Hello, I was just admitted to Vanderbilt University. I love the school, and it’s definitely a dream come true to be accepted, but there are two things I’m worried about that are the only things keeping me from going to vandy for sure. First, I’m definitely not a typical vandy student. I’m black, I come from a single parent, very low income household and I go to a public “inner-city” school where we don’t have access to as many resources as everyone else. At my school, I have the highest ACT score out of our 440 seniors, and it’s only a 30. I know so many people on here especially that go way beyond that. And, we don’t have as many AP classes. I’ve taken all the APs we have at my school, which is only 4. I’m worried that because of this lack of resources, I’ll be behind all of my freshman counterparts. I was wondering if I would be the only one like this? Also, the second thing is the money. I have yet to recieve a financial aid package, I technically haven’t even received an official admissions packet, but I was notified of my admission early so that I could attend their MOSAIC program. Will vandy really meet all of my need? My EFC on the FAFSA was $0.
Go to the program, that will answer your questions better than any here. And you should get a very good aid package if you are low income, yes they should really meet your need. 4 AP is decent, but it is possible you might have to work hard to adjust. Even though my daughter went to a private school she had to adjust to a rigorous college. I see you are from Tennessee so you shouldn’t have a huge culture shock. Vanderbilt is 64 pct white, almost 9 pct Afr. American, so there is reasonable diversity, they have made an effort so you can feel they are committed. A friend of mine has a black friend going to a smaller school with 85% white and he is having a great time. He is also low income from a poor school but it was a magnet type school and he had good preparation.
Vandy is a CSS profile school. Did you fill out CSS and submit it?
likely you will have all your need met unless there is something declared on CSS (property?? assets?)
You’ll get 100% of need met. You will be around some people just like you. You will also meet snot-noses as well. Don’t worry about it.
If you need tutoring, ask for it. If you need an off-campus job, the area is abundant with opportunity.
You’re going to love Vanderbilt. Just relax and be yourself. 
Oh and CONGRATULATIONS!
^^good point, schools like this have resources available to help you if you will take advantage of it. You will likely get a work/study option in your aid package. So you work some low hours and get your spending money from that. You might get some loans but they shouldn’t be too much, worth it.
For the freshman class, about 850 have some level of financial need, all get aid. You won’t be the only one, but you will notice a lot of rich kids too.
CONGRATULATIONS! I’ll bet quite substantially that 10, 20, 40 and 50 years from now you’ll look back on your EARNED Vanderbilt selection as the BEST (other than your family) blessing of your life. PLEASE don’t worry about money (you will get a great need-based grant), or friends (some/many those classmates you meet at, and after, MOSAIC are going to be your lifelong and closest friends), or academics (we ALL struggle a little bit as freshmen, but Vandy has abundant resources to get you through it). And always remember, you’ll properly judge others – and they you – based on character, decency, concern for your classmates, personality and integrity . . . not on financial status, ACT scores, AP classes, race, etc. Those things do NOT define a person, but character, decency, concern for others, personality and integrity do. I’m very happy for you. Whether or not you yet fully understand it, you are a living example of what American should be.
I can see how one could be intimidated by postings on CC. The list of ECs, APs, Honors, test schools, high GPA, etc is incredible. You are obviously taking advantage of everything you have been offered at your school. Well done! Don’t compare yourself to others! Take advantage of the help being offered and seek out more help when you need it. You have an incredible opportunity to get a fabulous education. The professors will want to see you succeed… you just have to want it and get help when you need it. And, who knows, maybe you won’t struggle one bit. Maybe you are more prepared than you think! Congratulations!!!
Congrats! Please go to Mosaic no matter what. Because you are going to have multiple offers by April and probably by MidMarch. The Admissions staff knows what they are doing!!! They know what numbers mean and they are accurate judges of context re high schools and other advantages like rigorous prepping at home and parents who have been to college a few generations. You are not a 30. You belong at Vandy or at any peer college where you decide you are most comfortable. You CAN DO the work. Plenty of admits to Vandy are not going to make As or Bs in engineering or physics or for that matter film or Spanish.
Play the LONG GAME for your life, my dear urbancatfitters.
When in doubt, look at the retention rate at any top tier American college where you are chosen for a seat in the freshman class. You are in the percentile that will graduate with your college class.
BTW my sons went to a public school with a 50% drop out rate but had the advantages of parents who had graduate degrees. They had to up their game on rote learning skills and habits at Duke and Vandy but they had the moxey to stick it out and each one of them dropped one class they fumbled in the first six weeks --and retook the class later.
You don’t have to have it all together you just have to be in the game and use the resources around you. You are enough as you are today.
Best wishes for your college decision happiness in April. I think I am going to put up a link of a graduate in 2013 who took a longer way to graduate and was interviewed among other grads on my son’s graduation day at Vandy for you. (Although I do not predict you will struggle and have no idea why she had a setback and a recovery at Vandy.) The point is…if you come to Vanderbilt the entire staff is there to make sure you find your path. Do not worry about cash (thus said from the wife of a man who went to Vandy law and had to turn off the heat to his apartment one winter because he didn’t have the cash to pay and he worked 20 hours a week at the Public Defenders which he went to by bicycle or bus)…he has had a satisfying 30 plus year career and only one winter in a coat and hat while studying in his cold grad school apt. Thank you Vandy. By the way the Vandy Freshman Commons is a Palace of Riches and Gifts and Guidance compared to the freshman campus program at most of the fine colleges in the USA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mlIkvMZsIo
Anchor Down, and congrats to you. I hope you sit down with your significant others and watch the video above.
Urbancatfitters: Best of luck to you.
Thanks for the video @Faline2. Seeing the grandma crying tears of joy made me so emotional!
I love hearing stories like yours. Too often students from public rural and city high schools are overlooked by adcoms who focus on magnet and elite private high schools.
-yes, Vandy will meet your finacial need
-yes, you will fit in
-yes, you will likely be a bit behind your peers from the top magnet and private high schools. First semester take a lighter load to adjust to the academic rigor at Vandy then you should be fine and can ramp it up in the spring.
My son is from a rural high school in California who knew no one at Vanderbilt when he arrived on move-in day. 18 months later he can’t imagine going to college anywhere else. He has a great group of friends. Every student that arrives at Vandy brings something unique to the class.
As far as being prepared, on Move-in weekend Vanderbilt Leadership assured the parents that they were confident that all students at Vanderbilt could be successful. In fact, they said that 95% of the applicants could be successful.
Your background will not prevent you from being successful. You bring a unique perspective to the class of 2019. Congratulations!
I cried watching that video and DS is only a freshman.
Now that he has been there for more than one semester, I can say that he truly loves Vanderbilt and the campus diversity is one of the reasons that it’s the best school.
Sophie, the crying grandmother got to me too. Great video. And bud123 I really liked your post.
I mentored a young man from a so-so school district who got into a top LAC (student body similar to Vandy) with a 29 ACT. His dad is a janitor and his mom works in a Chinese restaurant. At first, he was worried because everyone was so much better prepared for the rigors of the school … but he worked hard, got tutoring when needed, and ended up with a full ride at an ivy for a 2nd bachelors. He did often feel like he was one of the “few,” and it was tough at times, but he wouldn’t trade his experience for anything. Plus, I believe Vandy has more lower-income students than the LAC had.
Vanderbilt does not admit students they don’t feel can make it, and they provide support as needed. Congratulations, and know that you belong there!
Urbancatfitters–I agree with the others who say that Vanderbilt would not have admitted you if they didn’t feel that you could handle the academics. It is a great school and if Vandy meets all of your financial need and you can graduate without significant debt; grab that opportunity!
Regarding your concern that you might not “fit in” since you are from an inner city, low income family–read this article about the Posse scholars from the Vanderbilt Hustler student newspaper: http://www.vanderbilthustler.com/news/article_a97d502c-b787-11e4-a096-9f11a9888117.html There are groups of lower income students from New York City that come to Vanderbilt every year as part of the scholarship program–and that is just one example of Vanderbilt’s commitment to economic, racial & religious diversity. There are lots of students from public high schools and various economic backgrounds at Vandy, you can easily find people similar to yourself.
All of that said, it may not be easy on campus, you will be surrounded by students who drive BMWs or Porsches and think nothing of spending money on new designer clothes, dinners at expensive restaurants and spring break trips to exotic places.This is from the Duke University student paper the Chronicle about a girl who felt she never fit in there because she was poor: http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2013/11/11/i-came-duke-empty-wallet#.VOf5US7qU20 it raises a lot of good points that would apply equally to a Vanderbilt student in a similar situation. Regardless, if you are determined and recognize that you are being given a wonderful opportunity to attend a top tier school where you can get a great education with little to no debt, you should do just fine at Vanderbilt. Best of luck to you!
OP - I’m sure yo’ll fit in wonderfully. Like the posts before said, there will be the preppy rich sort, but you’ll find a lot of down to earth people you can get along with just fine 
And Vanderbilt wouldn’t have admitted you if they weren’t at least sure that you can handle the course load. Hope you have a great time there and make lots of friends
Hello fellow member of the Class of 2019! 
I was admitted to Vanderbilt during the ED1 round, and I feel a lot of the same reservations as you. Vandy is my absolute dream school (and I still can’t believe I was accepted), but I’ve also wondered about being behind everyone. While I don’t go to an inner-city school, I go to a public school in one of my state’s worst school districts. Like your school, my school only offers 4 AP courses, and my ACT was below average for Vandy but the highest in my class as far as I know. So I’ve also wondered if I’ve gotten in over my head.
But as other posters have mentioned, if Vanderbilt admits you, they think you can handle the work. Vanderbilt doesn’t want to admit students that can’t handle it not only because that will lower their retention rate, but also because they want to see you succeed. The fact that you were able to score in the 95th percentile on your ACT in the context of your school says a lot about what you are capable of. You may not have had as many opportunities as others, but that doesn’t make you any less capable of succeeding at Vanderbilt.
You should be proud of your accomplishments so far and know that you earned your admission into Vanderbilt. Of course it will be a huge adjustment, but it certainly will not be impossible. Feel free to message me anytime!
I’d say go & take advantage of every help you can get. If you are struggling don’t hesitate to seek tutoring or help. Keep your eye on the prize. A degree from a university like that can change your family tree forever. I would STRONGLY recommend you take this opportunity. Also pick friends who will encourage you & push you to excel. If other people can do it, why can’t you? Don’t let doubt prevent you from attending.