<p>Hey all, I know a lot about his scholarship and how competitive it is, but I was wondering what you have all heard about it.</p>
<p>I have a precarious situation; my family is expected to give almost full tuition, and financial aid will be very limited. I cannot, however, attend a school like Vanderbilt without significantly changing their lifestyle. My little sister may attend a private high school ($9,000 a year), my parents pay tuition to another college for my brother, and I still have another sibling in grade school. They say they will be happy to fund the majority of my undergraduate education, but I can't stand being an onus.</p>
<p>So I obviously would love Cornelius Vanderbilt. My neighbor actually got it and I visit her pretty frequently. Her stats were incredible, something like a 2250 and great activities. I, however, only have a lowly 2160 (1500 M/V) and a 33 ACT.</p>
<p>I'm retaking one more time, but the highest I really expect is a 34. I guess I'm asking if you all have ever heard of a 33 ACT receiving the honor. I am valedictorian with great ECs (which may help), but does everyone that gets it have a 2300+ and/or 34+?</p>
<p>Thanks a ton, hopefully see some of you at Vandy next fall!</p>
<p>both posters have great test scores…even so they are only edging into near top quartile at Vandy now. Vandy has way more applicants with high test scores than they have seats. So they have the luxury of building a class that is diverse and full of people different from each other with different goals and backgrounds. Many fully qualified students will be waitlisted and this is only a matter of numbers not worthiness just like at Vandy’s peer colleges and universities…so make sure you always apply to a college that is a match for you no question.</p>
<p>Selection for merit scholarships is a holistic process that really is about your entire application plus test scores and grades. Don’t short change yourself whoever you are. Do the merit essays if you have a strong academic record and “don’t be a stranger”–be very intentional about introducing yourself to your readers. Convey your goals and aspirations to your references. Tell your personal story and what you will bring to campus and the community that Vandy is building annually. Show your spirit and put your heart in your essays at VAndy and elsewhere. </p>
<p>You will have opps on your FAFSA and CSS Profile to put down tuition to other high schools and colleges before Vandy weighs out your Estimated cost of attending.
good luck and congrats on your fine records and efforts in high school</p>
<p>my son won a merit scholarship at Vandy. and obviously we are thrilled and feel that they recognized that he had something to offer. And he has contributed in ways that his essays might have predicted. But in all honesty after meeting his roommate and his peers and housemates freshmen and sophomore years, I feel that many of his classmates are equally deserving, idealistic, creative and wonderful people and that most of them had his grades and test scores or even better. There really isn’t a “bottom” quartile at Vandy…everyone is ready to go. So there is some unpredictability here on merit money and no one should expect it. </p>
<p>Vandy has excellent need financial aide. For people who can afford their FAFSA/CSS Profile marks…you really can’t get better support. For those who for whatever reason can’t or choose not to pay out full rides that might be expected out of pocket, make sure you are supplying Vandy with all related financial information that is relevant. And make sure that Match Schools include financial matches.</p>
<p>After the recession we simply could not choose to do our Estimated Cost of Attendance, and many families feel this way now. So have a safety that is a financial safety in hand as we did since the truth is that there is very little difference anymore between Vandy’s merit scholars and Vandy’s average admitted student on paper re stats.</p>
<p>Virginia state colleges are quite good and our son would have attended one happily.</p>
<p>Both your stats are good. I am a student who does not have the scholorship. I have two friends that do. both had 35 act and never had B’s. they dont give out many so it is super competitive. Its hard to just get in for god sake. Just don’t expect and hope.</p>
<p>I’m a sophomore on the scholarship. I had straight A’s in lots of AP classes, a 34 ACT and a 1530 reading + math. At some point though the grades and test scores become a cutoff and it is truly the rest of your application that will influence the final decision.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is looking to build a diverse class, and you never know quite what they might be looking for. So many are talented and deserving, those of us who received the scholarship are quite lucky. I was not expecting it personally. Apply, you never know, but don’t count on it or expect it. Don’t take it as a knock to your abilities or accomplishments, for as Faline2 said every student at Vandy is remarkable.</p>