Vanderbilt Transfer Thread [Fall 2018]

@transfer0096 Don’t worry. Just call admissions and see what they tell you. I have a similar issue with several schools and they told me not to worry because sometimes it takes a while for them to match application materials to your applicant file. But definitely call and make sure.

Hello everyone! I’ve never used this website before so I hope I’m doing it right.

Current college: Liberal Arts College (not sure about rank)
Applied as: Sophomore
Major: Economics
High School GPA: ~3.85 (unweighted)
SAT Scores: 1940 (old), 1280 (new) [literal trash, I know]
College GPA: 3.93 GPA
Hook: First Generation (I can’t think of anything else…?)
ECs: -work part-time

  • multiple clubs
  • multiple volunteering opprotunities

Wish you all the best of luck!

Hey all, could anyone chance me?

HS GPA: 3.3 from a competitive private school
4.0 @ community college in Pennsylvania
31 credits after freshman year
applying as a sophomore
English Major
30 on ACT, with 35 in English
amazing recs, all of my profs love me and I’ve really gotten to know them well.

Common app essay was an 8/10
Vandy essay 9.5/10, wrote about my summer job teaching underprivileged kids and how it taught me about patience, has a good beginning hook to draw reader in.

Extracurriculars: Intern with democratic state rep, caretaker for type 1 diabetic children, president of literary club and treasurer of Democratic club.

Also played varsity ice hockey in high school and was the president of two clubs.

Hooks: reverse household, mom went to college but dad did not. Female. Been in contact with my specific admissions counselor and he knows me and my name, had several phone calls. I submitted my application in late January to show eagerness too.

I have very similar stats to you, so I’m interested as to our chances as well. Just wondering, what have you talked to your admissions counselor about? I would like to establish a relationship with mine too if possible.

When do the first wave of decisions roll out?

@ninjawarrior17 Last year the first wave was out the afternoon of April 18, but it could be different this year.

Could you please take a look at my stats? @transferdore17

HS GPA: 4.25 (I think)
College GPA: 3.55
Applying as a Junior (incoming senior? But I would have an “extra year”)
Biology Major, Chemistry Minor, Honors Program
30 on ACT, with 35 in English
Private College
Not from Tennessee

One rec from a prof that taught an honors class similar to what I want to do at Vandy. I think this was a strong rec.

Another rec was from a biology prof who knows me well and has given great recs in the past, but she was a little odd when I told her I wasn’t happy at this school so I’m not sure but I think this one was strong too.

I did all three essays. The main common app one I talked about what I had learned at my current school and how it led me to wanting to transfer and realizing my path had changed due to interests/passions. I talked a lot about my interest specifically in the Medical, Health, and Society major and extracurriculars I am excited to be involved with. The activities essay I talked about my involvement with a nonprofit clinic which led me to discover these passions and interests. The optional essay I talked about a difficult period in my life during which I realized I wasn’t happy and what I did to fix my grades and change the things I was having issues with.

Extracurriculars: Tutoring (paid), summer work (paid), leadership in one honors organization and the honors program, volunteering and liasion for two health clinics, section editor for the school newspaper, music, shadowing, religious life, and I am also an EMT.
*I used the option to attach my resume as well to the appplication.

For all of my activities I have been heavily involved for all three years. I’m not sure if being a current Junior puts me at a disadvantage or not, but I absolutely love Vanderbilt and tried to convey this in my application and essays.

Hooks: deans list 3 semesters, I lived overseas for a while and so I know a few languages from that (I didn’t stress this a lot, but it asked me for languages that I knew). I’m not sure what other hooks would be.

I turned in my application the day before the priority deadline and I applied for the Medicine, Health, and Society program.

Also, I applied senior year of high school but there was something missing from my application and they did not technically make a decision. I think it was a missing recommendation.

Optional essay? Where? Did I miss something?

@TerrierNation I used the common app program so there was the general common app essay, an essay about one of your activities, and then at the end of the application it says if there is any additional information you want to add you can and it’s basically another essay, but I used it to talk about my issues during a particular year and what I did to fix/overcome them.

you scared me LOL

Yeah I would say there’s no optional essay. The additional info section of the CommonApp is mainly for extenuating circumstances such as bad health, strange grading practices, and other random tidbits such as an activity you could not include anywhere else. Writing a full blown essay would not be advantageous, nor would it be disadvantageous. Most likely they would skim it or not even read it. But hey, props to you for beefing up your application; It shows dedication.

Also, if you want to form a relationship with your admissions rep, here’s a few things I have done (I have been talking to her after I committed to my most recent school during May 1st of last year):

-Email him/her using the “Contact Your Admissions Rep” page on the Vandy Admissions Website
-Call him/her about the status of your app if MyAppVu is not marking something as submitted
-I even flew down to campus to visit some friends. I ended up meeting with her to discuss application deadlines/materials. It could too late in the game for that though.

This just scratches the surface with what I have personally done. Ideally, a relationship with your rep should be established before you even apply. However, this does not mean it is too late to try.

Personally, I have gotten to know her really well, and we also are good friends with the student from my high school class who currently attends Vandy. Also, I am interested in Higher Education Administration and that was what my rep studied in Grad School, so that definitely adds a connection of sorts.

However: Only get to know your admissions rep if you have a genuine interest in forming such a relationship with them. They are real people, and given what they do I am sure they can spot fake students from a mile away. Trying to scramble at the last second to, for a lack of a better term, gain their favor might backfire. I have a genuine interest in college admissions (which is why I want to go to grad school for higher ed administration) so I talked to my rep for a different reason, but the case is different for everyone.

If you have any other questions hmu!

historically, they release decisions on a tuesday. so will it be next tuesday or the tuesday after?

According to the last year thread, I think the first wave may comes out on 4/17.

If it follows the same pattern, it should be 4/16

I’m so ready for decisions to come out!!!

anyone wanna bite the bullet and call admissions to ask for a decision date lol

@TerrierNation NOT ME!! Making phone calls gives me anxiety.

“AHA! You curiosity got the best of you and you called us- Guess what?! Now you’re on our LIST!”
lightning strikes in the distance

Come on guys, whats the worst that can happen?

they start rolling decisions mid april, it says it on the website: https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/dates/