‘Vanderbilt University’
On My Way
Jul. 6, 2009—Good morning blog readers, friends, and people who were mysteriously sent here using Bing: This blog began several years ago as an experiment. It was not rolled out with fanfare, nor was it vetted through a massive team of consultants in suits. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I built a simple site on...
Degrees of Social Change
May. 13, 2009—Many of you are graduating from high school this month or next. I want to give you some homework for the summer. I want you to begin to daydream about what you'll be about as a college student. Most importantly, I want you to give yourself permission to play with those ideas in your head, those big ideas.
Summer PreVU Registration is Live and other Random Updates
Apr. 24, 2009—Information for Rising Seniors, Waitlisted students, admitted, and enrolling students.
A Tuesday Intellectual on a Friday Afternoon
Apr. 21, 2009—At Vanderbilt, we feel comfortable putting our classroom experience up against any University, but we're biased). What I have come to understand in my three years here though is that this highly intellectual community maintains such a high level of livability for many Vanderbilt students. To me, Vanderbilt offers Tuesday morning academics in a setting that feels like a Friday afternoon. I reject that if a student wants an elite academic experience that they have to put up with a community that is cut-throat and staid.
Waitlist Confirmation Emails Going Out
Apr. 16, 2009—A quick check-in post for the waitlist folks. Starting last Friday we started sending out waitlist confirmation emails. They will go out regularly over then next several weeks as we receive waitlist reply cards.
What To Do If You've Been Waitlisted
Apr. 2, 2009—This year, Vanderbilt's pool of applicants was so strong that many students who may have been admitted even a year ago were offered a spot on our waitlist. Keep in mind that it was equally difficult to be offered a spot on our waitlist as it was to be admitted. Still, I know that many students and families are unclear about what being on a waitlist means, and as such, I hope this post provides some insight into Vanderbilt's waitlist process.
Mailing Day 2009 is Here!
Mar. 26, 2009—The day is finally here. The letters are stuffed, sorted, packed, and checked. This morning, we will put the finishing touches on all of the decision letters and finally get them out the door later today.
How Admissions Committee at Vanderbilt Works
Mar. 19, 2009—For the past two weeks I, along with my fellow Associate Director and Director of Admissions at Vanderbilt, have reviewed the decisions of hundreds of individual students all across the country. Think of a meeting that lasts 80+ hours long. Yes, it is that fascinating.
Stop Reading This Blog
Feb. 26, 2009—Seriously, stop it. Not to go all Billy Gates on you, but there's this little squared red X in the top right corner of your computer screen and I'm begging you to punch it in the face.
Late Afternoon Scholarship Update: 2009 Ingram Scholars Announced
Feb. 20, 2009—More merit-based scholarship news out of Vanderbilt. Late this afternoon, the Ingram Scholarship Program announced the 19 newest Ingram Scholars for the incoming class of 2009.
Would Da Vinci have Gotten the Small Envelope?
Feb. 18, 2009—A wonderful article appears this week in the Chronicle of Higher Education's Chronicle Review by W. A. Pannapacker of Hope College. In it, Pannapacker portrays the well known genius of Leonardo da Vinci set against the lesser known backdrop of growing biographical evidence that he was a chronic procrastinator.
Admitted at ED?: advice for approaching the rest of your senior year
Jan. 16, 2009—All admitted students to Vanderbilt will be asked to submit a final transcript once it comes available and it never fails that we see a very small handful of students who packed up the intellectual circus a little early that last semester. At that point our office has a decision to make, and it is a no-one-size-fits-all determination. My general advice is succinct, if not completely predictable, don't risk it.