<p>On the common application supplement there's a space for a "Why Vanderbilt" answer. What are they looking for? How long is a typical response?</p>
<p>I believe it should be between 400-600 words if you truely have a connection with the University. If you can only write a 250 word essay full of true feelings then either VU isn't the place for you or you are not expressing your feeligns with enough detail. That essay will make or break any application to VU.</p>
<p>The essay will not make or break your application. It is important, however. </p>
<p>Just be yourself and avoid one of the biggest mistakes: misspelling truly.</p>
<p>I also feel it's important that the Why Vanderbilt? essay isn't generic...it needs to be specific to whatever school you are sending it. In other words, if it could also be used for why duke? or why emory? or why anyplace else? with merely changing the word Vanderbilt, then you should re-write it.</p>
<p>Colleges typically don't like essays over 250 words for admission. I wrote my "Why Vanderbilt?" essay at 216. I was admitted, but I turned the school down for somewhere I thought would give me a better opportunity. Just write the truth and you'll be ok. Remember: no one likes reading BS.</p>
<p>Freshman D's Why Vandy essay for ED application was 481 words. I think it depends on what you have to say. If you have meaningful information to share, such as prior experiences on campus, then longer is okay; in fact, it may be one of your top selling points. This was where D was able to share her vision of how she would contribute to the VU community.</p>
<p>My "Why Vanderbilt" essay was 881 words!! I thought it was my best essay though because it was totally unique to vanderbilt as it described my interactions with a professor and students while on campus. I was accepted ED. It doesn't matter how long your essay is...so long as you have something interesting to say and it is well written, an admissions officer won't mind reading it. Besides...you can make a lot more points about why you are a good fit for vanderbilt in 800 words than you can in 200...</p>