<p>Admissions is strange business. A couple years ago, my D got waitlisted at two schools she “should have” been accepted into - and accepted at two very difficult-to-get-into schools. </p>
<p>If your S isn’t happy, he can always transfer somewhere later. Life is never set in stone. Hopefully, though, he will love the school he goes to this fall - it’s easier that way!</p>
<p>LeightheMom, I’m sorry for your son’s rejection! I really hope that his faith was not the reason he was denied; that would be really a shame on Vandy’s part. It doesn’t sound like something they would do, but I’m not working in admissions. Tell him from me to keep his chin up and never for a second let this get in his way; I firmly believe G*d does not let those suffer who are honest and hardworking. Best of luck to him!</p>
<p>I didn’t have on line recs so I don’t think that is at issue, I’d say the TN residence is more an issue - so where is your son going?</p>
<p>Yeah, I heard it was really tough for students from TN as well!</p>
<p>Denied with a 35 ACT and a 4.0? “That just don’t make no sense”, as some people in my family would say. I would have expected getting accepted with those stats, too.</p>
<p>Goodschoolhopefully and ModernChem, you guys are really nice for even thinking about doing that! =] You get some homemade Hillary brownie points.</p>
<p>My son’s attitude has been great. He said he has been praying that God would show him where he is supposed to go, so any door that closes must be a door he isn’t supposed to go through. Mom’s the one having the pity party ~ fortunately I only invited a few people to it, and I don’t expect it to last long :)</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is need-blind, so your financial situation had no impact on his application. Considering how some people from the outside always ask questions about whether or not they’ll be ostracized for being Muslim, Jewish, etc., I am highly doubtful her son’s religious beliefs negatively impacted his application. You can’t have it both ways, both sides of a coin don’t get excluded.</p>
<p>Numbers do not make someone smart, nor do they necessarily make someone an idiot. Getting a 35 doesn’t mean he “should” have been accepted.</p>
<p>Regardless, I’m sure your son will find his path and that he’ll come out stronger in the end. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Leighthemom
Your son has a beautiful attitude, and I am, sure you do as well. As a parent, seeing your child(ren) disappointed is almost harder on you than it is on us. You feel the pain for 2 people. My mom always says, We make plans and God laughs… she has also told me over and over again, that it is Gods plan and it is perfect… so I truly believe this, tho at times it is hard to see when Ive done all the right things, tried to make the right choices, and followed the tougher road, yet still get disappointed… later on it becomes clearer. There is a reason for this, and you know this if you are as spiritual as you come across. This is no consolation to you now and there is no reason a student with his stats should have gotten wait listed let alone rejected, yet, this is the place you are in now and now you have to look ahead at his options which I am sure are excellent. I do pray for healing and strength and the ability to let go of the anger ( which is understandable)for you and guidance for both of you as you make this big decision. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Alright let’s keep it secular here.</p>
<p>Macaroni 870 & futureteacher - Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. I am sure everything will work out fine. He attended school in TN, but we live in Alabama so fortunately his ACT score will get him full tuition in most of our colleges. He is very interested in undergraduate research, and we have several schools that have good programs for that. Whodunnit - You are right - can’t have both sides. However, that does not mean all are wrong. I know many atheists who view people who practice any religion as not too intelligent. As a matter of fact, I used to be one. It is also possible that some religions do fit in better with somone’s concept of diversity than another. Obviously they did not put the reason for the rejection in the letter. As a parent, you try to figure it out. Everyone that knows him was stunned that he got rejected. This is a very bright, very personable, well rounded young man. I agree, getting a 35 on an ACT does not guarantee someone is intelligent. However, this is the tool that our colleges and universities have chosen to use. So when you score in the top 2% in the country, and a college says, even if you paid us 56,000 a year, we would not take you… it makes you go , “huh?” As to the need blind, I am not sure how blind that really is since they do require financial information before you get accepted or rejected. Again, I am not saying that is the reason, just wondering aloud. His school counselor or teachers might not have submitted requested information. For all I know they may have taken all the applicants that scored between 30-36, wrote a quality essay, and had a high GPA, spread their files out on a table and played eenie-meenie-miny-moe, and my son’s application was in the wrong space at the wrong time. It’s pretty irrelevant at this point, and as I said, he is not worried at all. Wherever he goes, he will do well and will be happy, and that’s all that really matters. Good luck to those who are on the waiting list. And to The<em>Chronic</em>420 -
It’s ok to be a little non-secular on sunday ;)</p>
<p>**Decision: ACCEPTED!!! **</p>
<p>Stats:[ul]
[li] SAT: C: 750, M: 720, W: 800/9[/li]soo it’s 1470/2270</p>
<p>[li] SAT IIs: Lit: 730 US: 710 Math 1: 580, 650 haha</p>[/li]
<p>[li] ACT: 34</p>[/li]
<p>[li] GPA: 3.94, 94.7 - both weighted</p>[/li]
<p>[li] Rank: top ten babyy</p>[/li]
<p>[<em>] Other stats:
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Essays: No typos 
def not cliche…portrayed my personage well. focused on my passions for ballet/dance, classics/latin, and science…i know, i’m cool 
[<em>] Teacher Recs: never saw
[</em>] Counselor Rec: samee
[<em>] Hook (if any): if anything - great resume and long-standing commitment to ballet (since i was 3).
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[</em>] State or Country: ga
[<em>] School Type: Catholic, 200-ish in grad. class
[</em>] Ethnicity: caucasian
[<em>] Gender: F
[</em>] major strength/weakness:
W: most of my math scores; no honors/AP math courses
S: the dance and resume and thing again…and, I think, my essays
[<em>] why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: i’m totally surprised that i got accepted
[</em>] going to attend? not sure…trying to visit this weekend though! deciding between vandy, barnard, and rice
[/ul]Other Factors:
Interview went well</p>
<p>Rejected!
SAT: v - 620 m- 750 w-710
gpa - 3.6 (freshman - 3.4, sophmore - 3.58, junior - 3.82, senior (not included in GPA) - 3.97) good trend
courses - hardest avalible - with 9 aps total and all other honors
extracurriculars - math team, model un, taekwondo (black belt, international medals) research on diabetes at medical school, week long katrina volunteer)
essays, recs: all very good
Reaons for rejection: critical reading score, and low GPA</p>
<p>ACCEPTED! </p>
<p>Stats:</p>
<pre><code>* SAT: cr 690 m 710 w 690/10
<p>Subjective:</p>
<pre><code>* Essays: Excellent, best part of my application
<p>Location/Person:</p>
<pre><code>* State or Country: CA
School Type: Private, 72 in class
Ethnicity: white
Gender: M
major strength/weakness: essays, captain of varsity baseball team
going to attend? yes
</code></pre>
<p>Stats:</p>
<pre><code>* SAT Reading: 800
<p>Subjective:</p>
<pre><code>* Essays: personal insight on my contradictory nature. all my teachers loved it, but i thought it was just okay.
<p>Location/Person:</p>
<pre><code>* State or Country: Tennessee
<p>Other Factors:</p>
<p>Why do you think you were accepted/rejected/waitlisted: I really don’t know why, haha.</p>
<p>General Comments/Congratulations/etc: Congrats to acceptees! see you in the fall!</p>
<p>Decision: Accepted! School of Engineering. Full ride</p>
<p>Stats:
[ *] SAT:None</p>
<p>[ *] SAT IIs:none</p>
<p>[ *] ACT:27</p>
<p>[ *] GPA:3.4 Unweighted 4.4 Weighted</p>
<p>[ *] Rank:23/318</p>
<p>[ *] Other stats: Concert-Master of school orchestra, NSBE Jr. Member, Key
Club, National Honor Society, Numerous orchestras, Numerous leadership
organizations. Play two instruments </p>
<p>Subjective:</p>
<p>[ *] Essays: Great</p>
<p>[ *] Teacher Recs: Didnt read</p>
<p>[ *] Counselor Rec: Didnt read</p>
<p>[ *] Hook (if any): Great engineering background</p>
<p>Location/Person:</p>
<p>[ *] State or Country: Tennessee</p>
<p>[ *] School Type:Public</p>
<p>[ *] Ethnicity:Black</p>
<p>[ *] Gender:Male</p>
<p>[ *] major strength/weakness:Math, Science/ English</p>
<p>[ *] why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: Ethnicity and
Engineering Backgroud</p>
<p>[ *] going to attend? Attending!</p>