<p>GPA: 3.8 unweighted, 4.2 weighted
ACT: 31
White male</p>
<p>Attributes:
- FBLA
- Peer Mentoring Club
- DECA (State champion recognition)
- Student Government
- National Honor Society
- 7 Honors/AP courses
- Dual-Enrollment Math & English Courses
- Basketball
- Good recommendations
- LOTS of community service
- Business internship sr. year
- Academic Endorsement (basically recognition by the school for taking difficult classes)</p>
<p>You need to basically be statistically “perfect” or ridiculous ECs if you aren’t “perfect” to get in RD without a huge amount of luck (and even then, luck will play a role). The bottom quartile for ACT starts at 34 for example. You could be admitted, but chances are not great or even good by any means. I think you would be a wonderful candidate in general for a selective school (a top 20) and would do well at a place like Vanderbilt, but the chances of being selected are already not great for those who are indeed near “perfection” and are certainly not good for those outside of the middle-50% (unless you have like US or international math olympiad/ some fort of international award). I hope you applied to a spread of schools that are like Vanderbilt/have what you’re looking for. This one is a reach and probably a high reach. I just hope I am proven wrong, I would like to see you get in. But statistically, you’re a little/quite a bit below the regular admits and the attributes are likely very similar to other stellar applicants with higher statistical credentials. If you’ve done well on APs, I hope you sent scores (also SAT II scores that are strong could have helped). While people claim schools don’t take the AP scores into account, the video on the way the Stanford admissions works suggests that they do (I really don’t think Stanford would be alone), and strong performances could help your case for any selective schools you are applying to. </p>
<p>Do you have any leadership potisions in your EC’s. ACT is a bit low too.
Reach for RD
chance me
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618455-chance-me-on-these-institutions.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618455-chance-me-on-these-institutions.html#latest</a></p>
<p>High match/low reach
Chance back
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618485-chances-at-top-schools-will-chance-back.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1618485-chances-at-top-schools-will-chance-back.html#latest</a></p>
<p>I am a current high school junior, if that changes anything. I will be applying ED next year. </p>
<p>You’re a good candidate, but that doesn’t guarantee admission to a school with such a low acceptance rate. Despite your amazing scores, I would still deem Vandy a reach because its a reach for everyone!</p>
<p>I think you should try your best and continue to work on testing/GPA. No one can tell you definitively if you will get in or not, it almost seems like chance. It’s great that you’re applying ED, it will show your commitment and they like that. Also, be sure to have an interview! </p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Chance back: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1617896-chance-me-michigan-usc-ucsb-syracuse.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1617896-chance-me-michigan-usc-ucsb-syracuse.html#latest</a> </p>
<p>@bernie12 the bottom quartile is NOT a 34…
The ACT isn’t what makes this a huge reach, it’s the standard EC’s and lack of something that makes you special.
It’s worth a shot, but it’s very unlikely.</p>
<p>Excuse me, it is a 33. That makes it a lot better huh, in addition to everything else looking just like a normal Vanderbilt applicant who likely also has higher stats. What was a reach because of the “normal” ECs becomes a larger reach because the ACT is in the bottom quartile of admitted students. Would they fit and perform well at Vanderbilt, probably. Will they probably be selected, no. It pays to be at least touching one of the quartiles (or in between them) when applying to selective schools, especially if the EC’s are fairly typical for students applying/enrolled there. It’s really difficult to tell which schools really, really care about elements of essays and supplements of an application (if the school has it) and those who care far more about the statistics and incoming credentials. Beyond a certain threshold, certain schools can care about both almost equally, but I would at least always make sure I touch to the mid-50 range of either admitted or at very least, enrolled students (which is like a 32 at Vanderbilt, not terribly far from 31 indeed, but still) if I have stereotypical EC’s (which could be good, but just are indeed stereotypical) ECs and no hooks. Good essays will probably not save many students like this who are not up to par in stats for some schools. </p>