OOS applicant. Dual citizen.
Born in the US. Attended elementary school in Spain. Attended 6th-9th grade in France.
Living and attending high school in Italy right now.
white
34 on the ACT.
SAT Subject Tests:
Physics: 800
Math Level 2: 800
Class rank: 1/850
Not applying for FinAid.
I have an unusual, multicultural background. My ECs aren’t weak, but not strong either.
Should I even bother applying?
OOS does not matter for Vanderbilt, it is a private university. Your stats are excellent, you should apply if you think it is a good fit for you.
I’d say give it a shot if you would like to attend. Your numbers are in the range, so they won’t be a problem. Just do a great job on your essays to make yourself stand out, and highlight your unique multicultural background. Use the supplement and additional resume document to expand upon and flesh out the EC’s you do have in order to make them look better than they might actually be.
@intparent @fdgjfg thank you both for your feedback!
I just hope that they will consider the limited EC opportunities I had, since none of my schools offered ANY clubs and ECs aren’t important for admission to European universities. It’s all about grades. My principal indicated it on the school profile; it still puts me at a disadvantage though.
Holistic-review schools look at things that make you more interesting and more of a well-rounded person. Your experiences make you every bit as diverse (probably more so) as the average applicant with a list of ECs. I actually think you are a strong candidate for Vandy because you stand out. Also, all of the elite schools are aware of differences in educational systems; they really do pay attention to school profiles.
@higheredrocks Good to know – thank you for your answer!