En Route Now: Early Decision I Letters
Today, decision letters left our office in Nashville bound for the homes of Early Decision I applicants. It is with great excitement that we tell you this, as seemingly countless hours have been spent on your end and ours getting to this point. It is also with great pride: Never before in our institution’s history has the applicant pool been so academically qualified, geographically diverse, and engaged in their communities.
If you’ve read past mailing day posts, you know that it’s our policy to publish a comprehensive post only after EDII decisions have been mailed that details the most salient data of our combined EDI and EDII applicant pool. While we can’t paint a complete portrait yet, we can let you in on a few highlights:
- EDI applications were up significantly versus last year and the applicant pool presented the most impressive academic credentials that Vanderbilt has seen
- Additionally, virtually all admitted EDI students were highly engaged in their communities, having received one or more significant honors, serving in major leadership positions while in high school, or distinguishing themselves in the fine arts and athletics
While this is undoubtedly an exciting time for Vanderbilt, we recognize that many of you will receive some tough news this week. And we know, of course, that telling you about the competitiveness of this applicant pool does little to mitigate the frustration of being denied admission. But we do hope you’ll take it to heart when we say that not one of our decisions is made lightly. In fact, as we’ve said before, most applicants to Vanderbilt could succeed here, which is why our counselors labor over these decisions with great care long after most have gone home for the night – for many nights on end. Regardless of the decision you receive this week, we know that you will succeed in college and beyond no matter where you land.
Before signing off, we also wanted to mention that applicants living outside the United States will receive their decisions via email Thursday, December 15. Moreover, in the unlikely event that you do not receive your decision by mail, you may receive your admissions decision via phone on or after Tuesday, December 20. During normal business hours, we will be glad to direct you to either your assigned admissions counselor (if available) or an “on-call” officer who can answer your questions.
From all of us at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, thank you for your interest in Vanderbilt and congratulations to the first members of the Class of 2016!
December 13th, 2011
CONGRATS to the newest Commodores! Kudos!
December 13th, 2011
the next 24-48 hrs are going to be an eternity!
December 13th, 2011
I cannot wait for my letter to get to Austin, TX
December 13th, 2011
how long does this takae to reach Houston? So nervous/excited! GO DORES
December 13th, 2011
Ah I’m so anxious! I’ve been counting down ’til this day since I submitted my application!
December 13th, 2011
Are all of the letters a standard size?
December 13th, 2011
Well there goes sleep for the next two nights!
December 13th, 2011
I live 30 minutes away from Nashville, so hopefully my letter will be here tomorrow! :D :D :D
December 13th, 2011
I’m just an hour outside of Nashville. The next 15-20 hours of my life will be spent pacing back and forth in front of my mailbox. Off I go!
December 13th, 2011
I’ll be the girl sitting in a lawn chair waiting for the mail every day until the letter gets here.
December 14th, 2011
I’m all the way up in Cleveland, Ohio. I have literally never been this nervous for something In my entire life! Good luck to all, and I hope we can all meet this coming fall :)
December 14th, 2011
Let’s go Houston
December 14th, 2011
This news makes it really hard for me to study for finals!
December 14th, 2011
I know right???
December 15th, 2011
Definitely! I can’t wait until next year and all of us are finished by now.
December 15th, 2011
It’s finals week right now at Vanderbilt, no such luck…
December 14th, 2011
My heart hasn’t stopped beating since I read this blod post. I really can’t believe this day is finally here. Can’t wait to finally find out :)
December 14th, 2011
Well I’m glad your heart hasn’t stopped beating!
December 14th, 2011
It felt like we had 60 days left about a week ago. Now we have one day left!
December 14th, 2011
I have never been this nervous about anything. Will be sleeping by the mailbox until it comes!
December 14th, 2011
freaking out right about now, so nervous!
December 14th, 2011
Pitching a tent by the mailbox.
December 14th, 2011
So nervous but excited! I’m tired of waiting!
December 14th, 2011
Well, there goes my sanity for however long it takes to get a letter.
December 14th, 2011
Accepted! I live about twenty minutes from Vandy and my letter came today in the mail! So happy, good luck everyone.
December 14th, 2011
gratz
December 14th, 2011
I’m so scared to check the mail tomorrow. T_T
December 14th, 2011
Got my letter!! I am in !!! Only to find out that I get only $2,200 of aid( for working) .
No way my family can afford $64,000 cost…
Devastated :( ( .sort of wish I was not accepted…
December 15th, 2011
That’s really a shame that a kid that is bright enough and worked hard enough to make it into such a great school gets slammed with nothing but the offer of an underpaid job.
December 15th, 2011
Jim – Have you completed the FAFSA to see what grants and loans are available? There is financial aid out there. Don’t give up until you have called Vandy and looked everywhere for financial aid.
December 15th, 2011
Hi Jim. Please contact the financial aid office with your concerns. And congrats on being accepted.
December 14th, 2011
Are the decisions supposed to arrive on the 15th at the latest?
December 15th, 2011
Hi Jake. Unfortunately we can’t say for 100% certainty that all letters will arrive by today. In the unlikely event that your letter doesn’t arrive by the 20th, you are welcome to give our office a call.
December 14th, 2011
Ah! Up in Boston, MA right now freaking out! This blog post just increased my anxiety…good luck everyone!
December 14th, 2011
Oh my gosh, I hope a letter is in my mailbox tomorrow. The wait is just unbearable!
Good luck everyone! (:
December 15th, 2011
Did anyone else’s gut drop when they read this? The day I get this letter could either be the worst day of my life or the best… not sure if I should be excited or scared :( gahhh!!!!
December 15th, 2011
Completely agreed!
December 15th, 2011
Yup, sanity absolutely gone…I have around 15 hours to wait for the email, and I am seriously considering not sleeping until I receive it.
December 15th, 2011
Is there not an email being sent?
December 15th, 2011
Has any international student received the email so far?
December 15th, 2011
EDI decisions will be sent to students living outside the U.S. today.
December 15th, 2011
i know of one person who got the email, but i still haven’t gotten mine. :/
December 15th, 2011
what time are the emails being sent?
December 15th, 2011
Curious why Vanderbilt uses snail mail rather than email for the notifications.
December 15th, 2011
Or have an online notification system like many other university do. Log in and check your application status…then a snail mail letter is sent as a follow up.
December 15th, 2011
I work at a Big Ten university and I wondered the same thing. Emails are sent out at 5 p.m. on the day decisions are released and students can also check online to see if they were admitted. The traditional letter follows. BTW, my son did get his letter today (we’re in Indiana) and he got in!
December 15th, 2011
As an alumna, I am VERY proud that Vanderbilt uses a dignified manner of correspondence such as the United States mail.
December 15th, 2011
True, but still why not email the decisions and free stress from the applicants, and also send snail mail to the people who were granted admission? Saves paper, time, and most importantly, shows that Vanderbilt is with the times.
December 15th, 2011
Regardless of where we live in the U.S., will we receive our letters today?
December 15th, 2011
Hi Shelby. I can confirm that all letters left here together on Tuesday, but can’t confirm that everyone will receive their letters on a certain date, unfortunately. I know it’s a long time to wait, but if for some reason your letter doesn’t arrive by December 20th, you are welcome to give our office a call. However, it’s unlikely that you will have to wait that long.
December 15th, 2011
has anyone recieved their letter yet?
December 15th, 2011
have all the emails been sent out yet?
December 15th, 2011
has anyone in houston recieved their letter yet? my mail just came and i live by rice university (so close to post office) and i got letters but none from vanderbilt….anyone else in houston in same position?
December 15th, 2011
I’m houston too! And I haven’t gotten my mail today yet (it doesn’t come until around 7 at night which hasn’t been an inconvenice until this haha) but I’m hoping for tomorrow! I think tomorrow we definitely should hear! Good Luck!!
December 15th, 2011
I live in Kingwood (20 miles north of Houston) and I just got my mail but no letter from Vandy.
December 15th, 2011
What time will decisions be emailed to international students (Nashville time)? I don’t want to be waiting up all night refreshing my email if it’s coming in late.
December 15th, 2011
did anyone else not recieve their letter today?? i live in ny and ive been so crazy all day, but it didn’t come!!!
December 15th, 2011
I live in CT and didn’t get mine either
December 15th, 2011
same!!!
December 15th, 2011
I live in PA and didn’t get mine either!
December 15th, 2011
im in texas and didnt get mine
December 15th, 2011
I live in NJ, still no response… crossing my fingers for tomorrow! Good luck everyone!!
December 15th, 2011
I’m still waiting it out in Nebraska. These past few days have been killing me!
December 16th, 2011
From Colorado, not here! Why must I be tortured like this?
December 15th, 2011
Accepted, one of the happiest moments of my life! :D
Wasn’t there supposed to be some sort of preliminary financial aid information along with acceptance letters, because I didn’t get anything like that, just my email of decision…
December 15th, 2011
I’m in Branson sweating it out!! Will be sleeping in the mailbox for the next couple days…..
December 15th, 2011
If they’re checking this, I send a huge thank you to the Admissions Office from Indiana!
December 15th, 2011
We’re here!
December 15th, 2011
I live in Florida – no letter :(
December 15th, 2011
If they’re checking this, why don’t you guys just email everyone on the 15th?
December 15th, 2011
Pitched a tent all for nothing. It didn’t come ):
December 15th, 2011
Are the letters sent out by priority or regular mail?
December 15th, 2011
Checking my mail everyday as soon as I get home. (: I’m so excited I can’t even wait!
December 15th, 2011
Have all of the e-mails for students overseas been sent yet? I still haven’t received mine :/
December 19th, 2011
Yes, all emails have been sent. Please make sure to check your junk mail/spam folder if you haven’t received it.
December 15th, 2011
My mom flagged down our mailman three blocks from our house just see to if my letter had come. I live in MS, near Memphis, so we assumed it would be here on the 15th. Thankfully, my extreme embarrassment was offset by the simple fact that I was accepted!! Good Luck to everyone else!
December 16th, 2011
Given how stressful this whole process is, I don’t understand why Vanderbilt doesn’t simply do the kinder thing and let the kids know by email, like most of the other schools.
December 16th, 2011
Vanderbilt needs to get with the times and send out emails. the us postal service is very slow and causing my nerves to freak out!!! i want to get my letter already!!!
December 16th, 2011
anyone in pa receive their letter today- 12/16?
December 16th, 2011
Apparently in PA we have a Vande envelope waiting for us. According to witnesses … its a regular size envelope with possibly two pieces of paper in it. What have people been getting as far as rejections/acceptances?? Will be a long wait to get home today.
December 17th, 2011
its a normal size envelope but you can definitely tell if its thick or not because if youre accepted you have about 4 pages in there. good luck!
December 16th, 2011
People that have been accepted – did you letter come in a regular size envelope or a big one?
December 16th, 2011
Regular. A friend who got in early last year warned me not to be scared if the envelope was small because they don’t send the big packet until April along with the regular decision applicants – my envelope was small and I GOT IN :)!
December 16th, 2011
Regular size
December 16th, 2011
i’ve checked my mail about 3 times…so nervous. vandy, please send emails!
December 16th, 2011
Great ACT scores, the IB program, great GPA, tons of activities, a summer of PAVE …REJECTED. Thanks,Vanderbilt
December 18th, 2011
Same thing with me. Don’t know exactly what they’re looking for. They missed out, that’s for sure.
December 19th, 2011
1440 on SAT math/reading, valedictorian, capt. of football team, SCA VP, NHS treasurer, a million other activities, even had an rotc scholarship placed at vandy- rejected. oh well, like goes on.
December 16th, 2011
Denied. Heartbroken. I have wanted to go since 10th grade. it was my main motivation since then. it was why i studied that extra hour, why i went to the early morning review, why i stayed up late to get ahead. and now it is all over. never felt this bad before. I cant think of anything else i could have done. i interviewed, visited kept in contact with the rep and it was all for nothing.
December 16th, 2011
Vandyguest, I’m a teacher of someone who is waiting by the mailbox as you were and I do a lot of college advising in my school and in the community. I’m here to tell you there ISN’T anything else you could have done. The numbers didn’t add up for reasons that probably had nothing to do with you. You sound like a bright, well-intentioned kid with a big heart. Have a good cry, then get off the deck and follow your bliss to the next stop. You’re going to be fine. You will make it all work and you will wind up with a magnificent college experience that will be one of the great joys of your lifetime. Hang in there. There are wonderful days ahead!
December 17th, 2011
Vandyguest, as a parent of a kid who went through the same thing 3 years ago and was completely devastated, I can tell you with a good amount of confidence that it’ll work out for you, and you will end up in a school that will make you very happy. And you will see that while Vanderbilt may not be in the cards for you, all your hard work will have paid off. You will also take away from this a very valuable lesson…that there are always other options to happiness. It may not feel that way now, but I’d be shocked if you don’t end up feeling that way.
December 16th, 2011
I too am an axcious parent! Patiently waiting for this letter. It is painful to watch my daughter stress to no end waiting to hear when all her friends all received some form of communication that they have been accepted to the school of choice. I so hope we get the letter tomorrow (Saturday). Good luck everyone!
December 16th, 2011
You guys missed out on a great girl. Best of luck to everyone else.
December 16th, 2011
Accepted!!!!
December 16th, 2011
I live in san diego and i just got mine today! I got in!! :) Soo excitedd!
December 16th, 2011
I am in Boston and still have yet to receive mine, this wait is killing me!
December 16th, 2011
has anyone from the west coast gotten a letter? specifically California?
December 16th, 2011
There will be celebrating tonight in Tampa Bay……
December 16th, 2011
Newport Beach, Ca.—-Long miserable wait, but worth it. Regular size envelope; thick with 5 pages and return envelpoe. WOW. Couldn’t be happier.
December 16th, 2011
Accepted! And the financial aid package is enough I can go. So happy! I can’t wait for next year now. (:
December 17th, 2011
Well the letter didn’t show up Friday as hoped, now I have to board a flight for North Carolina without even knowing.
December 17th, 2011
GOT MY LETTER!!!!! ACCEPTED!!!! CAN NOT WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR! ITS GONNA BE CRAZY
December 17th, 2011
Anxious parent……Mail comes at 6:30pm and mailman had to slam on his breaks to avoid hitting me as I was dashing to the curb mailbox.. No letter. Got his phone # and he promised first delivery next day. Letter finally made it and so did SHE!!!! Good luck everyone!
December 17th, 2011
Devastated :( Vanderbilt was all I wanted for so long and my motivation through all the hard times this year. I just wish there was something I could have done.
December 19th, 2011
Accepted! Best news ever! Congrats to everyone else who made it in and I hope those who didn’t continue their academic lives happily! Have a great remainder of your senior years and I will see ya’ll next year!!!!! :D
December 21st, 2011
I still haven’t gotten my letter….
December 22nd, 2011
I’m so sorry to hear that. Please call our office today at 800-288-0432 and you will be directed to the appropriate contact.
Note that our office will be closed tomorrow, December 23rd, as well as December 26th and December 30th, in observance of the holidays.
December 22nd, 2011
It’s interesting that with great ACT scores, GPA, a summer at Vande and recommendations from their own staff, I was rejected and yet the other schools I applied to, equally as good, not only accepted me but also offered me incredible scholarships. Vande, you really aren’t all you’ve cracked yourself up to be!
December 22nd, 2011
that is the truest thing i’ve ever heard. i met with admissions counselors, had extraordinary recommendations, outstanding alumni interview… everything, and I didn’t get in.. Oh well! Vanderbilt is too glamorized for all that it is.
December 23rd, 2011
Didn’t get in. Crushed. I do not even care where I go now. Experiencing identity crisis since Vanderbilt is the goal I have always had for myself. I am so done. I guess I wasn’t good enough, ha story of my life. Oh well…. I guess I can just hope that I can get a job at Wal-Mart. FML
December 30th, 2011
Is there a way to confirm if the matriculation deposit has been received of which anyone knows?
December 30th, 2011
Hi Jstilly! You can call or email your admissions counselor to inquire if your deposit has been received. Make sure to leave several days for processing, seeing as we are getting so much mail at our office this time of year. Contact info for your counselor can be found here: http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/counselor.php
December 30th, 2011
It’s been almost 2 weeks and I still am fuming over denial. My entire work ethic was based on trying to gain admission into my dream school. I did everything possible. Stayed up to study. Woke up early for reviews. Took harder classes. Killed myself on papers. Spent money I didn’t have on a trip to Nashville for a black and gold day. Went to road shows. Went to fairs. All for not. I had great numbers and I couldn’t even get a second chance. I would do anything to go here and it looks like my only hope is a transfer. I don’t know how to handle this dissapointment. I have never worked this hard for anything before and failed. Thanks a lot admissions team.
January 9th, 2012
I’m still waiting for mine.
January 9th, 2012
Please give our office (or your admissions officer) a call.
Office of Undergraduate Admissions: 800-288-0432 (toll free)
Your Admissions Counselor: http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/counselor.php