Aside from the fact that “you should only apply ED if its your first choice”, which school would generally be easier for me to get into ED for someone with pretty good ECs/Sat scores and a low GPA? I know that the ED rate for Washu is 42% and Vandy is 30%, but I also heard that Vandy considers ECs more?
Holistic admissions is used among colleges that have more students with perfect GPAs and high test scores than they can admit. Since so many applicants have sufficiently good stats, admissions officers turn to other factors to make a decision – essays, extracurriculars, awards, recommendations, and the like.
Both Vandy and Wash U value extracurriculars and essays, but neither will weight them more heavily than grades and test scores. In fact, the two place a heavier emphasis on the latter than many other top universities.
I don’t think any college is more focused on ECs and essays as compared to academic statistics. A student needs to be able to handle the work at that school first and foremost,
Vandy and WUSTL definitely do rely on test scores more than some other elite schools. Their SAT averages are equal to, or higher than, Stanford’s and UPenn’s. Vandy/WUSTL SAT averages are also higher than those of their closest peers: schools like Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Emory.
Aren’t the deadlines passed? I think you are too late.
I know that vanderbilt has generally a lower acceptance rate than washU, but which one is more holistic, meaning is more focused on ECs and essays?
I would guess that means Fairfax county. IMO those two schools are both big reaches. See if your school uses Naviance and what kind of data that gives you. Or talk to your HS GC who probably has info from prior years.
Vandy’s ED acceptance rate is actually 22.5% just so you know.