Vanderbilt University

“Not that difficult, 1350-1400 SAT scores, 3Jan 02 2008Unknown
Not that difficult, 1350-1400 SAT scores, 3.6+ GPA, and some decent extra curriculars, and you should be good.
SAT: 1450 Male

“The admissions office places a good portion of theirAug 17 2007Business - Management and Administration
The admissions office places a good portion of their decision in the quality of the student's essays. Everyone applying to Vanderbilt is smart, so a student has to really stand out to get in.
ACT: 31 SAT: 1330 Female

“Don't go join a million clubsAug 14 2007Biology
Don't go join a million clubs. Be at the very least in the top ten percent of your high school class, have near perfect scores, and play a few sports or have passion for one thing (i.e. world renowned violinist). Assuming you don't botch your essays, that combo should push you through the door.
ACT: 34 SAT: 1580 Female

“Apply to more than one of the schools (A&S,Jul 27 2007Business - Management and Administration
Apply to more than one of the schools (A&S, Eng, Peabody, Blair). You might get accepted into your second choice, and then you can switch around later. I think my essays mostly helped when I was accepted. Choose a unique topic that helps define you and show off your writing skills.
SAT: 1370 Female

“Honestly, it's tough to get inFeb 22 2007Economics
Honestly, it's tough to get in. No matter how much of a shoe-in you think you are, there's never a guarantee. Vanderbilt is becoming such a popular school that admissions has the ability to take whoever they want due to the strength of each applicant pool. Being a legacy helps, as does having a sibling who attended or attends. But I think the main thing Vanderbilt looks for is outside of the SAT and GPA, although those are definitely important. I think admissions searchs for students who will thrive here; that is, they look for students who have already shown strength in both their academic and social lives.