<p>So yeah, I guess it's annoying, but I've got two questions that you've probably seen a bunch of times already, but I searched the forums for an answer, and I couldn't find one, so I'll just ask them here.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Will they automatically disqualify my application if I don't meet all of the minimum requirements. I'll graduate with 6 years of math, 4 years of English, 3 years of fine arts, 2 years of foreign languages, 4 years of social science (excluding history), 3 years of history, but only 2 years of science (both labs though), and Vanderbilt says they require 3. I signed up for a science class in senior year, but I didn't get in. I'm just worried they'll disqualify my application because I don't meet the 3 year mark. If they don't, I think I stand a fair chance of getting in as compared to students admitted into Vanderbilt, my GPA is roughly straight on the 50th percentile, and my SAT scores are roughly on the 75th. But I'm still worried that not meeting the minimum (they're not called minimum for no reason) requirements will automatically disqualify me.</p></li>
<li><p>Will my geographic background impact on me poorly? I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area (yeah, eew, I know, I'm not applying out for no reason. :p), and I'm pretty sure my school hasn't ever sent anyone to Vanderbilt. And I don't think we've even had people apply, because almost everyone I know doesn't even know Vanderbilt is. Would that impact on me negatively?</p></li>
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<p>Can you take a science class at a community college or via a distance learning option? My S had to do a cc class two years in a row because his acceleration in math had thrown him “off sequence” in his small high school. We had to pay tuition and books, but he did get to use those credits at Vanderbilt.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I agree with 2VU about trying to find a comm. college or distance learning course to make up the science deficiency–since you are not in the top 25% all around, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to ignore one of the minimum requirements. In this state, the public univ. system offers an extensive set of high school level courses through distance learning, and I imagine CA offers even more.</p></li>
<li><p>Being from CA will not hurt you. Vanderbilt, like almost all private universities, likes to assemble a class with good geographic diversity.</p></li>
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<p>email your admissions rep and ask that exact same question. they will have a real answer rather than just guesses, plus then they will know your name before you officially apply.</p>
<p>I think that is excellent advice, and I often recommend that route to students asking questions on this forum. </p>
<p>In this case, though, unless we assume that the “minimum requirements” list is sort of like the Pirates Code and the Rules of Parlez (that is, “mostly a guideline, not really a rule”), then I’ll bet the response is something along the lines of: we have published a set of minimum standards and while we don’t rule out the possibility of admitting a student whose application stands out in some other way, we cannot guarantee that it will be overlooked. We highly recommend students do everything possible to meet the minimum requirements."</p>
<p>But I agree with vandyclassof 2013 that a call or e-mail to admissions is a good idea, because who knows, maybe they will consider the extra math courses a perfectly fine substitute,</p>
<p>California Community colleges have pretty much prohibited high schoolers from taking courses there. With the budget problems, they don’t even have enough money to take on most of their normal students. The Californian education system is…extremely overrated. I tried signing up for a course at my local community college this summer, and it didn’t work out. But yeah, I think an e-mail to admissions would work.</p>