‘Vanderbilt Blogs’
Deadlines
Sep. 29, 2010—A deadline is a deadline is a deadline… unless it’s a suggestion? As a senior in college there are A LOT of dates to remember (you better get a calendar/planner/iPhone application to help you remember everything). Sometimes a deadline is hard and fast – as in if you don’t meet it you’re out of luck....
Family and the College Search Process
Sep. 27, 2010—The college search process is a family affair. I have no problem with significant parent involvement because many times the parents make a large financial investment in the student’s education. Plus, I want Vanderbilt to be a place where the whole family feels at home – a sort of home away from home. As a...
Meet John Nesbitt
Sep. 24, 2010—My hometown is Winston-Salem, NC. I am the admissions counselor responsible for Westchester County, NY, San Francisco and the Bay Area, the Middle East and India.
Letters of Recommendation
Sep. 22, 2010—One night last year I was pouring over Sam’s application for admission to Vanderbilt. In terms of Vanderbilt’s applicant pool, he was fairly average. Solid academic achievement with test scores in the 90th percentile, but nothing about the numbers jumped out at me as extraordinary. I don’t remember Sam’s essay, but I’m sure it was...
Extracurriculars
Sep. 20, 2010—The well-rounded student vs. the well-angled student. Which does Vanderbilt prefer? Both! We need generalists and specialists in our class of 1,600. What really matters to us is that you love what you’re doing. Passion is hard to fake. If you’re just choosing activities to fill a resume, it shows. Stop worrying about what each admissions...
Meet Mary Comfort Stevens
Sep. 16, 2010—My hometown is Abington, PA. I am the admissions counselor responsible for middle Tennessee (students who go to school in Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, and Montgomery Counties), plus Canada and Africa.
Secrets from the Admissions Office
Sep. 15, 2010—While I know everyone reading our Vandy Admissions Blog loves hearing from me, I want to point readers today to a Newsweek Education article. Our Dean of Admissions sat down with Newsweek Education and answered critical questions we hear everyday in OUA.
Writing a Personal Statement
Sep. 13, 2010—Last year I was responsible for approximately 1,000 applications. Numerically, far too many of my students look identical. It’s the intangible pieces: essay, letters of recommendation, and extracurriculars that set one student apart from another. The essay is my personal favorite. I love a good story. I know, though, that this can be a stressful...
Meet Andrew Moe
Sep. 10, 2010—My hometown is Janesville, Wisconsin. I am the admissions counselor responsible for Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Central America, and South America.
Theme Words
Sep. 9, 2010—I hear about colleges all day long. It’s (obviously) what I do for a living. I know from my own college search experiences and my day-to-day job that many institutions begin to blend together and sound exactly alike. Students and families seek to understand what’s different about Vanderbilt. How does Vanderbilt set itself apart from...
When in Rome?
Sep. 7, 2010—OUA counselors and student tour guides are frequently responding to myths about going to college in the South. Perhaps most often we’re asked, “Is it true that girls wear dresses and guys wear button-ups to football games?!” I find myself, fellow counselors, and student guides falling over ourselves trying to explain the tradition. Sometimes our...
Inside Dores
Sep. 3, 2010—We’re currently working on developing a new landing page for our Black and Gold Bloggers. In the mean time, don’t forget to check out our student blog, Inside ‘Dores! We’ve got some great new material posted this week.