Vanderbilt likes transfers from peer schools - so, that’d be Tulane. You’ll have to rank very high in our English, history, exonomics, philosophy classes (all classes that will matter for law school admissions, ie., classes with lots of reading&writing + logic. Which, btw, means NOT a business major.)
“There’s no reason to suspect you would get into Vanderbilt next year either.”
That is what I am thinking also. If you didn’t get in this year, what is going to be so much more compelling in your application next year?
“Choose the school where if you are unable to transfer, you have a shot a having a great four years.”
I agree with this also. Given that the odds are that you aren’t going to get into Vanderbilt either way, you need to find an option that is pragmatic and will work for you. “Pragmatic” includes you got in, and you can afford it.
To me the best bet would be to pick one of the schools that you got into, and go there planning to do very well for four years and get your Bachelors. Try to get straight A’s. Then apply to Vanderbilt again for graduate or law school when the time comes.
Yes, btw, you can’t reapply to a college that turned you down and expect a different answer the following year.
I suggest a different goal from attending Vandy, which is attending a top law school, since you say you’re pre-law.
Luckily, for that, it doesn’t really matter where you go. Just get a top GPA and LSAT.
Lots of kids I know would kill to get into Tulane. Just sayin’
Congratulations on a stellar high school record and on the Tulane and UIUC acceptances. You have some really good choices and should be proud of yourself, and you should not lose sight of that. If I were you, I would go to UIUC and take full advantage of all that that major flagship university has to offer. Tulane is an excellent school. However, I think that the similarity to Vandy might impel you carry your disappointment with you into your undergraduate years, to your own detriment and to the detriment of your fellow classmates. Like Vanderbilt, Tulane always winds up at or near the top of all the happiness and quality of life rankings and zealously tries to admit only those who are happy to be there. Every now and again people are admitted who are disappointed to not be elsewhere, and that is unfortunate for both the student and the school. At UIUC, in contrast, you will be getting something totally different, with all of the school spirit and the tremendous opportunities afforded by such a large institution. I would take it and run with it and follow the advice of all the people who told you that graduate school is more important to career success anyway. Best of luck to you!