<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I am an International student, currently studying 12th Grade in the United Arab Emirates in a school which follows Indian curriculum CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education).</p>
<p>I just wanted to know what my chances are in getting admission into Vanderbilt University for Mechanical Engineering.</p>
<p>I dont have GPA grading in my school. The grading is purely based on marks obtained:
9th - 85%
10th - 90%
11th - 80%</p>
<p>If my school was giving GPA grading then my grading MIGHT (coz there is not accurate grading for the Indian curriculum) look like this:-
9th 3.7+ / 4.0 (coz I got As in all my subjects)
10th 3.7/4.0+ (coz I got As in all my subjects)
11th 3.2-3.4 / 4.0 (coz I got a few As and a few Bs)</p>
<p>I had also recieved a half-fee scholarship in grade 11.</p>
<p>ACTIVITIES :
I have been selected to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) in Washington/New York this year.
Swimming
Singing
Made Robot for science exhibition
Created a presentation on the periodic table
Helped the team in coming 3rd in an inter-school robot competition
Part of the school Anti-Smoking Committee
I have been learning Indian Carnatic Music vocal for over 10 years and have give a 2 and half hour concert. I have also been learning Carnatic Music violin for over 3 years. </p>
<p>SAT SCORES:
MATH - 700
CR - 600
Planning to give it again to improve my score (hopefully 1350+).</p>
<p>Going to give SAT II's in November. Will get above 750 in maths, physics and chemistry.</p>
<p>Teacher Recommendations will be really good. Not sure what the school counsellor will write (but got info from previous school mates in US universities that we usually get really good recs).</p>
<p>Am going to start working on the essays when the apps are released and HOPEFULLY they should be good.</p>
<p>Will appreciate all responses. good as well as bad.</p>
<p>Thanks all.</p>
<p>I have a junior at Vandy and I think that your chances are okay. My son feels that almost all of the Vandy students are really smart, I don't know how he asses this, but he did score a 1510 on his SAT and has taken enough difficult classes to be a pretty good judge of his peers. You are smart too, but I don't know how well your academic record will stand up. If you really want Vandy, apply early decision which will increase your chance of admittance by 10 % more or less. </p>
<p>The activities you do are very solid, but there are academic gaps in your transcript. With your 80% for 11th grade, down from a 90% in 10th, you are not the typically academic strong student at Vandy. You did well on the SAT, but not so well to overshadow the grades that you get. Being an international applicant may be enough to offset your academic record though. Increase your SAT and grades, get a position of leadership this year, and you will increase your chances. Good luck.</p>
<p>International schools lack of the massive inflation of American schools. Thus, his/her grades are probably about equivalent to the average Vanderbilt candidate.</p>
<p>However, you need to strengthen your SATs. Verbal is often excused for international applicants, but you math needs to be stronger to put your SATs in range.</p>
<p>That being said, Vanderbilt doesn't have a particularly high international percentage, and I don't know if that's because, although being a good school, it's not a huge international name (like the Ivies, Stanford, Chicago, and big publics like Berkeley, UCLA, and Michigan) and thus most international applicants apply or because they don't take the time to research international schools / concentrate on international applicants.</p>
<p>a very important item for the last several years while Shain was Director of Admissions was the "contibution to the Vanderbilt community". so ask yourself what will you contribute? what makes you unique?
Shain has left this summer for Bowdoin and the new DA is from Purdue (IIRC) so the emphasis may change slightly over time.
A lot also depends on what school you will be selecting. Blair (Music) is the hardest for entry followed by Liberal Arts.<br>
Ask yourself why is Vandy so important for me--your answer will tell you what you need to do to get in.</p>
<p>it is because it is not a household name among internationals that i am applying here under the assumption that i will have a better chance when less internationals apply. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt is also a very good school but i have no idea why not many ppl outside us or canada have heard about it.</p>
<p>i also wanted to know whether vandy has a electives in the field of Aeronautical or aerospace engineering</p>
<p>SORRY if forgot to mention that since i had forgotten my password is the reason my name is different from the original id.</p>