<p>This is the prompt on their CommonApp supplement I'm talking about:</p>
<p>Why Vanderbilt? Please use the space below to discuss the factors that have led you to consider Vanderbilt University. [4500 character limit]</p>
<p>Would an essay simply answering that question in a straightforward manner be perfectly acceptable, or do you think we should do something a bit more creative? (Not necessarily a poem in iambic paramater or anything, but perhaps something along the lines of a description of how you expect a day at Vanderbilt to be, or a specific story that got you interested in Vanderbilt, or something.)</p>
<p>This is only my opinion, but I'd go for the creative. The most outstanding part of my daughter's application, in my humble opinion, was her Why Vandy essay. She had spent part of three summers on the Vanderbilt campus (tennis camp and PTY) and had been on campus for other activities since her brother was a student during her sophomore-senior years in high school. She opened the essay by recapping the variety of her experiences, but then spoke of her favorite Vanderbilt experience and how she hoped to become involved in that activity, etc. Although it was longer than suggested, I think it was her best essay because it showed she clearly had a vision of how she would fit into and contribute to the campus environment. Many of the posters during that round (ED for class of '09) acknowledged their rejections/deferrals on CC and had superior stats. At the time I thought that some of them were not appropriate ED candidates since they seemed to be giving the school a shot based on thinking it was the best they could do and not based on a real feel for the campus. The Vanderbilt student community is hugely committed to community service and campus involvement. This is your chance to show how you could fit in.</p>
<p>Thanks, 2VU0609. My problem is that I haven't even visited Vandy yet (I plan on doing so this winter break or next semester). I have a few good reasons why I want to go there, but mostly it just boils down to a kind of intution (and this applies to the other schools I'm applying to, including the ones I've visited), which is hard to write an essay about for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>I imagine I'll probably write the essay in a "day from my future life as a Vandy student" format, as that would be better than a straight telling of facts, but I guess this oughta be pretty tough when my knowledge of the school is pretty indirect...</p>
<p>mention something that shows that you have researched the school. put in the name of a professor you want to study under or a unique program that only vandy has that you want to get into...good luck!</p>
<p>I would stay away from "this feeling in my heart and soul tells me that vandy is right for me" because any adcom will see the BS right through that. I stuck to 3 basic points and wrote about them, trying to match what I want with what they have so it kinda worked both ways. My 3 were a somewhat unique major that I liked (economics and history joint), the southern location/nashville/the campus, and that "Jewish life on campus is prospering at Vanderbilt and that the administration is sincerely dedicated to making students feel comfortable expressing their religious beliefs."</p>
<p>I can definitely see how you would swing an essay that way, but it seems to be too thickly coated with BS for my tastes. I could only imagine how many essays the adcoms read that just say "i love vandy because of the weather, the location, the beautiful campus, etc." It just seems like you aren't doing anything to make yourself standout from 12,000+ applicants.</p>
<p>Oh slipstream, your first line filled me with mirth :3 I hope you got in! It reminds me of my sister's Why Vanderbilt essay, she said "What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Vanderbilt is the sun!" And she got in :D I personally went for the experience angle. I talked about going for move-in day and seeing how the campus reminded me of Oregon while the city was still so different, then I went to their department for my major and recent accomplishments there, finally I looked at their arts and orchestra. Just take what Vanderbilt has that makes you want to apply and go from there, would be my advice :3</p>