@k__smith123 much appreciated insight, thank you. so hard to go with your gut when you’re split right down the middle!
@nicolasdeadman - here’s a question back at you: before all the regular admissions decision came out, which school would you have ranked higher on your own personal list? What attracted you to both these schools in the first place? What specific programs do they have that you want? Also, what do you think you will regret if you don’t go to Vanderbilt? If you are thinking about prestige, that’s not enough. I think that connections may matter in some fields of study (business, finance, for example - but Vanderbilt doesn’t give business degrees), but not in others (pre-med, for example). Fit is a bigger thing to consider. If you love where you go, you will get better grades and have more life opportunities when you graduate.
I would not worry about the Greek and party life. Vanderbilt seems to have that reputation but our impression is that it’s overblown. Greek houses are on campus and under the eye of the university. Only 1 in 3 men are in a fraternity according to the common data set, so that means that 2 out of 3 are not. You would be fine.
You have two very different choices. Good luck!
@kyshelen Hey, I just got my financial aid package and they met my EFC 100%.
has anyone from NYC been admitted off of the waitlist??
Does anyone know when the second wave is expected to be notified?
Probably Wednesday/Thursday.
@haleyhaley2022 that’s great! my friend also got full need, at about $67,000
have any international students got off the waitlist yet?
Are there any international students who got off the waitlist in the first wave?
^ ^ wondering about the same thing…
When’s the next wave expected to be
Last year it was six days after the first, which would be Thursday. Two years ago it was nine days between the first two rounds, and there was another “are you interested in staying on the waiting list” email that came out in between also.
Hey everyone! I’m not sure if this is the appropriate place to do so, but I feel like I need to vent to a group of individuals who can relate, so I apologize for this horrendously long, pointless post
I see that there are a bunch of you that have been accepted off of the first wave. Congratulations!! Did you guys express that Vanderbilt was your top choice? I see so many accepted waitlisted applicants (not just for Vandy) express indecisiveness after being accepted and it’s quite disheartening since Vandy is my first choice. I’ve sent in two letters of continued interest updating my regional admissions counselor on my senior year accomplishments but the first was sent during early mid-April when he happened to be out of office and the second was sent a day or so after the first wave came out. I ended up emailing the first one to the admissions office (in early mid-April) because I received an automated message from my counselor stating his absence from his office and wasn’t sure if my counselor had received it. I did not receive any response for either letter from either contact. I’m also on the engineering waitlist, so that’s not really helping my case 
I am beyond grateful for this second opportunity through the waitlist but I am so so desperate and I really hope I’ve been communicating my interest without seeming clingy. I applied to 11 schools, 7 of which were reach schools (horrible decision, I realize. I’m first-generational and my parents are middle school dropouts and my neighborhood/school is quite young/inexperienced so I didn’t have the proper guidance and everyone thought I could make it with my stats) and 3 safeties and 1 match. I went 0/7 reach schools, by some miracle got waitlisted to Vandy, and got into my match and safeties with absolutely no aid even though I desperately need it (lower middle class). I will be attending my match school in the fall, but I really really really hope that this waitlist comes through for me because it would save me financially, not to mention give me the opportunity to attend my dream school. I really regret not applying Early Decision, but as people have been telling me, it’s too late to regret anything now and I must just accept life. I’ve been lurking on this forum for quite some time now and seeing @penpal11 's determination and subsequent success story gives me hope. Coincidentally, this Friday will be my birthday. I hope with all of my heart that everything turns out alright in the end. If you’ve read the entirety of this rant, thank you for paying me any attention. Good luck to everyone on this thread!
@PickleMaster there might be people in the college admissions forum who could help you with other options, even though it’s late. How are you paying for your school?
I sent a loci two weeks ago to my counselor through the “contact me” page in the portal but he never replied… Should I send one again?
@mom2cats I sat down with my parents and discussed our options and they told me that they were going to be able to make ends meet at my match school. It will be a hefty burden for sure, but they encouraged me to go for it since they want the best for me and think it will pay off. I’ve also tried to secure local and outside scholarships but to no avail, and as I am ORM and middle class (just above the “needy” threshold), I do not qualify for most scholarships. I am looking to secure a part-time job in college to finance my other expenses, as my parents have agreed to pay for tuition and help out with other components if need be. I just really don’t want to be more of a burden to my parents since they’ve worked so hard for my family and they were planning to retire after I left for college but must now continue to work
@nicolasdeadman Hey, how did your decision go!? Are you going with Biola or Vandy?
@PickleMaster I’m no expert, but there are people here who can help you figure out if it’s worth taking a year off and reapplying to different schools or if there are any on the nacac list that might be more affordable but still a good fit. It’s possible that if you post on the college admissions forum here you might get suggestions. But in any case, fingers crossed that you get off the waitlist!
@PickleMaster thank you so much! If you want, I can PM you and tell you everything I did to maximize my chances of getting off the waitlist.
@PickleMaster totally understand your thoughts on waitlist/first choice, etc. Vanderbilt was always our daughter’s first choice and yes, she did express that to admissions. We visited a few weeks ago (before being admitted off the waitlist) which was certainly an indication to them that she was very serious. But last night, ten minutes before the deadline, she declined the offer of admission. The last few days were brutal for her and she must have spoken to a dozen friends/counselors/teachers. She would probably tell you that Vanderbilt is still her top choice, but for an 18 year old kid it is very difficult to make that decision after you have already committed to another school. She had been active on the committed school roommate search pages and had started to make friends already. So even though she was admitted in the first wave, she just felt more comfortable already at the other place. If she had been admitted in the original time frame, I’m sure she would be at Vandy.
Best of luck to you all, and we are incredibly excited for one of you to claim the open spot!