<p>Ok, so first off I'd just like to know my potential chances for Vandy:
4.0 UW/4.38 W GPA
Ranked 3 out of 500 students in my class
2300 SAT (770 math, 760 CR, 770 writing)
Health Sciences Academy at my high school (specialized program focusing on medicine)
ECs: Tennis team junior year (#3 spot), Captain of Scholastic Bowl Team (won district tournament this year and were runners-up last year)
Junior year classes: AP English 11, Pathophysiology I, AP Physics B, AP Psychology, AP Calculus BC, AP US History (all A's)
Awards: Numerous Outstanding Student Awards at School, plus an award from the Daughters of the American Revolution for Excellence in American History
AP: 5 on AP Euro exam, 5 on AP English Language, other scores pending
Volunteer Experience: 120 volunteer hours at local hospital, currently volunteering at elder day care center this summer (expecting to get around 60-70 hours)
Work experience: Bagger at Commissary (varying hours, around 12-18 per week)
Selected to go to St. George's Med/Vet Summer Camp in Grenada (10-day immersion experience featuring actual professors giving lectures)</p>
<p>I think my stats are pretty strong, but in my opinion my ECs are kinda weak. The only "leadership" I really have is being Scholastic Bowl Captain of a pretty successful team. What are my chances of admission/possible merit aid? I know that it says on the site that they give $8,000 to up to full tuition in merit scholarships which don't require an application. How much would you say that I'd get from this source based on what I've presented, considering that I don't want to bank on the Cornelius Vanderbilt/Chancellor's/Ingram Scholarships.</p>
<p>Now to the second part: paying. I really want to go here because of the prestige mixed with a good college atmosphere, something not really offered at any schools in Virginia. I'm going here for pre-med and hopefully on to the Vandy med school if I really like the area. My question is how to pay for the rest of tuition plus room and board, assuming I get some merit aid. FAFSA aid isn't likely, since we're in the 100,000 to 150,000 bracket. And I'm a white male, so no aid there. Does Vanderbilt offer any options for aid besides loans? I heard they had a no-loans financial aid program, do you have to be low income to get that? And if it comes down to loans, are they a good option if I'm banking on becoming a doctor and hopefully paying off the debt quickly with the salary? I know its a huge amount of questions I have, but any help that can be given is greatly appreciated since I'd love to go here no matter what it takes.</p>
<p>Loans of any substantial amount are not generally a good idea for pre-med students, since it’s a given they’re going to have to borrow a huge amount for med school.</p>
<p>Vandy meets full need without loans. [Expanded</a> Aid Program<em>|</em>Office of Financial Aid<em>|</em>Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://www.vanderbilt.edu/financialaid/expanded-aid/index.php]Expanded”>Expanded Aid Program | Office of Financial Aid | Vanderbilt University) However, with an income between 100-150K you will not have much need which means your family would have to pay the gap. As Annasdad stated, it’s not a good idea for a student intending to go into medicine to collect loans as an undergrad. Look at some merit aid schools like Alabama and then go to Vandy for med school.</p>
<p>Nobody can give you a reliable answer to your “chances” because none of us is on the admissions committee and even if we were, we wouldn’t know at this point who the other applicants are.</p>
<p>That said, your academic record looks good and your ECs and volunteer experience seem focused on pre-med stuff, which is probably good. </p>
<p>Do a careful job on the merit applications. As you have noted, you can’t bank on any of them. There is often a bit of merit money awarded outside of the official named awards, but it varies year to year. A few years ago it was possible to get a full tuition merit award without filling out the award application, but I wouldn’t bet a lot that it still happens since the merit program was overhauled for the 2008 admitted class.</p>
<p>I understand your enthusiasm about Vanderbilt. I think it is a great school–my son is a graduate. However, it is getting very difficult to get admitted, so be sure to find some other schools that offer a great pre-med program.</p>
<p>I agree with the other posters who point out that big undergraduate loans are very unwise if you are looking at med school, especially if you want to be able to attend a private medical school or a public out of state medical school.</p>
<p>No offense, but seriously? Do you realize how many high stat OOS students (and IS for that matter) choose UVA or William and Mary over Vandy? You have two FABULOUS schools in your backyard for an INCREDIBLE value!!! That extra money can be spent paying for med school. There is no way I’d allow our D to choose Vandy full pay over an IS rate at a phenomenal public like UVA or W&M. If, on the other hand, Vandy offers you aid that makes it comparable to UVA or W&M, that’s a different story – then it’s a personal preference.</p>