<p>Hey, I'm really curious about the Cornelius Vanderbilt and other strictly merit-based scholarships at Vandy (not so much the volunteering ones). I'm sure a few of you CCers have gotten some, and I would really appreciate it if you could post your stats, or at least give some helpful tips as to why you feel you got the scholarship. </p>
<p>I attended the Pre-VU on July 7, and the woman in charge of merit based scholarships said that the typical Cornelius V. recipient is top 1-2 in their class, mid 1500s SAT or 34-35 ACT, has a rigorous schedule, and is "involved". I feel as if I qualify, but don't want to get my hopes up too high, as full or 75% tuition to Vandy is my top choice. </p>
<p>Your GPA, curriculum, and ECs are terrific. I do think you'll want to bring up your standardized test scores as much as you can to qualify for a top Vanderbilt scholarship. Your ACT puts you in the 34/35 range, but your SATs need to come up, as you know, to really put you in the ballpark for that. </p>
<p>One datapoint: my d has a 3/4 scholarship in the College Scholars program in A & S. I believe there are similar scholarships in the Engineering school. When my d went to her first College Scholars meeting - this was three years ago - she learned that the average SAT score was 1560 (hers was 50 points lower).</p>
<p>Daughter interested in Vanderbuilt. Her friend is currently down there attending a summer program. After a meeting with an admissions counselor, he reported back that to qualify for any merit aid, an applicant needs to have a minumum of a 34 on their ACT. Feedback anyone?</p>
<p>So, are you saying that aid at Vanderbuilt tends to be needs based v.s. merit? I seem to be getting many differing opinions. Anyone out there that has recently gone through the application/scholarship process?</p>
<p>Vandy is great about need based aid. They have to be to pull in the diversity they're looking for. Otherwise it would just be the rich kids club. That said, about 40% of students pay the full price tag, all $40,000 of it. The student body is on the whole very wealthy. I got a mix of merit and need based when I was there for undergrad and now that I'm headed back for grad school this fall, VU is footing the bill. Merit based aid is super hard to come by though. You've got to be the best of the best. Also, I love Vanderbilt. It's a fabulous place to go to school. Go dores!</p>
<p>They do do Merit aid. A girl my daughter went to school with got a full tuition scholarship from Vandy - definitely merit based. The blurb in the high school brag sheet said it was one of only 15 full tuition scholarships Vanderbilt offers. They went to an ultracompetitive HS and she was one of the best students there. My daughter had a 32 ACT and I know this girl had much higher stats than she does but am not sure what.</p>
<p>Your numbers do need to be as near to perfect as possible, and perfect numbers still don't guarantee anything. </p>
<p>There are more than 15 full tuition scholarships from Vandy. Swimcatsmom, I think the one you're thinking about is the Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Scholarship, which is advertised as the most prestigious scholarship Vanderbilt offers. Back when I went through the interview process, there were 9 available in A&S and 1 each in the other schools. I think they've been increased in the meantime, however.</p>
<p>I really don't know why I got the money while others didn't. When all the finalists have near-perfect numbers and amazing ECs and recs. it becomes a bit of a lottery.</p>
<p>Vandy is much better about merit money than virtually all of the other top 20 schools, except perhaps Emory. </p>
<p>I'm under the impression there are 30-50 full tuition awards out there. Plus, there are several 3/4 tuition and smaller awards as well ... And if you're a NMF, you also get another 2K to stack on top of that.</p>
<p>Possibly.... I was 1/180, 36, 2390, and pretty active/involved and I got full tuition to engineering, altho I tend to think the engineering scholarships might be more score oriented(no finalist interviews)</p>
<p>There are some other merit scholarships at Vanderbilt that are not widely advertised. Depending on where you live, there is a Top Tenn scholarship which is available to all TN students, some areas of Arkansas and the Houston, TX area if your school GC has identified you as either number 1 or 2 in your class at the end of your junior year. I think it is either $10,000 or half tuition merit aid for 4 years.
If you live in a state that has a lottery scholarship, as does TN, GA and a few other states, if you are accepted you might want to at least ask if they will honor your home state lottery scholarship if you would eligible for it if you choose an in state school.
I think the National Merit Finalist merit aid may actually be 4,000 or 5,000 per year for 4 years, not 2,000! But I am not completely sure of this. I think you of course must list Vanderbilt as your number one choice school once you have been named a finalist. Fortunately, the deadline for this is after acceptances have been mailed so it easy to list any school you want that accepted you.</p>