I am a senior in high school and am completely lost in where to apply ED, or if I should at all… My heart is telling me that Vanderbilt is my top choice, but I feel like I might have a better chance of getting into Rice (my 2nd choice) because I’m a legacy. I want to apply ED somewhere bc I feel like if I don’t, I’ll have wasted my best chance to get into a top school. But… if I ED to Vandy and don’t get in, I’ll be so angry with myself bc I should’ve just ED at Rice, where I have a better shot. Basically, I am just wondering what you think my chances of getting into either school are, or if there are things about one school that seem to make it a better fit for me. I want to go into the medical field, and I know Rice has better opportunities for that, but I don’t know if I want to stay in Houston my entire life. I love the campus of both and the Res. colleges. Vandy has better sports, but that isn’t that important to me. On paper, Rice might seem like the better choice, but a huge part of me is pulling me towards Vandy.
here are my stats:
ACT: 35
GPA unweighted: 3.9
weighted: 4.4762
Extracurriculars: captain of my sports team, secretary of medical-based volunteering club, executive board member of spirit club, NHS, two bible-study groups (one of which I am a leader), Teen volunteer in the TX Medical center, lots of volunteer hours, worked this summer as a sales associate at a retail store
Awards: PSAT national merit commended (1440), AP scholar w Honor, honor roll, newcomer of the year for my sports team, Academic All-state, physics award
Also, I am able to get an extra recommendation letter from a Vanderbilt alumni (if you think that’ll improve my chances)
Also… how important are SAT subject tests for these schools? If I don’t get a perfect 800 on math 2, should I even send it?
If Rice is not your absolute first choice, don’t ED there. If you are accepted, then you must attend. If you get in Rice ED you might regret not applying to Vandy. Your stats are in the range for both schools. Vandy takes a large portion of its class ED–a bit more than Rice does. However, Rice has increased the number of ED admits in the past few years. You can always ED at Vandy, and if that does not work out, RD at Rice. The legacy tie may still help you then. Vandy has ED2 while Rice does not. Rice has not released the stats for its class of 2023 yet. There was a lower ED rate this year than in years past.
https://admission.rice.edu/apply/freshman/admission-statistics
https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/vandybloggers/2019/02/class-of-2023-early-decision-by-the-numbers/
What are the Naviance rates for admission to both schools ED and RD? This should give you a good predictor of your admission chances.
My daughter is from Houston and at first discounted Rice because it was close to home. When she toured campus, her tour guide was also from Houston. He said his sister who attended college out of state went home more than he did. This made my daughter feel more comfortable applying to Rice. Once she was admitted to Rice, she realized it was the best fit school for her and enrolled. She has been very happy there. The students are in their own universe on campus. You can go off campus or see your family as much or as little as you choose.
Rice recommends 2 subject tests in your proposed area of study although Rice says they are optional. if you score in the high 700s on them, it is worth sending the scores.
I would call Rice Admissions and ask an Admissions Officer, not a clerk of student aid, if legacy only gets preference ED. Some schools operate that way. If you do not apply ED at Penn, for example, you lose any legacy advantage.
Yes, it’s a tough decision to make. Friend of ours had a very rough 4-5 months when son was deferred from EA schools and he had given up legacy bump for Penn. And yes, he was denied at Penn RD. As was Ivanka Trump when she applied RD. (WL and then denied) so, yes, it is very possible you lose it all
FYI my daughter just attended an info session for Vanderbilt. They were pretty blunt about the latest stats - half the class filled in ED1 and ED2 - admit rate 20% for ED (both) and 6% for regular decision. They also said subject tests are truly optional - if they’re strong send them, if they don’t add to the application don’t send them as they can’t unsee them.
Usually legacy boost works better for ED as it proves strong interest and improves yield. If you apply RD, you are neither demonstrating interest nor showing commitment so they know it’s not your first choice and you may not come if accepted RD at first choice where you did ED. If you really want maximum advantage of using legacy card, do ED.
Rice really does not comment one way or another on legacy. I have never seen any legacy data published at all. I was just at an alumni event and in a side conversation, the Rice representative said that legacy does not carry much weight and it is just one factor of many that are considered.
As an alum who has a kid at Rice, and whose Rice friends have kids applying to Rice, I can tell you that a lot of alumni kids do not get in. In my daughter’s residential college, in her year, there were 4 legacy kids out of ~90 freshmen. I have no idea if that is representative and that is only parent legacy (not sure about siblings/grandparents/etc).
The legacy kids that do get in are very strong students with strong scores and ECs, and probably would have been accepted without the legacy factor.
what exactly is included in Legacy? uncles/aunts? parents? siblings? grandparents? thanks
@bgbg4us - honestly, I have never heard of any definitive Rice policy on what is considered legacy. Some schools consider only parents/step-parents, others consider secondary legacy (like grandparents, aunts, uncles). Some schools consider siblings as legacy. There are quite a few siblings at Rice, I have noticed. I am not sure if grad school counts but I heard anecdotally that it does.
Here is what is on the common app in the family section for Rice (if you answer yes to having a relative who attended Rice): Are any of those relatives a parent, step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, or uncle?
Some schools like to ask this because it is helpful to know ties to the University, but typically not all ties are considered equally.