<p>Hi guys! I know theres already an ED group, but I just wanted to have a thread where those who were accepted could give some tips to any future applicants to Vandy, or those who didn't get in could say what they could have done differently. I'll get the ball rolling when I stress that ED (and most likely ED2) are EXTREMELY weighted at Vanderbilt. I highly doubt with my poor GPA that I could have gotten in without ED, however, test scores are also a BIG factor. I had an SAT that was well above the 75th percentile for Vanderbilt, and I believe that pushed me through. If you can, correspond with your regional rep as much as possible, show them you care and you're serious about Vanderbilt. They love well rounded, friendly students, so when you visit, stop by the admissions office and just ask a few questions to a representative. Look presentable and friendly; I did this when I visited, and I truly believe it made a difference.
If you're serious about Vandy being your number 1, ED. I got my acceptance today and it's one of the happiest days of my life.</p>
<p>Hi! Congratulations on your acceptance! I had a question for you or anyone else who could respond – Vandy is my absolute FAVORITE school, it feels perfect for me. I’ll be applying next year (class of 2017) and was wondering what other ways I can show that I’m so passionate about the program I would be in and how much I love the school. I want to show them that without sounding cliche or gushy, if that makes sense. Thanks so much! Congrats again!</p>
<p>Other than EDing, I’d suggest visiting and sitting in on a class, afterwards, introduce yourself to the professor and thank him, tell him how you’re applying, hopefully youll be able to strike up a conversation and he might be able to give you some tips. Also, while you’re there obviously stop by admissions. Vanderbilt also has a summer program that you may be able to become involved in. Try to make sure that you become HEAVILY involved in your community this year, I believed it made a large difference as they stressed that in my acceptance letter. Become a leader, start a club, try to win an award. You still have time! Good luck!</p>
<p>I’d like to think that it’s not as superficial as doing something specifically to get into a good college, but I guess that sometimes it comes down to it. I ED II’ed to Vandy last year, and i can honestly say that I think my essays showed a commitment to my extracurriculars. Let your application show who you are, rather than what you think a college might like to see.</p>
<p>It’s cliche and it’s not the norm, but i really believe that you should go to a college because it fits you, and it should accept you because you fit it. That’s not to say “don’t apply to any good schools because I don’t fit in!” Definitely shoot for the stars, sometimes our opinions of things change and we change. However, You shouldn’t have to bend and manipulate yourself to look like a stereotypical Vandy student, or any special college for that matter.</p>
<p>Tl;dr: Let your application unapologetically scream “this is me.” If you’re not for Vanderbilt (not accepted…), you’re meant for somewhere else.</p>
<p>yeah, i definitely agree with what has been said above. i just got my acceptance letter yesterday (yay!), but i was not at all a shoe-in. my ACT was a 32, and my GPA was around a 91 (unweighted) on a 100 point scale. I think what probably pushed me through was keeping in contact with my regional representative and having a FANTASTIC college counselor. i’m not saying you should just email your rep arbitrarily–because that can waste their time–but when you have a question or an update to your application (for example, i emailed to let them know that after my first quarter grades for senior year came out, i had made the honor roll) you should definitely email. Also, i always closed these emails with something to the effect of “I’m really looking forward to receiving my admissions decision and hopefully attending Vanderbilt next year!” Basically, if you want to make them remember you (my college counselor told me this), you need to put yourself out there and make it completely obvious how much you’re dying to go there. also, like i said, my college counselor is amazing and was a great advocate for me. i go to pretty small high school, but even in a big school, i think the best thing you can do for yourself outside of the application is to make sure you build a relationship with the teachers who are writing your recommendations and your counselor. i think that input can definitely tip a decision one way or the other, so to be able to separate yourself from the rest of the pack and stand out within your class to those people is one of the best things to do. since you’re a junior, that’s something you can start right now. 
good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you guys so much for all this advice; it’s SO helpful - and reassuring. My school gets ~100 applicants to Vanderbilt each year (out of 1200 in each senior class), so they know my high school pretty well there, but I will definitely correspond with my rep. Also, thanks for the note about commitment to extracurriculars - I think mine show commitment, and I hope it shows!</p>
<p>Did any of you guys interview? I am visiting in February and really want to interview!</p>
<p>I actually did not get to interview, but it doesnt factor in much they said (only about 20% of admitted students actually interview). However, make sure you stop by the admissions office when you’re there and ask a rep if you can set up an interview. However, they are most often conducted by alumni and you can only request one after you submit part 1 of your Vandy application next year. Best of luck!!</p>
<p>Thanks, I’m definitely planning on stopping by admissions and asking about interviews! </p>
<p>Also, this might sound like a stupid question but I’ve tried to find a copy of the Vanderbilt supplement online and am having no luck - is there no Vandy supplement to go along with your Common App?</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions, you guys are helping me so much. Thank you!!</p>
<p><a href=“http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/forms/CommonApp2011_FINAL.pdf[/url]”>http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/forms/CommonApp2011_FINAL.pdf</a></p>
<p>There is a copy of the supplement, its at the end of the PDF. It’s a no-essay supplement.</p>
<p>I received my acceptance letter in the mail last week. I couldn’t be happier. (:</p>
<p>Thanks, kittyhercules! That’s the supplement I was finding and I was just worried if I was missing another part.</p>
<p>Also, congratulations on your acceptance!! :)</p>
<p>i did the interview, and yeah, it doesn’t factor in much in the decision. however, if you think it could help you at all (even just because it shows more interest), definitely do it! they are basically just really laid back meetings with an alumn. you chat about college and high school for about half an hour or so. i met my interviewer at a starbucks. like i said, pretty chill. they send out an email after your application is completed, offering you the opportunity to do an interview, so it’s a really easy process.</p>
<p>If you really like the school, you’ll put a decent amount into your application. That’s all. Vandy really doesn’t care about how much you scream your love for them because many students love Vandy. I feel like that’s a very, excuse the language, stupid way of trying to get into a school. If you want the school, you would’ve tried hard in school (or not), and already taken the necessary tests. Trying to get an edge over others in terms of kissing up to Vandy will get you nowhere.</p>
<p>Thanks for the opinion; I do well in school! I am sure many students love Vanderbilt, but not all show the school why they fit – so I’m making sure I do. Just my thoughts. :)</p>
<p>In the additional information section on the common app I attatched a two paragraph statement on why I felt Vanderbilt was a perfect fit for me so that the admissions department could understand why I was applying.
I assume it helped because I was accepted ed1 for the class of 2016!</p>
<p>Hi hvn9794, could you give us more tips on keeping in touch with the regional rep? I applied to EDII this year and Vandy is truly my first choice. I know that keep contacting the regional reps would help for sure, but I don’t want them to see that I’m bothering them or trying too hard at the same time. I’ve already emailed my rep who visited my high school about my love for vandy and interest to certain program. And she kindly replied the email. But I’m still trying to keep in touch with my rep. What’s the “right” thing to say to the rep? Thank you very much!!</p>
<p>Don’t try and overdo it and smother them with your undying love for Vanderbilt. That should come out in your application. Yes, it is nice to show interest in the school, but if you’re e-mails with them look like “ZOMGILOVEVANDERBILTANDILOVEYOUTOOICAN’TWAITTILLWEHANGOUT”, you just look desperate.</p>
<p>Example of a good, keeping in contact e-mail from my POV:</p>
<p>"(Area rep),</p>
<p>Thanks for coming to my school/area/wherever you met them, I really enjoyed meeting you! I particularly like hearing about (something you liked hearing about), and will definitely look into (something that you’re looking into as a result of your meet and greet with them). Just a quick question, my family’s visiting Nashville, and as the (your region) regional representative, could you give us an idea of some things non-(your region)-y we could do on campus and around the city to experience Nashville? I’d like to get a good feel for the environment and see how my personality matches with it!</p>
<p>Thanks a ton, <3 <3 <3</p>
<p>Jmeneses <3 <3 <3</p>
<p>You get the picture. Make it personal, and use them for valuable information. On a side note, my alumni interviewer and I were buddy buddy and we talked long after the initial interview. We still e-mail back and forth, so that’s someone that you could stay in continual contact with if you choose to have one.</p>
<p>Thank you very much Jmeneses! I definitely got the idea of what you are saying. But since there’s no supplement essay such as why vandy, how can they tell if you truly want to go to Vandy? Is that why ED helps for admission?</p>
<p>I would caution anyone from taking advice from anyone about how to get into Vandy, especially from someone who just was accepted. They really don’t know, they just think they know. There isn’t “one thing” that sets you over the edge, its your entire application that creates a complete picture of who you are. Getting into Vandy takes more than just emailing your regional rep a bunch of times with arbitrary questions. Of the 25,000+ applicants to Vandy every year, they only take 1600, yet any admissions counselor will say that most applicants are highly qualified to go here. It’s a crapshoot, and yeah it sucks but thats college admissions these days. Just do your best, show who you are, and get off CC! You will drive yourself crazy asking other people to “chance” you and stalking these forums. “Chancing” is basically a bunch of people who don’t know what they’re talking about telling other people who also don’t know what they’re talking about if they can get into XX school. Unrealistic and you will go crazy. Enjoy senior year and you will end up where you’re meant to be.</p>