ED I Update
Much of the information below will come as a repeat to you if you’ve kept up with the comments. Many questions keep popping up, though, so I wanted to address those major topics here. Additionally, I want to add a bit of a personal perspective in these last few days before our ED I applicants receive decision letters.
ED I: By the Numbers
We don’t separate out the numbers between ED I and ED II, rather we will publish a comprehensive blog after ED II with all of the data points. I received many questions this week about numbers: how many applications did we have, how many ED I students did we accept, what is our admit rate by school, etc. As much as I understand why prospective students want to know, you have to understand we’re not going to publish it until February. We view Early Decision as a single pool and we don’t want students to get hung up on identifying differences where there are none.
I will tell you we are currently experiencing an increase in applications in general. As always our applicants are amazingly qualified: great academics, highly involved in their communities, and they have strong support from teachers and administrators.
Your Admissions Decision
Presently, we expect to mail all decision letters on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 14th. We will post a blog when letters head out the door. Applicants living outside of the United States will receive an email on December 15th notifying the student of the decision.
All decision letters are sent USPS in a standard letter envelope. Students who receive admission will have the Open ‘Dores admission packet sent to them in April once we select our entire Class of 2015.
Admission decisions are available via phone on Tuesday, December 21st, but not before that day. This applies no matter the circumstances. We don’t set these rules to torture you. Instead, we do this because receiving an admissions decision can be an emotional moment for families. Additionally, it is impossible for our office to field thousands of frantic calls in one day and still provide personalized service.
OUA will never release a decision via email (unless you live abroad). We have this policy for privacy reasons.
Please note that many admission counselors will be out of town for the holidays beginning Monday, December 20th. If you want to speak with your assigned admissions counselor, you may have to wait until the week after the holidays. Every counselor on vacation will set an out of office message on both their email and phone so you should know their availability.
A Personal Note from the Blogger
I understand this waiting period is stressful. My blogs aim to relieve some of that anxiety by keeping you informed and up-to-date. Thank you for all of your wonderful questions! Several times this past week I woke up anxious in the middle of the night. As a counselor, I want to give my students the best advocacy possible. I know my colleagues share my commitment to this process. I tell you all of this to let you know we care about what you’re going through and we are doing our very best to give you a full, honest, respectful review.
When letters arrive, Vanderbilt will have several hundred new members of the Class of 2015 and I am thrilled to welcome those new ‘Dores! This is one of the most exciting moments in life: to finally know where you’re going to spend your next four years. Enjoy the coming six months and give yourself the peace you deserve!
My heart goes out to those who will receive disappointing news this week. I’m human and I’ve been there and it stinks. I get it. Everyone in my office gets it. On the day you receive your letter you probably won’t want to listen to me, so I suggest you come back to this post another day. Here’s what I want you to know: you’re amazing. This decision is not a reflection on your worth. This is quite simply a supply and demand problem. Last year we had 13 times more applications than spots in the freshman class. All colleges have institutional needs and we are looking for excellent students who also help us meet our goals. I know that you will go on to do wonderful work in college. Know that when you’re rocking it out on a college campus next year this present disappointment will be a distant memory.
Finally, I recommend all my readers download Baz Luhrmann’s “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” from iTunes this week. These lyrics help me in times of stress and help me re-center. I leave you with a few key quotes:
“Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum”
“Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t.”
The view outside OUA on 12.13.2010:
Check out more pictures of the recent snowfall on Flickr!
December 13th, 2010
Thank you for your time and consideration. Vandy’s OUA has been fabulous throughout the process.
Good luck to all who have been riding the 2010 ED I wave!
December 13th, 2010
I would like to thank you for keeping these updated throughout the whole process. I called the admissions office last Thursday, and they told me letters would be mailed today, but on here it says tomorrow. I was just wondering which it is.
December 13th, 2010
Katie: Letters are on schedule to be out the door Tuesday afternoon.
December 13th, 2010
If you are accepted will there be a preliminary financial aid letter, as well? If so, and Vanderbilt is need blind, how does the financial aid office have enough time to then evaluate the aid, needed? I had read something on the 2009 blog that implied that an applicant did get their financial aid at the same time as their acceptance letter. Thank you for your time.
December 13th, 2010
David: If a student submitted the CSS Profile prior to the deadline and receives admission through our Early Decision plan, they will receive an estimated financial aid statement with their admit letter. An official financial aid package will be sent in April after the completion of the FAFSA.
December 13th, 2010
Wow! That was such a quick response. Thank you. Can you address my second part of the question? As I understood it, Vanderbilt is need blind and if a decision was just made last week, how does the financial aid office have enough time to prepare these letters in conjunction with the decision? I do not mean to be out of line, I just thought that it would be lengthy process. Thanks again.
December 13th, 2010
David: We are need-blind. The admissions office does not prepare financial aid packages, so I can’t speak with authority on this issue. However, I do know that the Office of Financial Aid and Undergraduate Scholarships meets full need for all students; once you’ve completed the CSS Profile it’s relatively simple to identify how much aid you’ll need from us. In very basic terms we take our cost of attendance subtract your EFC and the result equals your financial aid package. Check out my post on need-based financial aid from earlier this year. We finished checking student decisions late last Thursday and they commenced printing these estimated aid packages on Friday. Today we’ll put the aid letters in the appropriate decision envelopes.
December 13th, 2010
Kylie, I live just on the outskirts of Nashville and I was wondering if the snow is going to delay the letters being sent? I didn’t know if your office was closed… my mom and sister both work at Vanderbilt and they didn’t go to work today. Thanks!
December 13th, 2010
Taylor: I am in the office! We are busy preparing decision letters for the USPS. Mail may be slower to reach some places due to snow, but we still intend to send them out on Tuesday afternoon.
December 13th, 2010
Thanks again! You are extremely informative and I appreciate all that you have shared with us. Based on your information I can certainly see how much time and emotion goes into the application process on the counselors side too.
December 13th, 2010
Are decisions letters sent to your current or permanent address?
December 13th, 2010
Alexander: Letters are sent to your current mailing address.
December 13th, 2010
Hi, when do you think EDI letters will reach New York?
December 13th, 2010
Anthony: I’m not certain when letters will reach New York. Perhaps 3 business days?
December 13th, 2010
Thanks for the update; it was very informative.
So, I have been hardcore freaking out about my impending letter. Since my mind has been racing so much, I just remembered something that I think I may have read before: Is there any way to appeal a decision? If so, how would one go about this and what are the odds that anything good would come of it?
December 14th, 2010
I know you have probably aswered this before, and I know you are busy so i apologize, but could you tell me why students in ED1 are not waitlisted as some are with RD? Thanks!
December 14th, 2010
Tyler: The opportunity to receive consideration in a smaller pool of candidates earlier in the year via ED gives applicants the best chance of admission. Moreover, our RD pool is extraordinarily competitive. If a student does not receive admission via ED, they would not receive admission via RD so there is no reason to drag out the process for a student. I know it is tough, but it is our way of respecting our students and giving them the opportunity to move forward in their search process.
December 14th, 2010
Wow, you have been very informative during the entire process of ED1. It is still quite nerve wrecking – more now than ever – as we will all be receiving our letters, most likely by weeks end. Hoping and Praying that it’s positive.
Thanks for all the information along the way, you have been great!
December 14th, 2010
Is there any updated information on when the letters are going out? Thanks
December 14th, 2010
David: Stay tuned! My colleague Thom will post a blog in the next few hours.
December 14th, 2010
Sorry…stupid Mom question… but when you say you’ll post a blog when letters are mailed this afternoon, is this what you are referring to…this forum?
Lauren’s Mom
December 14th, 2010
Linda: Yes, we will post a blog here on The Vandy Admissions Blog about the mailing.
December 14th, 2010
Have the letters left yet? And how long until we can expect to see them?
December 14th, 2010
Hannah: They’re out the door.
December 14th, 2010
Thank you very much! I appreciate it. You are doing an awesome job with this blog! Thanks for keeping everyone updated!
December 15th, 2010
This blog is so helpful and I really appreciate the support you have given all of us throughout the admissions process. And I almost laughed out loud when I saw the song recommendation and quote you gave us; I used that same quote in my admissions essay! I’m crossing my fingers. Thanks again!
December 15th, 2010
Why would tell applicants they would receive letters on or before the 15th, then mail them out on the 14th?
That seems rather cruel.
December 15th, 2010
Alum: It has always been our policy to say letters will go out by the 15th, not that students receive them by the 15th. Sorry if there was confusion.
December 16th, 2010
It was probably a miscommunication between the high school college counselor and the student. I received mine on the 15th.
December 14th, 2011
When should I expect to receive my letter?
December 14th, 2011
Hi Isabelle. We mailed our ED1 letters yesterday, so it shouldn’t be much longer.
January 19th, 2012
Hi, I have applied for graduate school at Vanderbilt for my PhD in chemistry. When will those letters be sent?
January 19th, 2012
Hi Katherine. Our office doesn’t handle decisions for graduate programs, but I’m sure if you contacted The Graduate School ( http://www.vanderbilt.edu/gradschool/), someone will be able to assist you.
March 22nd, 2012
Thank you very much! We appreciate all your efforts. You are doing an awesome job with this blog! Thanks for keeping everyone updated!
March 22nd, 2012
Thanks for reading and let us know if you need anything else!