ED vanderbilt - room to explore?

<p>Hi everyone-
I'm a high school senior in Texas and am notoriously indecisive, so I was always sure I would not do ED anywhere.
However, at some point I became fixated on Duke and, for several months, was dead set on ED there. But this isn't about Duke.
Then I visited Vanderbilt, hung out with some friends there, and immediately started saying I was deciding between Duke and Vanderbilt for ED. I realized that Duke was way too similar to my high school - small, intense, unbalanced.
That week, I visited Duke once more because the ED deadline was the approaching weekend. I crossed it off my list. Later that week, I did ED at vandy.
At this point, I'd had any discussions with my advisors about what to do, and they stood behind my decision entirely. In retrospect, I worry that I felt pressured to ED somewhere and by saying no to Duke, maybe I defaulted to Vandy? My initial reason for ED anywhere was my concern that these schools won't be options RD bc I won't have the ED admit boost. I wanted them to be options.
Loved how happy and friendly people at vandy were. Worried that I'll get in, and become part of a bubble and stereotype that I don't necessarily want. Maybe I would be happier somewhere like UCLA, UNC, UT, USC, where there's more diversity with the numbers and more room to explore? My interests are all over the place and i fear that I'll commit myself to the vanderbilt stereotype, ultimately blocking a lot of more unconventional or even more worldly, open interests.
Vandy, I think, has the option to switch your status from ED to RD. I have constantly been torn over whether I should do this. I don't think I feel the commitment typical of ED kids, but a Dec 15 notification date is nice, and vanderbilt had most of what I want. I could just have cold feet, or this could be something I should follow. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing if id be happy there unless I go. I worry that I may not be preppy or southern enough to accept that environment gleefully.
I'm from austin, so UT could be too close to home. It won't be too big if I get into plan 2, and it has everything I initially wanted. And, it's cheap instate- which means I have a lot more time and money to figure out what I actually want before I pay for a degree. People tell me I should get out, though. I'd be happy at all of my schools, but I'm scared that the things I want at the end of this year won't be what I wanted when I did ED.
There is so much going on in this debate, but ill cut off here and let you guys fill in what you like. Thoughts on switching from ED to RD and waiting til spring to stress out about choosing? Thoughts on vandy vs. Other schools? I've been told my chances of getting in are high, though I'm not sure how great of an achievement that is considered.
Thanks!</p>

<p>I think you might have these kinds of feelings regardless of what school you ultimately commit to. I get that way sometimes (“buyer’s remorse”) whenever making a big decision, but for me it always somehow works out in the end, even though in the moment I tend to forget that. I think you should acknowledge your thoughts and feelings and that you might not feel 100% comfortable, but just let come what may, and enjoy the ride. Many surprises await you! Lots of new friends to be made and places to discover as you go from high school to college. (Stick with ED. If you don’t get in then consider your other RD options.)</p>

<p>I am applying early decision as well and I am senior from Dallas, Texas. I have been to Vanderbilt 3 times (my sister is currently a senior there) and I can honestly tell you that it is the perfect school. Then again, I guess that everyone has a different view of what their perfect school is. post actually related to me in a lot of ways because my mom went to Duke and I also crossed it off my list after visiting because I just wasn’t feeling it. And I will tell you, that this year getting into Vandy is definitely going to be considered an achievement. The admissions office is predicting an increase of 12,000 applicants and it’s acceptance rate to drop by 3-4% from the 12% that it is already at. That being said, applying ED significantly increases your chances of being accepted from 9% to 27% as of last year. I’ve just heard from multiple sources how competitive Vandy is going to be this year (I have 5 other students applying from my school of 800 students). </p>

<p>You also mentioned that you might not be preppy or southern enough for Vanderbilt, and I can see where you would get that. But when I visited, I noticed that the campus is much more diverse than people give it credit for. Plus, a little side note, it was just named the happiest campus in America so I’m guessing that people that don’t fit that stereotype are still enjoying themselves! All I’m saying, and you know I am being genuine because as another student applying ED from a large Texas public school, we are in a weird way sort of competing, that I (DEFINITELY) think that Vandy is the way to go. I honestly think that you will enjoy your experience (they have been the best four years of my sister’s life) plus waiting another 5 months to find out would be brutal. </p>

<p>I am not sure where you got those numbers, but an increase by 12000 applications would be staggeringly huge. The total received each of the last two years was around 30000. I would think it would be unlikely to go up by that much – a 40% increase – in one year.</p>

<p>@LBowie‌ I agree that it would be insane and when I heard it I almost peed my pants. I heard it from someone at Vanderbilt Admissions and they said that a big reason for the projected increase was its new title of “The Happiest College in America” and the publicity associated with their baseball national championship. You’re right though maybe I shouldn’t just be throwing statistics around that I just heard from one person and not an authorized source, but I do know that it is going to be more competitive this year and I’m not sure by what exact margin. </p>

<p>I’m supposed to make my decision by tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. On paper, at least, Vanderbilt has everything I was looking for except the full stadium of fans, but oh well. I think at this point my biggest reservation is that I’ll never find out where else I would have gotten in or how things could have been. Thoughts? I just read an article interviewing people who kinda decided to ED on last minute impulses (like I did) and ended up regretting it and transferring, so that obviously scared me a bit @rebeccaAnn @LBowie</p>

<p>If you are basing your lack of fans conclusion on the sea of orange at the Tennessee game last weekend, keep in mind a lot of students were away for Thanksgiving. However, it is true that for the big SEC games there are a lot of out of towners from the opposing team. But Vandy only has about 6000 undergrads (the stafium would still look empty even if everyone went) and from what I see in terms of apparel, frat parties, etc. there definitely is school spirit. </p>

<p>You can look up historical admissions statistics. There is a chart somewhere on the vanderbilthustler.com site. I believe the number of applications dropped ever so slightly last year from the year before. I would believe a projection of 1200 more this year but not 12000. It’s been voted happiest students before this year too, or at least been up there among the top for a while.</p>

<p>For any decision you make in life, you will never know what would have happened if you made another one. It’s just forever going to be that way. The sad fact is you can’t try college life at multiple schools simultaneously. </p>

<p>Was the ED regret article specific to Vanderbilt? Did the author specifically seek out unhappy students or was there some kind of statistical backup?</p>

<p>If you do back out of ED I would not mention not being sure if it is the place for you. Cite financial concerns about ED in general or something like that, otherwise you might give the message you don’t want to go at all, so why should they waste an acceptance on you? If you really don’t want to go there, just withdraw your application.</p>

<p>“That being said, applying ED significantly increases your chances of being accepted from 9% to 27% as of last year.”</p>

<p>2014 acceptance rates:</p>

<p>ED - 23%
RD - 11%</p>

<p><a href=“ED2 or RD? - #8 by MaynardGKrebs - Vanderbilt University - College Confidential Forums”>ED2 or RD? - #8 by MaynardGKrebs - Vanderbilt University - College Confidential Forums;