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‘Vanderbilt University Admissions’

ED I Update

Dec. 12, 2010—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...

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Understanding the Mid-50%

Dec. 9, 2010—As a counselor at a highly selective college I frequently field questions about standardized testing.  I noticed in recent months, though, that many students I work with don’t apply testing statistics to their college search process appropriately. Numbers aren’t helpful if you don’t understand their reference.  Here I break down testing statistics: questions to ask...

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Committee 2011

Dec. 6, 2010—I know that once you click “Submit” on the Common App it feels anti-climatic.  This year I’m walking applicants through the process at Vanderbilt in real time.  Hopefully this transparency helps you feel less stressed.  In a previous post I walked you through how I read an actual file.  Here I answer questions about the...

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What Not to Fret About

Dec. 1, 2010—I had a writing block this week.  I think my head is full of all the writing my students put into their applications, which is amazing, but a block of sorts for my own words.  I’ve been stewing for days and as I summarily rejected numerous ideas I put them into a mental category I...

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Meet Alex Gano

Nov. 29, 2010—My hometown is Charleston, Illinois. I am the admissions counselor for Illinois (non-Chicago) and Southern California.  I share these territories with Nicole Molina.

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Thanksgiving Week Information

Nov. 23, 2010—Hopefully the information below helps keep you in the loop this holiday week!  I hope you have an amazing time with friends and family on Thanksgiving.  Relax and give yourself the break you deserve.

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Meet Torrey Morgan

Nov. 23, 2010—My hometown is Golden, Colorado, but I spent most of the past 13 years in Southern California and Seattle. I am the counselor responsible for the areas of DC, South Florida, and Wisconsin.  I also work with home school students.

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How We Read a File

Nov. 19, 2010—In a previous post I walked readers through how all of our mail makes it into a complete application file.  I ended with the file landing in the “Read me!” bin of my office.  The question begs, then what?  How does an admissions counselor actually read a file, what are we looking for, and where...

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TROUBLESHOOTING the Alumni Interview

Nov. 18, 2010—Here are a few troubleshooting tips for our alumni interview process.  If you have additional questions, please feel free to post in the comments and we’ll get you an answer shortly!

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Meet Mike Drish

Nov. 15, 2010—My hometown is Moline, Illinois. Dallas/Ft. Worth, China, Australia, and New Zealand are the areas I am responsible for as an admissions counselor.

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If you received an incomplete notice…

Nov. 10, 2010—Yesterday we sent out several hundred incomplete notices to students intending to apply Early Decision I.  We understand that many of these items are in our office and simply have not yet processed.  If you received a notice, don’t stress out, you will receive consideration under our ED I plan as long as your application...

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Vanderbilt Changes Lives

Nov. 9, 2010—Loren Pope’s tome Colleges That Change Lives offends me. Responding to the book, however, is difficult.  Here’s my dilemma: CTCL highlights 40 schools that deserve serious consideration from students as they progress towards post-secondary education.  In no way do I find fault with the talented students, staff, or faculty of these aforementioned schools. These 40...

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