<p>Hypothetically speaking, let's say a girl from Nebraska who's studying at a highly ranked midwestern school on full scholarship gets a 3.9-4.0 GPA freshman year, is highly involved in ECs, has good connections with the faculty, and wants to transfer to Vandy. Chances?</p>
<p>Is this hypothetical full scholarship based on financial need, or is it a merit award?</p>
<p>Vanderbilt’s merit scholarships are not offered to transfer students (not the big ones, at least). I do know transfer students who have been offered very nice need-based packages.</p>
<p>If money is no object (that is, the hypothetical student does not mind losing the merit award), s/he should fill out a transfer application and see what happens. The student I know best who transferred sophomore year had an excellent high school record, as well as an excellent freshman college year (in the classroom and out of it).</p>
<p>It’s a merit based scholarship. She wouldn’t mind losing it; she was just looking to know if it’s possible/plausible/likely that she could get in after attending a midwestern school that’s not too highly ranked nationally, but does well regionally. The mention of the scholarship was just to prove that she’s academically competent and will most likely be at the top of her class.</p>
<p>The student I referred to in the previous post was at a small, private, regional LAC (midwest) that is not at all comparable to Vanderbilt. She was on a full scholarship there, and had a perfect gpa.</p>
<p>She applied for transfer to a number of schools. I believe she chose Vanderbilt because they offered her the best need-based financial package.</p>
<p>It probably says somewhere on the web site how many transfer students VU admits each year. I think it is not an extremely small number.</p>
<p>Yes, it is possible. A young lady from my community was accepted after spending a successful year in the honors program at a midwestern university that is maybe the 3rd-ranked public U in the state (definitely not #1 or #2).</p>
<p>And I will second the notion that need based aid for transfers is excellent at Vandy. Of course, YMMV … everyone seems to have their own idea of their own need. ;)</p>