How tough is it to do well at vanderbilt?

Faline2
Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:39:19 +0000

this is not a blanket statement. there is a section of students each fall who do organic chem as freshman who made fives on AP Chem. If your labs were weak in hs or your grasp was just barely good…you might opt even with a 5 to do General Ghem in the Stephenson Building and pace yourself…taking on Organic later. You have to make judgments at any college re the value of AP vs the value of a college level course and lab as a foundation. My son made good grades in his foreign language back in hs but realized while taking it that he is not good at speaking or auditory learning in language. He opted to place out via taking his SATII at Vandy…but lets face it, mastery of a foreign language is always good on a resume or any career path. If he had more talent, he would take more courses in college in that direction. However, his brother…taking an all new foreign language and going abroad to master it was the right plan. Motivation, the X factor you are the judge about, and drive are all factors re accelerating or pacing yourself in a more conventional way.
Vandy does not allow a five on any AP to substitute for a class with a writing composition component…some schools do. re how tough it is at Vandy? Visit classes, don’t just tour. You also have next April for final visits. Don’t intimidate yourself early on…you don’t have to decide now. Students are motivated at Vandy and generally have good work habits to match.