<p>Sorry to bother all of you wonderful Vandy kids again, but I'm fixing to start working on my essays for the ED in Nov. for Vanderbilt and I was just looking for a little advice. I just can't seem to get started! Did anyone else feel like this? I guess I'm just so nervous I want to throw up... I just feel like whether I get in or not will all depend on this one thing. So for some advice.... what did everyone else write about? For the "Personal Essay" I'm debating on whether I should write about how I've moved almost every year of my life, and almost always to a new school. I was going to talk about how it's made me adapt to people really well and adjust to new and exciting things, and different learning enviroments. Then, I was going to start but it sounded stupid. Then I thought maybe I should write about my experiences at Gov. School and how it's made me grow as a person. (Which, this would be a hypothetical idea right now, as Gov. School starts next week. But, if it turned out to really make me grow as a person, I would write about that.) Do any of those sound okay? Are they lame?</p>
<p>And what about the other two essays. On the "Why Vandy" one I have no clue what to write. To be honest, I'm obsessed with Vandy. I want to get in more than anything, but the reasons why are lame. It's a top University, it would keep me close to me mom (who needs me as shes a widow w/ my brother to finish raising and she's been terminally ill most of my life), and it has a fantastic pre-med program, which is what I want to do more than anything. But all of these things are very generic reasons. I really want my essay to stand apart... to ensure that I can get in. I'm just so passionate about this school that... I dunno... I don't want to blow it. Can anyone help? Please!!?</p>
<p>i am happy to hear that you like vandy so much.</p>
<p>for the personal essay, i personally think the gov. thing is better, becuz it's unique. but it depends on how you write.<br>
and, you kno what, i really think your special family circumstance is a good topic.</p>
<p>for "why vanderbilt", i suggest you to visit vandy, then you will know what to write about. this essay is a great chance to show how much you love vandy =D</p>
<p>but no matter what, the crucial points are 1. show your interest to vandy 2. present a real unique you, the thing can set you apart from your peers.</p>
<p>also, another purpose of college essay is to provide more info. for adcom, the info. that wouldn't appear on your application.</p>
<p>btw, another tip that many ppl ignore is to use the "additional infomation". you can write whatever you want the adcom to kno about you. after all, the whole process of college application is a way to let them get to kno a real you.=D</p>
<p>Grab a legal pad and start writing out the reasons you want to attend. Build your essay around those reasons.</p>
<p>If your number one reason is to be close to your mom it isn't a lame reason.</p>
<p>You would be shocked at the essays if you get a chance to read some of those which are sent. Some are really, really bad. Awful. Try to avoid the typical things kids write about as life changing--google "worst college essay examples" and it might bring up a few so you have a better idea.</p>
<p>The personal element of what makes you unique is the most important thing. Hopefully it will be the final key to being admitted to the community.</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I really appreciate that advice. It really does help. Although my stomach still has that clinching feeling, I don't feel quite as sick. I'll take the Gov. School advice, I think I'll write about that instead. I also think I will write some ideas down on a legal pad... maybe that will get me started. But for now since I need to wait until Gov School to do that one, and I need to wait until the PreVU day to write the "Why Vandy" one, (Although I think I might starts on part of that) I think I'll just work on the one about what you want to study and why. (at the College of A & S) If anyone else has any more advice I'm all ears.. I could definatly use ANY help I could get. I appreciate the advice from you two. Thanks so much! [Another reason 'why Vandy'.. the people there are AMAZING! Lol.]</p>
<p>Relax and breath. I got into vandy around march and finished my essays 2 days before the deadline. I felt that it would be very transparant if all i did was talk about their rankings and such, so i made my essay very personal and talked about the kinship of vandy. About how each student is interconnected and intertwined with each other making individual success crucial to the whole and topping it off with and extended metaphor about grassroots (which grow horizontilly and connects everyblade of grass). It was very abstract since i didn't know anything about the school. I live in miami and even now i haven't seen it. Pick something that will be vital to your collegiate career and expound upon how well vandy accentuates it.</p>