Is Vandy a Reach?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>Hey guys.. I need honest, yet constructive criticism. Vanderilt is my absolute dream school and I'm hoping to apply but I need to know if you all think that it is a reach. Thanks so much!!</p>

<p>Location: Smryna, TN
Class:Junior -- rising Senior
Class Rank: 6/350+ (not positive the exact #)
GPA: 3.967 unweighted (3.978 by Senior yr)
First Generation
Classes:</p>

<p>Freshman: Span I - A
Physical Science - A
World History H - A 1st sem, but when I moved B (by 1 pt!) 2nd semester
Eng I - A
Alg I H - A
Wellness - A</p>

<p>Sophmore: Span II H - A
Engl II - A
Biology - A
Driver's Ed - A
Nutrition and Food - A
Alg II H - A
Prin of Business - A</p>

<p>Junior: Chem I H+ - A
Geometry H - A
Eng III - A
Virtual Enterprise - A
Drama I - A
US History - A</p>

<p>Senior - Physics AP
Chem II AP
Prec Calc H
Statistics H
Eng III
Goverment/Drama II</p>

<p>(They will all be A's Senior yr)
(Also note: Junior yr lowest grade is 97 [only made that low once].. not sure if that counts for something)
This gives me a total of 10 Honors or above honors courses.
Will have a total of 5 sciences and 5 maths by end of next yr.
Varsity Swimming
Job next yr & over summer
Gov. School 2006
Clubs by end of next yr will include: Mu Alpha Theta, National Honors Society, Student Council, Historical Society, Thesbian, Spanish, Science (treasurer), Interact, Beta, S-club, Pep, First Priority (maybe)
ACT score: First time = 27 .. I know this is low, but I cannot tell you how nervous I was. A 30 next time for sure, and then in Oct. 30+ hopefully.
Applying for ED
I'm good at essays, so counting on essay to be good.
Student of Month twice, Nomination for Volunteer Girls State (Still waiting on word as to whether I will attend or not) Soph& Junior academic award, etc.</p>

<p>((If you need to know anything else, just ask..)) </p>

<p>I would really appreciate your thoughts, since you all got into Vandy. And if you do think that it's a reach... please give advice. Thanks so much!!</p>

2

<p>Not sure that that's a reach... a B won't dock you. You need to account for SAT scores (take those instead of the ACTs if you can. SATIIs? Your AP grades/course schedule is good. Your activities are good, representatives will want to be sure that you care about them (not that you just do them for credentials)).</p>

<p>However, you're from Smyrna. PLEASE try and go out of state. It's important for you to leave Metro Nashville if your family will survive without you. I live in Brentwood--it's healthy for you to find something that's a change.</p>

<p>Schools like Vanderbilt (in the loosest definitions):
Rice
Tulane
Hendrix
Johns Hopkins
Emory
Northwestern
University of Washington
University of Texas (they're both in cities and their honors programs are remarkable--and their other programs are great too)</p>

<p>And also, consider the Deep Springs College (if you're interested in something very different)</p>

<p>Don't stay in Tennessee!!! Head for the Hills!!!!!</p>

3

<p>stop imposing your personal values/goals on him/her.</p>

4

<p>"Schools like Vanderbilt (in the loosest definitions):
Rice
Tulane
Hendrix
Johns Hopkins
Emory
Northwestern
University of Washington
University of Texas (they're both in cities and their honors programs are remarkable--and their other programs are great too)"</p>

<p>I would also add Washington & Lee, becuase like Vandy it is a southern school, lots of greek life and top notch academics. Differences are size (2000 v 6000), athletics (D3 v D1) and setting (suburban v City.)</p>

<p>Also, i don't think Vandy has any discrimination against the ACT. Afterall it is near the midwest. Texas is also predominetly ACT, in case you plan on applying to Rice.</p>

5

<p>So you guys do think it's a match? God I hope so... and, lol, jakpot. I had thought about leaving TN, but my mom is sick and really likes me close by. Although I will admit, TN isn't my first state of choice to live in. I've always thought Rice was a definate reach, and Emory a reach as well.. along with some of those other colleges. However, for some reason I tend to doubt myself a lot and need constant reassurance. I guess girls are like that sometimes. Thanks a lot for the input, guys! I really, really, really appreciate it.</p>

<p>Anyone else? Match or reach?</p>

6

<p>Clubs by end of next yr will include: Mu Alpha Theta, National Honors Society, Student Council, Historical Society, Thesbian, Spanish, Science (treasurer), Interact, Beta, S-club, Pep, First Priority (maybe)</p>

<p>are you a serial club joiner...</p>

<p>Raise your ACT</p>

7

<p>I am almost non-hesitant to say that Rice is a reach for most people. I know four people here at vanderbilt, including myself, who have applied to Rice and have gotten waitlisted. They were all well-qualified so I thought. Emory is definitly not a reach. </p>

<p>Regarding financial aid (because that is what concerned me and probably most other people as well), Univeristy of Washington and UT were terrible. I got into both (with plan II at UT) and UW's package was all loans. I got some aid from UT but it was pits compared to what Emory and Vanderbilt gave me (the same). So I would be careful applying to out of state public schools. you might have a different experience, though.</p>

8

<p>Emory not a reach? Well that's definatly encouraging! And no, I'm not a serial club joiner... haha. I mean those will be my clubs for all of the four yrs. That's really not that many, is it? Some people at our school are crazy, but perhaps I will cut down on the clubs if you think that it will look bad?</p>

<p>And Vanderbilt is definatly my #1 school choice. It's why I'm applying ED. (Also because it increases chances of getting in.) If I could go anywhere it would be Vandy. That's why I was asking is it was a reach or match. Although I'll definatly apply to Emory now, even if I don't get in.</p>

<p>As far as financial aid goes, my mom is a widow and only claimed 12 k last year, but I know Vandy meets 100% need, so I really wasn't worried about the money so much, since they tend to offer so much on need based.</p>

9

<p>jakpot: Haha...Deep Springs College...</p>

<p>"Deep Springs is an all-male liberal arts college located on a self-sustaining cattle-ranch and alfalfa farm in California's High Desert. The 27 members of the student body form a close community engaged in an intense educational project delineated by what Deep Springs' founder, L. L. Nunn, termed the "three pillars": academics, labor and self-governance."</p>

10

<p>why is Deep Springs funny?
it is a top program if that happens to be your thing. It feeds like crazy into HYP</p>

11

<p>i'd say your a definite match for vanderbilt if you keep your grades up. the one B your freshman year will not matter at all. the other things you could improve on in your app are leadership and act score (though even with a 27, you would be highly likely to get into a top university).</p>

12

<p>what are you planning on majoring in?
I think you have a pretty good chance on getting in. your grades are good, good EC. Good essay will help you too. </p>

<p>on a side note, i thought ED would get less $$ for fin.aid. ? But Vandy does give out alot of need-base. Base on your situtation, you will get plenty!</p>

13

<p>Thanks a lot guys. You are all so much help. It's really been all the difference. (I didn't catch the Deep Springs thing, but I think it's halarious. Just wasn't aware, :P)</p>

<p>I am a little worried about leadership as well. I'm going to attempt to be an officer of some clubs, but the one leadership I thought I had (a pathetic treasurer of Science club) I just found out today, I don't have. They revoked nominations of non-Senior members, so they picked someone else. However, ACT shouldn't be a problem to raise. I know I can get atleast a 30 by ED, so hopefully that will look better than my dinky 27.</p>

<p>I am planning on going pre-med with a major in biochem/chem and, possibly, a minor in psychology? I'm not sure about the latter, but pretty sure on the major. Nothing set in stone, of course, but that's the route I'm leaning towards... definitely pre-med. I want to be an obstetrician, actually. And yeah, they do give out a lot of need-based, so that's really what I'm counting on.</p>

14

<p>Don't worry too much about leadership. I mean, it's good, but my resume wasn't loaded with obvious examples. What I did was wrote an essay on one of my ECs that one wouldn't expect to require leadership, but did. Leadership doesn't have to require a title :)</p>

15

<p>Thanks a lot, I think I might do something like that. My essays are worrying me a bit, but I'm fixing to start on them in the next couple of days, and I have until Nov. 1 until the final copy needs to be sent in. One girl, who also got into Vandy, let me see her essays, and I see now that you have to be very 'real' and casual, while showing interest/compassion. However, this seems easier said than done. Ha! However, it still can't look too good to have no leadership...</p>

16

<p>what essay topic was it Mandolin.Rains?</p>

17

<p>don't worry you'll be fine.</p>

<p>ecner, why you ask?</p>

18

<p>Thanks again!</p>

19

<p>I was just curious. It's ok though.</p>