Hi everyone I was thinking of applying to Vandy ED2 and was wondering what you guys think my chances might look like.
SAT: 1420 (760 English, 660 Math)
GPA: 3.84 UW (school doesn’t weight or rank us, but it is a very rigorous boarding school)
I won’t list all my extracurriculars and activities, but I have a lot including lots of leadership such as being captain of two sports, a prefect in my dorm, and selected to receive a competitive fellowship to pursue a project of my choice
I have gone abroad studying and volunteering through my school 4 times
My intended major is Women’s studies and my essay is sort of a feminist take on my life: Would Vanderbilt appreciate this or hate it?
SAT is a tad on the low side (not by much, but in the bottom quartile for the accepted student body). Grades seem fine; they’ll understand regarding GPA and like kids from tough boarding schools, especially if you have a bunch of 5s on relevant APs to back yourself up. ECs sound great.
For the essay, it’s hard to say because execution is hugely important (but this is true no matter what your topic is). If it were well done, I think Vanderbilt would definitely appreciate an essay that weaves together your past experiences and emphasizes your interest in women’s & gender studies and goals in the field (i.e. the subject matter itself is definitely not something that will be seen negatively). There are a million ways to accomplish that; just make sure that it’s a compelling narrative that can let the adcom distill a distinct image of who you are and what motivates you. Just nothing trite/boring. I think it’s a relatively unique declared interest for incoming students, so it could really help your chances if done well.
Overall, I’d say you have a reasonable shot. Unfortunately you won’t be able to rely on your numbers to get you in, but if you can produce some excellent essays/EC descriptions/recs, you definitely have a chance.