Vanderbilt admissions reality check

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:national level awards or class president.

check out their stats: they specifically call out awards (Percent of students who received one or more significant honors or held major leadership positions: 100%)

https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/vandybloggers/2023/03/class-of-2027-regular-decision-summary-statistics/

That is the BSest BS I've seen in the admissions game. That could mean anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same poster, I’ve had four members of extended family attend Vandy within past 15 years or so, different sides of family so only one was legacy. They all really liked school. Outcomes were solid but not amazing (one is in a non-physician healthcare role, two in business jobs, not IB, and one attended a law school outside the top 20). There is definitely grade inflation at Vandy.

Looked at Vandy with my own child, and experienced multiple parents of current students berating admissions officers during info session about sibling legacy and then correcting student tour guides (this was during Family Weekend). At this point in time, I think the school is over rated.

+1
Not really getting the many posts about this school all of a sudden. Is it because they won a game? So bizarre.

Eh, happens quite a bit that sports attention brings eyes to a school that may not have noticed it before. In the long ago past, this was sometimes referred to as the "Flutie Effect." Or "<Fill-in-the-blank> Effect."

[Anonymous]

Had a 2024 DMV private HS grad with very high stats who applied to Vandy EA and got flat out rejected. I feel like it was one of the hardest admits for her entire school. I think one kid got in who applied ED2. More got into UPenn, Duke, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does Vanderbilt value in applicants and how do they evaluate fit? Kid really wants to ED but school counselor steering my kid away from vanderbilt ED, indicating high rejection rate of top students in past and unpredictable outcomes. Strong ny private school with excellent college placement but few kids accepted by vanderbilt in past, relative to other top schools. Kid has strong grades/test scores/EC in academic area of interest (although u don't apply by major there). Maybe my kid reflects what they want, or maybe not? Trying to assess if worth the ED or try for somewhere else with more predictable track record from our school. Appreciate any insight and experience from others.

Strong Private with excellent college placement and counselor steering you away? You are looking for advice from an anonymous online forum that you’d use to override that recommendation?

Sure. Go ahead and have your kid apply ED.

Never let anyone crush your dreams.

[Anonymous]

Let it go, seriously! No school is so perfect or amazing so to require a million DCUM posts. Just put in the damn app and cross your fingers.

[Anonymous]

Is it really that great? I thought pretty easy to get into honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had a 2024 DMV private HS grad with very high stats who applied to Vandy EA and got flat out rejected. I feel like it was one of the hardest admits for her entire school. I think one kid got in who applied ED2. More got into UPenn, Duke, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, etc.

j

There’s no Vandy EA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had a 2024 DMV private HS grad with very high stats who applied to Vandy EA and got flat out rejected. I feel like it was one of the hardest admits for her entire school. I think one kid got in who applied ED2. More got into UPenn, Duke, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, etc.

j

There’s no Vandy EA

Oops--you are right. The Vandy merit deadline is in Nov so the app was submitted on more of an EA timeline. My mistake.

[Anonymous]

Agree with all that has been said. For our own personal experience, child accepted to three T10's and waitlisted to Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that great? I thought pretty easy to get into honestly.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had a 2024 DMV private HS grad with very high stats who applied to Vandy EA and got flat out rejected. I feel like it was one of the hardest admits for her entire school. I think one kid got in who applied ED2. More got into UPenn, Duke, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, etc.

Sounds like yield protection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had a 2024 DMV private HS grad with very high stats who applied to Vandy EA and got flat out rejected. I feel like it was one of the hardest admits for her entire school. I think one kid got in who applied ED2. More got into UPenn, Duke, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, etc.

j

There’s no Vandy EA

Oops--you are right. The Vandy merit deadline is in Nov so the app was submitted on more of an EA timeline. My mistake.

Tip for selection (T20) schools that offer merit, when you are CLEARLY full pay (private HS, parents with "big" jobs) - do NOT apply for merit. These schools think you won't attend unless you get $$$.

[Anonymous]

Amazing the effect one win over Bama can have on the popularity of a school. I think this is the 3rd Vanderbilt post in a couple of days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that great? I thought pretty easy to get into honestly.

+1

This is the issue too. Most people who don't have college aged kids don't view Vanderbilt as being super elite. Very strong? Yes. Ivy level? No.
People who are late 40s assume it has about a 30% admission rate because that was the reality when we were seniors.

We toured it this summer and I think I had 5 different conversations with friends and coworkers about this. I would say "kid loved Vanderbilt but it's as hard to get into as Harvard" and coworkers (all hiring managers in their fields) would say, "huh, I had no idea."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that great? I thought pretty easy to get into honestly.

+1

This is the issue too. Most people who don't have college aged kids don't view Vanderbilt as being super elite. Very strong? Yes. Ivy level? No.
People who are late 40s assume it has about a 30% admission rate because that was the reality when we were seniors.

We toured it this summer and I think I had 5 different conversations with friends and coworkers about this. I would say "kid loved Vanderbilt but it's as hard to get into as Harvard" and coworkers (all hiring managers in their fields) would say, "huh, I had no idea."

Sounds like they're not very good "hiring managers" then.