Why I applied to Vanderbilt
Time really does fly! It seems like just yesterday that I was applying to college. I know that it is an extremely stressful time for high school seniors and their families. I hope that my reasons for applying to Vanderbilt can help you all decide to apply to Vanderbilt, or at the very least, figure out some application criteria in general.
First, I decided to apply to Vanderbilt because I wanted a school with an emphasis on sports. Vanderbilt is an SEC school. I knew that I could count on spending my Saturdays in the fall at football games and my nights in the spring at Memorial Gym. I wanted a school with athletic tradition and promising programs. I knew that I would not be playing a sport at the college level, but I wanted to have the traditional college fan experience.
I also applied to Vanderbilt because our campus is like a small town in a big city. We right up the street from downtown Nashville, just a 15-minute drive to the airport, and yet, our campus is manageable and welcoming. It is small enough that everybody knows each other, but in the city so that we have access to a plethora of resources and services.
Finally, I applied to Vanderbilt because of its merit scholarship opportunities. Vanderbilt is one of the only schools of its kind that awards full merit scholarships to students. There are three specific scholarship programs and they each highlight different aspects of the Vanderbilt community. The Cornelius Vanderbilt scholarship emphasizes general academics, the Ingram Scholarship emphasizes community service and the Chancellor’s scholarship emphasizes leadership and diversity.
Of course, I love Vanderbilt and could not even imagine myself anywhere else, but the application process was grueling and overwhelming. I encourage you to make a list of priorities when deciding where to apply, and feel free to email me if you have any questions! Good Luck!
