i am a sophomore at a pretty prestigious school and its my dream to go to vanderbilt. my unweighted gpa is currently a 98 out of 100 and i have 195 volunteer hours at one place. I’m first generation and also hispanic so i wonder if that could help me at all. i am also from the north and not many people talk about vandy where I’m from so i was wondering if being from the north would help my chances since i know mainly southern kids are set on vandy. I’m in the highest level of classes offered at my school. my practice act scores have mostly been around a 32 which i know i need to improve on so I’m still continuing tutoring. I’m a starter on the varsity fencing team and I’m captain. i am part of three clubs and am treasurer of one of them. the only issue is i doubt my teacher recs will be that good. they won’t be awful but they won’t be spectacular either. i am also doing summer academic programs at vandy
I am going to respond to jjones321. Here are my tips for you! The ACT is an endurance test that requires speed and stamina. Buy the red book? if it is still red. Buy the real ACTs (ten) and then…suck it up and do them. Juniors and Seniors are busy and overstretched. Do one or two tests open book and study the answers. The answers will help you perform better. Know the exam. Then eat and rest properly and time yourself on a Sunday afternoon in test conditions. Take the test with timers and stick it out without cheating. Grade the exam and see where you struggled. Pacing matters. Completion matters. Take 2-3 SAT Subject tests, not just the AP exams taken during busy busy springs. I suggest taking one a time after studying the practice book and timing yourself strictly–and take one each June when you are out from under your schedule. The subject exams are required at some Ivies and some selective colleges. They are NOT AP exams. One hour tests. They are their own animals. Exams are something in your control. Once you keep making the same scores…quit worrying about it. Perfection is a false god. Gaining competencies and staying motivated is the game of life. Secondly, don’t only love Vandy. Make a list of match colleges and accept that it is honorable and smart to go to a “match” college if they offer you your best deal. Kids with perfect scores are not always admitted to Vandy only because of their 30 thousand applicants. But you will never know if you don’t set out to be under consideration. Picture yourself acing your years at your match college and having a full life there. For real. Apply to a select list of reach colleges. Be realistic but go for it with excellent effort. You have a lot of time to seek realistic support from a teacher recommendation. I think you underestimate the support you will receive when the time arrives. Teachers tend to surprise you with how much of their free time they are willing to spend to help you at this critical moment. This means that you have a simple list for them with perhaps a sentence next to each college on your list about how you picture yourself using the resources of College X vs Y vs Z. They can’t be expected to remember the details of the dreams of each student. Make it easy for them. Let them see you have a sensible application list that you have sincerely researched. I am not big on worrying about whether or not you have class leadership jobs like being an officer in a group. Instead, be invested in one or two endeavors in a way that is sincere. Be ready to speak and to write about your internships, arts endeavors and volunteer work incisively when asked. Try to visualize your academic use of said college and to understand that each college has its own special history. Make long term plans with your parents by getting them apprised of FAFSA and the CSS Profile early. Make a long term cost outlook sheet on what you may have to spend for graduate school. Be aware that like trying to date 4 people, staying “in like and in love” with multiple colleges can be quite trying. Yes you will have favorites–you are human but try to stay open. You will have to apply for things all over again while in college. My Vandy son interviewed for many things while at Vandy and jumped on opportunities for internships and things to do on campus. Sometimes he was passed over. Sometimes he was given the opportunity. When this starts up, you will look back on your senior year in high school and you will be glad you did a private Excel sheet with your college list deadlines on scholarship apps, interviews, and applications. You will be glad you practiced asking for a teacher reference in an articulate and polite and judicious manner (not at the last minute) because you will have to ask for references again in your future many more times. Be ready for random entry to this school or that one and for the skills of congratulating your peers as things shake out. Glad Vandy is one of your fave universities. Vandy is a fine institution in a very good host city.
I think that being first generation and also Hispanic will help you a lot. My D currently a freshman complained that she hasn’t seen many of Hispanic students there. She came from a very diverse HS and would like to see more divers student body. I think the school is trying to do that too.
You are off to a good start in high school. Your 1st gen/Hispanic bump is likely offset by attending a prestigious school (you have been academically advantaged), are from the north (lots of competition), ACT tutors & fencing team make you sound more similar than different from much of the class. Follow Faline advice. Good luck.
Only 1/3 of the students at Vandy are from the South. California, Texas, Illinois, NY and Florida are particularly heavily represented, but there are roughly the same number of students from NJ as Georgia.
By reputation, Vanderbilt likes high test scores, although they are optional (I think).
But the real challenge is that Vanderbilt is a ‘hot’ school rate now, & the acceptance rate is down to 10%. So, 90% of applicants are disappointed.
Why do you think that your teacher recs will be disappointing?
@collegemom3717 test scores are NOT optional. If you saw that, I would love to know where. But yes, they love high test scores…but with so application, there invariably will be kids with high test scores denied.