Official Vanderbilt University Fall 2013 Transfer Thread

<p>More. I get less hopeful as time rolls on.</p>

<p>I get less hopeful when even more people come on here and share their AMAZING stats and I’m just like oh… yeah… goodbye chances.</p>

<p>Also - I didn’t know the midterm report was required? What is that exactly?</p>

<p>^^ Exactly. Now I’m just like, why even bother. Probably wont get in.</p>

<p>Talked to another counselor today (not my regional one - she was out of office) so I figured I’d ask this counselor about my usual concerns - low test scores and high school performance. She was very clear and said since (in my case) I would have completed two years of college, that is their primary focus and not test scores/high school stuff. She also mentioned they have much more flexibility with transfer students/admissions. She also said she likes reading transfer (and even incoming freshmen) essays about grade trends and growth, and that everyone of them (staff/people in general?) has stuff that they wish they could go back and change, but not to worry too much about it. Just do the best we can now, and to explain and emphasize our growth/change in the essay. She was literally SO helpful and reassuring, and told me to call back at any time with any questions or concerns. I’m not completely sure of her name but she was an on-call counselor.</p>

<p>Also, just a little tidbit for you all to check out (if you haven’t already)</p>

<p>[How</a> I Read a File | The Vandy Admissions Blog | Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/vandybloggers/2011/12/how-i-read-a-file/]How”>How I Read a File | The Vandy Admissions Blog | Vanderbilt University)</p>

<p>I was told that the Mid-Term Report is not needed, but it’s still requested. Here are the words exactly:
“If you submit all of the required pieces listed on our website, your application will be complete and ready for evaluation. However, we would like for all transfer students to submit their midyear reports when they become available.”
And I’m actually losing hope…I hear how much they love the essays, and I didn’t take enough time on mine…it barely meets the minimum word count and is nothing special at all. So, I’m finding stuff to do around campus, and planning on attending the school for grad school. We’ll see!</p>

<p>Yeah. Unfortunately I’m a soph transfer, so they will look at my test scores. I’m a little lower than the middle 50 percent on the SAT. My grades are great. I haven’t done anything really special in terms of extracurriculars. I mean, I’ve been involved and I’ve had leadership positions, but I didn’t create a club or research at a medical school or anything like that. I’m smart, but the transfer application doesn’t really give you a chance to really sell yourself. I kind of wish they had a supplement.</p>

<p>Newtocollege - meaning you’re currently a freshman? The counselor I talked to yesterday even mentioned now matter how long we have been at college (one semester-two years) they still look at college work. My EC’s aren’t spectacular either, as I am somewhat lacking on leadership positions.</p>

<p>Well that’s good to hear, Anontransfer93. Really worried about the test scores, though I’m doing well in college. Anyone have their recommendations together yet?</p>

<p>I’ve got mine ready to go! Just need to print off my resume to give to the professors writing them so it gives them an idea of what I’m involved with outside of the classroom. Once I get stamps, I will be handing all of the material over to them. I am SO nervous though, I wish I could read these before they send these off because I want them to be golden. These could really be a make or break piece for me. How about you?</p>

<p>I sent out an email earlier today asking for one. Guess I need to ask one more prof :/</p>

<p>any suggestions on essay editing resources? where did you guys turn for edits/guidance?</p>

<p>@ yolocholo
I personally just had a family member read over my finished product to check for any grammatical errors and awkward-sounding sentences. I spent a lot of time on mine, and I was very happy with how it turned out.</p>

<p>Also, does anyone know how important it is to mention Vanderbilt in the CommonApp Transfer Essay? I am applying to a few additional schools, so my CommonApp Essay mostly just talks about why I plan on leaving my current school. Then my supplement essays address why my chosen transfer schools appeal to me. That said, Vanderbilt does not have a supplement essay. Do you think it would be smart to add another paragraph in my CommonApp essay to mention Vanderbilt, and then delete the paragraph before I submit the App to the other schools?</p>

<p>That sounds like a good idea. I might do it myself. I really wish Vandy had a supplement essay.</p>

<p>In a way I kind of agree, but I am also not complaining that I have one less essay to worry about.</p>

<p>I have a couple questions on my mind that I want to ask everyone here about. I know that in traditional admissions into a school, scores and everything would be way more important than in the case of transfers…but:

  1. What GPA do you think we need? I guess I’m trying to say what would be a comfortable range to be in? Obviously a 4.0 would be great, but what would be the minimum we should have?
  2. How important do you think high school stats will play for Junior transfers as opposed to Sophomore transfers?
    I know that what we think isn’t what will be right, but I’m just trying to have conversation because all I’m doing is running this all through my mind over-and-over again. Also, I know there are exceptions to everything, and the decision is not up to us, but go away, amuse me. Let’s keep the conversation rolling!</p>

<p>Disclaimer: I feel like I post on here WAY too much…so, sorry that I keep popping up in the responses.</p>

<p>1) Judging from previous years threads, I feel like the lowest I have seen for college GPAs have been as low as a 3.4/3.5 (not saying that those are bad at all! but some people might think those are “low” for Vanderbilt’s standards) Rarely did I see anything below that.</p>

<p>2) Since we’d be applying as juniors, we have at least 3 semesters of college course work down. I feel like that will be taken into consideration WAY more, especially since it shows that we can consistently maintain a good GPA! </p>

<p>And yeah… I’d love to know what goes on in the minds of admissions counselors. Scary thought!</p>

<p>I feel like I always come to this board to rant about my concerns. The few people that I do know who attend Vanderbilt probably don’t know anything about the admissions selection process, but the last thing I want to do is annoy with my concerns about being accepted. I would talk to my parents but they’d just keep telling me to do the best I can. I haven’t told any of my friends and I doubt that they would be of any help in putting my mind at ease. So, that kind of leaves all of you who are mentally exhausted with this process as well.</p>

<p>^ I agree with everything you said. And don’t worry about ranting. That’s why I made the thread. We really are all in this together.</p>

<p>It’s so strange… If you told me in high school that I would be switching colleges halfway through my college career I would have thought you were crazy. It is kind of a scary thought now, the unknown. To possibly leave my current university behind and start all over… to meet tons of new people I never would have had the chance to before. I personally hate change and feel so unsettled with my college future up in the air. But I’d rather be happier at another university than be miserable where I am now</p>

<p>Did anyone submit their CommonApp yet? I have looked over mine about 20 times but I am still too nervous to turn it in…</p>