for performing arts? Seems weird to go to a charer school like that if you don’t want to do it is a career, but Cali has a strange education system, so idk.
But you’re grades and ec’s are almost identical to mine: I was a big theater kid at a normal school, but did student government and the school paper. Grades are excellent, but SAT’s might hurt you a lot. A good essay and reccomendations might make up for it though</p>

3

<p>Did you get in?
I picked the performing arts school because the school I went to freshman year was really overcrowded and it was almost impossible to be involved in more than one thing. You had to be in marching band to take a regular band class, and I didn’t want to give up the flute to be involved in other clubs/activities so I switched. I’m going for neuroscience, though I hope to keep playing flute and trombone.
My English teacher is always very impressed with my papers and has said that I’m the best high school writer he’s encountered. Recommendations were probably excellent (I told my teachers that I didn’t want to read them) because one was from the English teacher and the other was from my AP bio teacher (who’s kind of a mentor, plus she hired me to do balloons at her daughter’s birthday party).</p>

4

<p>I did get in (33 ACT, 3.7 UW 4.43 W 720 math II)
And I think it’s partly because Vandy valued the personal side of performing arts. I talked to a girl who goes to one of them yesterday about it, and she said that a lot of kids realized that it wasn’t a career move for them, but had credits that made it tough to transfer, so I understand your dilemma. I still think you have a shot, so good luck!!</p>