Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship Application Mistake

<p>My S just submitted his application online for the CV Scholarship. While he was filling it in, the computer re-started itself and when it came back up, he was able to continue the application and submit it. When he received the confirmation, we saw that there were errors on the application. It autofilled my name as a "Preferred name" for him and the ethnicity questions were not filled in. I don't know if there were any other problems with it but I was afraid to tell him to start over and submit a second application because I didn't know if that would cause problems on their side. Of course now the offices are closed for the weekend and the deadline is tomorrow so I don't know what to do! Vandy is his first choice school and this scholarship is probably the only way he would be able to afford to go so we wanted it to be perfect. This is why I always tell him not to wait until the last minute! </p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

<p>Your son should call the admissions dept on Monday and say there was a computer glitch when he submitted his scholarship form and some of his responses were garbled. So should he resubmit? My son had a similar situation at a different school and there was a process in place for dealing with this situation. Can’t remember what it was, exactly, but it mostly entailed resubmitting the application and sending an email explaining that he was resending it due to a computer error. Shouldn’t be a big deal. I know how stressful all of this can be. Breathe!</p>

<p>I am not an authority on this but as a mother if it were my son I would have him resubmit a corrected application and then send an email to his regional admissions counselor or to a contact with the CV Scholarship if he has one and explain the computer glitches and ask them to disregard the first submitted application. This way he has an accurate application submitted by the deadline. I’m sure they will be understanding. Who hasn’t had computer issues? Good luck…</p>

<p>Since you are before the deadline…my thoughts on in line with Momthreeboys. If the system will allow a second application, do it all over on Sunday. Do a brief cogent cover email stating that your computer restarted during the process and you mistakenly thought all was copacetic and hit the submit button. Copy the cover email to your regional agent and one to the general admissions office as well as you never know who is actually handling the crush of last minute emails each morning.<br>
There is no need to be anxious. It’s not like it is past deadline and you have a new essay that you want to substitute.<br>
Our younger son did his Vandy submission three minutes before midnight on the final night in January for RD and at the time had Vandy at the bottom of his list and had never visited campus. I was called in to read the credit card number to him as the seconds ticked off and he was doing a final proofing.<br>
He ended up with a shocker of a merit offer (Chancellor’s). He was also not attending Vandy without a long shot merit offer. </p>

<p>Since our son was admitted applications have soared in higher numbers and lower odds —so by all means be proud of your son for doing the extra essays and doing the extra mile effort. My best advice to you, is to be at peace with the flagship honors offers your son will have and to be ready to attend other colleges and to praise son frequently for taking this initiative re the CV. You will never win merit money if you don’t participate in the process. Great backbone skill. Vandy son continued to apply for opportunities all four years and was unsuccessful more times than he was selected…but he was dogged. </p>

<p>Four years down the road, experience has further confirmed for us…the value of not overspending on your undergraduate education if you have a highly motivated productive student who can make the school you can afford sing. Most Vandy students will seek further professional training, so take the long view when your April options are on the table.</p>

<p>Hi all, I’m not sure if this is the place to post this, but I’ll pose my question nonetheless. </p>

<p>In regards to the merit scholarship forms due today, are they considered jointly with the normal application form? Or are the two decisions, one for admittance one for scholarships, made independently? I’m curious to know as I want to slightly re-work one of my scholarship essays for the normal application due in January. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>You should take the time to have different essays that are clean from each other for the RD application decision and for the merit scholarships. Use your merit essays as an opportunity to add to your RD or ED application package. Imagine you can put down five cards on the table that display something about yourself if your application is brought to the merit scholars committee table. Obviously, test scores, class rank and grades are the easy part in a sea of fully qualified student applicants. Which “card” or aspect of your potential didn’t really get “told” or communicated in your RD application packet? </p>

<p>Amplify, communicate. You have five minutes. Share. In my opinion, it is always helpful to project what you might do with your incredible privilege re studying at Vandy for four years. Merit money is for kids with academic fire in a class of all high achievers who are merit worthy. Don’t hide your academic goals under a bushel. You don’t have to know what you are going to become. Our son did 50% of what was projected in his essays while at Vandy but veered off into an entirely new direction that was not congruent with his essays.<br>
For the colleges with merit essays, you must spend a great deal of time thinking this out. You have time for instance to come up with a new plan for your RD app essays but today you must submit your merit essays.</p>

<p>what good advice Faline2 provides here.</p>