<p>My daughter sent in all her apps and thought she was done. Then I researched Vanderbilt and liked what I saw, namely their academic reputation and merit scholarships. Here is our dilemma. My D has been accepted to Auburn with Presidential Scholarship which gives full tuition, a $1500 technology allowance, and a $4000 study aborad experience. She is also a semi-finalist for the Elite Scholarship which for an additional $10-$32K. There is also a good chance of departmental and general scholarships. She has also recently applied to Duke, UNC, Northwestern, and Yale.
Do you think it would be worth the $50 to apply to Vanderbilt to see what kind of financial aid package she might receive? She probably wouldn't attend there unless she got a very generous package. She is undecided on a major, but is thinking of pharmacy, optometry, or physical therapy.</p>
<p>Here are her stats:
GPA: 4.0 unweighted-taken the most rigorous courseload our school offers
Rank: 1/144
ACT: 35
Numerous EC's and volunteer experiences
Teacher rec's: Both excellent
Counselor rec: Outstanding
Personal Essay: I thought it was superb, but then I'm biased</p>
<p>It is hard to add another college at this time, especially when we haven't visited Vandy, but if she doesn't get accepted to her other colleges, or isn't offered much aid, then she will only have Auburn from which to choose. What do you think? The deadline is Jan. 3rd, and it looks like there is no addicitonal essay, only the Common App.</p>
<p>I understand your attraction to Vanderbilt based on academic reputation and financial assistance. However, the majors you mention as possible fields for your daughter don’t really match with Vanderbilt. She has a wonderful opportunity from Auburn, but the majors you mention along with her credentials fit really well with UNC (IMO). Seems like that would be the best alternative to her Auburn offer. Congrats to her on such a wonderful opportunity!</p>
<p>my advice is to apply if she is interested and decide in April. Vanderbilt is very very expensive and our family had already decided when my son applied that he would not be going there but would be taking his honors admissions at our Virginia Universities in the major recession of last year…if he got zero merit aid any place. He certainly didn’t get merit aid everywhere he applied nor was the need aid enough elsewhere to offset the University of Virginia or Wm and Mary.
You won’t know till you try. Visiting a school after being admitted is not at all uncommon. What is common at Vanderbilt are students who got honors admissions to Auburn, Alabama and Georgia Honors and who had a tough financial decision to make in April…and each family has different circumstances to weigh.<br>
Duke, Yale and Vandy will be quite fair re need money— as good as it gets. In today’s job market, if she really is already settled on the careers you mentioned…most kids are not that clear yet, 2VU0609 certainly has a point. It is not an economy to waste money on years that are not related to the long term goal unless she has her heart set on a liberal arts education. That said, there are kids in premed courses at Vandy who will apply to the career paths mentioned by you.</p>
<p>She is a strong student. Her ACT was in the top quartile last year. That said, her ACT is not really that rare at Vandy anymore. The whole student application will come into play for merit money…</p>