<p>ACT 29, weighted GPA 4.2 Honors classes, 8 AP classes, Varsity Swimming 6 years, co- capt 2 years, good EC's, excellent teacher reccs, good essay, sibling graduated Vandy.</p>
<p>You didn’t give a ton of detail, but I’d say you probably have a shot. The ACT, however, is a huge weakness. Since Vandy doesn’t have a supplemental essay, I think it might be given a little more weight than it would be for similar schools. If you can raise it a couple points, that would help, 32 or above is probably ideal. If you’re female, would you be interesting in swimming at Vandy? Getting recruited, or at least talking to the coach would probably help you get in.</p>
<p>take your ACT again…do the ten tests in the Red book of Real ACTs…go for it! and good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m not good enough to swim d1, but I’m working hard to raise my ACT ( it’s the reading).</p>
<p>Yes! I have the book and plan on getting my score up. Thanks!</p>
<p>You should definitely be able to study to raise at least a few point, especially if you didn’t study much to get the 29. I took a full length practice test and got something like a 27, but was able to get a 32 by the time I took the real thing. Reading was my issue too, but despite low scores, I still was able to get a relatively good composite. Keep up the work, it’s worth it!</p>
<p>Juniors are so overscheduled but you have the summer. Our son did open book ACT tests a couple of times at home and found it helpful to read the answer section carefully and leisurely after he finished each section. After that he bucked up and did timed tests (this is no fun). The ACT rewards time efficiency and is graded differently than the SAT. </p>
<p>Another angle to impress: Take two SATII subject exams. Buy the books and prep if you try this approach. They are only an hour long but they are unique and different and you have to prepare with the books.</p>
<p>Last angle. Try the SAT. One of my sons got the same scores twice on the SAT and called it a day. The other son raised his SAT 200 points from Junior spring to Senior Fall. He self prepped a lot in the summer…got motivated! and maybe lucky. Whatever is your best effort in the fall, plan realistically around your prospects and make sure you have a match college where you know you can be happy. Then any reach college is gravy. </p>
<p>A 29 is a good ACT score that indicates you can succeed in college so start by being smart and succeeding in how you approach your list. Make a list with a couple of excellent match colleges on it and attach to your match. That is the short version of how to end up happy next April. Vanderbilt is much harder to enter than it was even five years ago. My son won a merit scholarship. I noticed that his ACT is no longer top quartile. 31 thousand applicants means a total game change re the odds.</p>
<p>Run your own race. Make sure to put your heart in your Vandy app and to give them an Early Decision application but keep your heart open.</p>
<p>Thank you for taking the time to provide me with some great advice! I’m giving it all I’ve got! ;)</p>