Vanderbilt 2010 Official Decision Thread

Colleges & Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
41

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>School/Major: College of Arts and Science --- Undecided</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: 2230
SAT IIs: 800M, 700V, 730W (10 Essay)
GPA: not sure, pretty good but suffered this year :/
Rank: somewhere around 10-12/160
Other stats:
Subjective:
Essays: i liked them, plus i didnt effing procrastinate for once
Teacher Recs: guidance counselor said they were great
Counselor Rec: musta been good, who really knows
ECs: Co-Captain of Wrestling team, 3 yrs soccer, weight-training program, 8 yrs of piano, Pastoral Seach Committee at a congregational church (took us 2 years to pick a minister, yeah)
Hook (if any): my dad grew up in TN and went to school in New England, and my experience would parallel his in reverse (wrote my 'why vandy' on that)
State or Country: Massachusetts
School Type: Competitive Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
special skills/abilities: levitation. at least when i opened the envelope
why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: probably dirty legacy ties (uncle and grandfather went there), but also I worked my damn tail off in freshman through junior years
Other Factors: They might rescind my admission if they see all the C's i'm making this semester. I'll have to put in an ounze of effort the next couple of months or I might get bumped in favor of one of those well qualified waitlisted students</p>

42

<p>uh I'm doing this way too late at night... I ment weighted</p>

43

<p>Son flat out rejected to Blair (2nd choice A & S)
G.P.A. ~ 3.5
Rank: competitive school doesn't rank
SAT: 2230 (790 M; 690V; 750 W)
SAT II: 800 MathIIC; 800 Chem; 690 Bio
AP: 5 Chem; 5 AB Calc; 4 US
National Merit Commended Scholar
Essays: really good (friends wanted copies)
Recs: great (I'm assuming...)
ECs: many and varied but no varsity sports (has club sport)
Community Service: lots, esp. volunteer EMT, Eagle Scout
Other Skills: Piano ... guess they didn't like the audition, though -
Despite the fact that we flew down from CT to TN for Blair audition weekend, never even heard from Blair - assume they forwarded stuff to second choice A & S.
Other hook: Showed lots of interest (audition, VU day, applied for Ingram...)
How we heard: Thin form letter arrived today - Son is OK, I am upset. What are they looking for anyway?? He is hoping for Wake and Emory - haven't heard yet. Wonder what the chances are there now?
Congrats to all accepted - I still love the school, just bitter...</p>

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<p>melie13 - what school do you go to? i'm from pa too. i'm the first one in the last x years to get in from my school. not a lot of people apply. what are you going into? yea peabody people!</p>

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<p>lovemykids, it's hard to believe your kid was denied with those stats...nice SAT scores by the way..</p>

46

<p>lovemykids--so sorry. But your S should definitely get into Emory with his great stats, and Emory is beautiful if you haven't been there.</p>

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<p>lovemykids--I know your extreme disappointment and I am sorry. Here's hoping for great news from Wake and Emory with all his great attributes. Both are such nice schools.</p>

48

<p>lovemykids, i am shocked that your s did not get in. i have been reading posts on a lot of schools that are not ivy league but that have admissions that appear to "want" that standard. not that there is anything wrong with that but here are my thoughts.</p>

<p>must have 4.0 or as close as possible or forget it. (unless urm)
must have 2200 sats and 32 seems to be the Act range
best chance is still ed or ea. </p>

<p>strange part is you have all that so yeah, what do you have to do?
Schools, you can't all be ivy league. or we might as well just apply to Princeton and Yale!</p>

49

<p>maybe they thought he was too good for vanderbilt...</p>

50

<p>lovemykids..I don't get it either. Your son's stats are excellent and you clearly got acquainted with Vandy. Perhaps we will learn that they simply had to turn down many many qualified kids this year and that ED was the way to go. Here is hoping that he gets great news from his other favorite options! we all love our kids and he is a talented young man.</p>

51

<p>lovemykids...I am so sorry about your son. I totally understand how you feel cuz I'm feeling exactly the same way...angry and bitter. My son got a "waitlisted" letter yesterday. He has moved on, but obviously, I have not. I mean what do these kids have to do these days??! It's absurd! He has a 4.0 UW grade point (never has made a B), class rank 9/725 taking all honors and APs since Freshman year (with 5's on all AP's taken). He's an Eagle Scout (with lots of leadership positions), V.P. of NHS, President & Worship leader of Higher Dimensions, QB, football team captain, Spanish honor society, FCA. PALs (peer leadership group--mentors elem. school children), youth leader at church, Key Club. A gazillion community service hours. Awards too numerous to mention but a few are HOBY finalist, Prudential Spirit of Comm. local nominee, Houston Texans Foundation Comm. QB Award (comm. service award), All-State Academic 1st Team (1 of 3 awarded in our huge district--awarded by Texas High School Coaches Assoc.), KHOU-TV Scholar Athlete of the week, Top English student 9-11th grade, Distinguishd honor roll every semester since 9th grade, blah, blah, blah. He had excellent recs. (teachers adore him), and excellent essay (English teacher says many of his essays are publishable). The only think I could think of was that his SAT scores were not "stellar" ...670M 650V 720W.
But, from reading some of the stats on this thread and others, I really don't think that has anything to do with it. I've noticed there are MANY with lower SATs and lower GPAs that got in...and many with higher obviously. This is why I just don't get it. No one can tell me that he just didn't have great SATs cuz a lot of others didn't either and they got in. What did they not like about him??? I think he's adorable..hahaha!!! Maybe some committee person was having a bad day and he just got unlucky, I don't know. It's a "crap shoot" I think!!! This is just absolutely crazy!!! I really think it's more competitive for Texans as well cuz there are so many that apply. He will find out today who got in from his high school...but I can tell you, none of them have the rank, GPA, or ec's/leadership/comm. service that he does!! Gee, I don't sound upset do I?? Sorry for the longwindedness!!! I hope your son get some good news up there...and SOON! Good luck to you!</p>

52

<p>To lovemykids -- I am extremely sorry. Your kids numbers are great. Really great. Wow!!!</p>

<p>But, Vandy is not what it used to be. My daughter made me see schools in a different light this year. She grew up in the South and attended a boarding school these past two years in the north and discovered one thing -- she hates cold weather. Hence, she requested a great school in the south or warmth -- that leaves California, Arizona etc. open along with the Confederate states.</p>

<p>We learned there are really only a few great schools in the warm weather. Ask your friends -- and they spit out: Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, and Vandy. Always, the name Vandy pops out. And, now that Vandy becomes more known, the students who apply and the quality of student also improves.</p>

<p>Recently, following the heels of Vandy is the University of Miami. Once, SunTan U, it is now a serious undergraduate university where people from everywhere apply -- and they even apply early admission.</p>

<p>Vandy is hot. The SAT scores of this year's class beat last year's -- probably by ten points -- which is the margin of increase between the class of 2009 from 2008. Expect this to continue.</p>

<p>My college is experiencing a similar change. And, they now reject -- REJECT -- half the students who apply whose scores are 750 or above! That was not the case when I applied. As I tell my wife, I could not get into my school if I applied today. And, that comments also holds true for Vandy. And, I think I was a pretty above-average student. That is what I tell my wife to tell me -- only on a daily basis.</p>

<p>Hope all goes well with the other schools.</p>

<p>And, just react to this like I always look at my hurdles (of which there have been many), this is meant to be and something good will happen from it -- e.g. get into a school where your S will probably be happier.</p>

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<p>TaeMaeShoo says Eagle Scout is a hook -- does everyone agree? My son is getting his eagle this year and I really donot know if it means much of anything -- also will be gold palm as he already has 32 badges. Maybe will go for Hornaday. Curious for responses as I (and my son) did not get into scouting for college. This has been ongoing since 4th grade.</p>

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<p>Fatherofboarder...I do not believe being an Eagle Scout is a hook at all. I have read several posts where Eagles have not been admitted...my son is an Eagle Scout as well, and was not admitted to Vandy. You probably saw my post above with my son's stats. I am very upset just like lovemykids. Being an Eagle taught him so much tho and would do it again. It's a very worthwhile thing...but don't do it if it's just because you think it'll get you in somewhere...it won't!</p>

55

<p>Wow - once again I am amazed at your responses and how much better I feel. Doesn't change anything, but it's nice to feel a little affirmation. Sometimes I think I must be crazy. Thank you for all of your support. And yes, I am coming to the realization that this whole process is somehow wrong and I am starting to believe that it is all meant to be and he will be fine wherever (ironically, he's been telling me that for the past year though now I do think his pride is a little hurt.)</p>

<p>Anyway, about Eagle scout; I am a woman among Eagles (my husband, my brothers, my sons...) and I am a Socut leader for 10 years so I really truly believe in and know the value of the program. There was never a question that my sons would be eagles. But I also always believed that is would also be a "hook" - that colleges like to see a commitment over the long-term as well as the community service that comes with it. We didn't do it for that reason, but it helped justify the time commitment and conflicts that being in a scout uniform so often required. I was even told that BC has never rejected an Eagle from our town. Well, this year they did. So much for that. And I have to believe that the "1 out of 100" statistic is old and now there are so many Eagle scouts that maybe it is not such a unique distinction.</p>

<p>That being said, go for it anyway. The leadership and skills learned from scouting last a lifetime - way longer than those needed to fill out a college app. and way more important. I'm not going to step onto my scouting platform here, but feel free to email me if you have questions.</p>

<p>Faline2 - great to see you here - I have read all of your Furman posts and they are so helpful. thanks!</p>

<p>berly - I just don't get it. Your son's waitlist makes even less sense than my son's rejection. I am so sorry. But in the spirit of misery loves company, it's comforting to not be alone in my confusion.</p>

<p>here's hoping for good news for all of us!</p>

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<p>Berly and lovemykids,</p>

<p>As I read your posts I was struck by how impressive your kids appear and I continue to be amazed at the quality of students out there. I feel your pain and would like to encourage you to hang in there and let time be the great healer. My D experienced a similar sting from a top school a couple of years ago. One of her classmates got in with much lower scores, gradepoint, EC's and she was waitlisted. No rhyme or reason - except to say that she is now thriving and VERY happy at another top school. Sometimes there are no obvious answers, but, I can say that our S decided not to apply to the same top school that waitlisted our D and it was kind of funny because they really tried to recruit him. Anyway, I am confident that your kids will end up somewhere great and be so glad that they are there!</p>

57

<p>To Anyone Who Needs a Good Laugh Right About NOW!!.....</p>

<p><a href="http://www.collegiatechoice.com/myaccept.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegiatechoice.com/myaccept.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks bunches lovemykids and leadfooter for your understanding...it does help. And lovemykids, you're right, misery does love company!!! By the way, if anyone tries to call admissions today, forget about it...they are closed! Guess they didn't wanna answer the flood of calls they know they're gonna get!!! lol</p>

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<p>Leadfooter...One of my son's best friends (same high school) applied to Vandy as well the very last day they could submit apps. As of yesterday, his friend didn't receive the thin envelope, so we're thinking he's probably getting the "big" packet today (lower gpa, lower class rank, etc., etc.). But, we all know life isn't always fair don't we??? That will probably "sting" my son again today, but he'll be happy for his friend in the end. Some things just weren't meant to be.</p>

59

<p>hazelorb -- I'm from Lower Merion aka PA bball state champs! (sorry I'm still a little excited). Where do you go and whats your major? I'm an HOD major.</p>

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<p>I used to think that this school was called Vaderbuilt, because it was built by Darth Vader.</p>