<p>Does anyone know if the merit scholarship application is looked at side by side during decisions time with the full common application and supplement question? Or vice versa? I'm curious to know as I wanted to answer Vanderbilt's supplement on an extracurricular with a similar essay I discussed in my scholarship application, which I already submitted. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>You asked this before. Our son was a merit winner. The merit scholars committee likely (I don’t think anyone knows) has access to the Common App essay and intiallly submitted letters of references. That is how a student gets past the first screener(s) attention in the first place and is flagged for merit review–should you be one of the few who get to the merit scholars table discussion. </p>
<p>It would show a huge lack of effort to have a repetitious essay for the merit review round. These awards go to less than 1% of applicants, and most Vandy applicants have merti worthy top test scores and grades. </p>
<p>They are looking for unique voices from students who will light up different departments and sub-schools academically and socially. You need to have something to say for them to get to know different aspects of what you would bring to campus. breadth and depth.</p>