Vanderbilt admissions reality check

[Anonymous]

Some recent data https://vanderbilthustler.com/2024/04/11/a-steady-decline-class-of-2028-regular-decision-admission-rate-drops-to-3-7-overall-admission-rate-to-5-1/

This article includes an interesting chart showing that test scores comparing applicants (I wonder if that's accurate, vs enrolled students) in ED vs RD. Scores of ED applicants are slightly lower than RD.

I would note that test optional applicants are more likely to enroll, that is, they have higher yield. Vandy may find it a little difficult to maintain the recent high yield if they begin to enroll a lower proportion of test optional students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that Vanderbilt is arguably the most transfer-friendly school in the T20. They admit tons of transfers, like 300 per year. They're also expanding the transfer program.

Many, many kids that were rejected as freshmen get in on the second try.

Yes. I know a few DC private school kids who left high school with something like a 3.5/1550 due to deflated grading. They did a year at a top15 liberal arts college, got a 4.0, transferred to Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

No one asked for this Vandy mom. The question is about what students Vandy is admitting and whether that’s changed in recent years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that Vanderbilt is arguably the most transfer-friendly school in the T20. They admit tons of transfers, like 300 per year. They're also expanding the transfer program.

Many, many kids that were rejected as freshmen get in on the second try.

Yes. I know a few DC private school kids who left high school with something like a 3.5/1550 due to deflated grading. They did a year at a top15 liberal arts college, got a 4.0, transferred to Vanderbilt.

+2 I know 3 kids that did this in the last 2 years from DC privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some recent data https://vanderbilthustler.com/2024/04/11/a-steady-decline-class-of-2028-regular-decision-admission-rate-drops-to-3-7-overall-admission-rate-to-5-1/

This article includes an interesting chart showing that test scores comparing applicants (I wonder if that's accurate, vs enrolled students) in ED vs RD. Scores of ED applicants are slightly lower than RD.

I would note that test optional applicants are more likely to enroll, that is, they have higher yield. Vandy may find it a little difficult to maintain the recent high yield if they begin to enroll a lower proportion of test optional students.

That's why RD is brutally hard at Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

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

Welcome to the college forum. Schools that were easy to get into 20 years ago are now impossible to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

Yes to all of the above. I would also add that when you walk around campus it is filled with the most normal (non-nerdy) kids in the top 20. Huge plus.

[Anonymous]

30% of Vanderbilt students are legacy. And they are Test Optional.

Two biggies right there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30% of Vanderbilt students are legacy. And they are Test Optional.

Two biggies right there.

I know so many legacy kids with top stats who were not admitted. I can think of 5 families off the top of my head and I don't even have an actual Vandy connection myself. None of their legacy kids were admitted over the past 1-3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

This is actually a huge selling-point for Vanderbilt right now among local Jewish families. Many want their kid to go to a college that won't indoctrinate them with anti-Israel hatred and far-left politics. However, they want their kid to have a more prestigious degree than a random flagship southern school.

Vanderbilt is one of few elite private colleges that isn't hyper-political. In fact, Vanderbilt draws students that want a respected degree without having to be around wannabe activists all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

This is actually a huge selling-point for Vanderbilt right now among local Jewish families. Many want their kid to go to a college that won't indoctrinate them with anti-Israel hatred and far-left politics. However, they want their kid to have a more prestigious degree than a random flagship southern school.

Vanderbilt is one of few elite private colleges that isn't hyper-political. In fact, Vanderbilt draws students that want a respected degree without having to be around wannabe activists all the time.

add Duke and Wake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

This is actually a huge selling-point for Vanderbilt right now among local Jewish families. Many want their kid to go to a college that won't indoctrinate them with anti-Israel hatred and far-left politics. However, they want their kid to have a more prestigious degree than a random flagship southern school.

Vanderbilt is one of few elite private colleges that isn't hyper-political. In fact, Vanderbilt draws students that want a respected degree without having to be around wannabe activists all the time.

add Duke and Wake.

Duke, yes. Wake isn't in the same league as Vanderbilt or Duke.

I'd also add WashU and Rice in this pile.

[Anonymous]

it's one of the better schools that still takes low test kids (via TO)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chiming in to respond to the PPs who are wondering why there’s so much interest in Vanderbilt.

For us, it’s not about the Alabama game. It’s that it fits all of DC’s criteria:

- strong academics, including includes majors and programs that interest DC (For us, “strong academics” means it meets our family’s broad cut re academics. From there, we’re focused on fit, not relatively small differences in rankings/prestige);

- beautiful, leafy, “traditional” style campus

- big sports to watch and a good club/intramural sport scene, including DC’s sports (both watching and playing are hugely important to DC)

- good weather/sunny in winter

- “Goldilocks” size (7,000 undergrad)

- not a hotbed of campus politics

- easy access to a navigable city but not actually IN the city

- enough off-campus food/shopping options in case DC ever feels stir crazy on campus

This is actually a huge selling-point for Vanderbilt right now among local Jewish families. Many want their kid to go to a college that won't indoctrinate them with anti-Israel hatred and far-left politics. However, they want their kid to have a more prestigious degree than a random flagship southern school.

Vanderbilt is one of few elite private colleges that isn't hyper-political. In fact, Vanderbilt draws students that want a respected degree without having to be around wannabe activists all the time.

add Duke and Wake.

Duke, yes. Wake isn't in the same league as Vanderbilt or Duke.

I'd also add WashU and Rice in this pile.

rice is a DEI hub of crazy.

[Anonymous]

Different schools attract different sorts of students. High schoolers that care about about social balance and are apolitical tend to gravitate towards SEC/B10 kind of schools. The ones that want this environment combined with elite academics are going to focus on schools like Vandy, Duke, or Notre Dame.

Schools like Harvard, Yale, and especially Columbia have become polarizing to students that actually want to have fun in college and not spend their years protesting the cause-of-the-month on the main quad.