Vanderbilt Medical School Early Acceptance

[JCEarly]

After graduating from CC, this is my first post on SDN. Here I go:

Vanderbilt Med's Early Acceptance Program took 9 Vanderbilt sophomores this year. I was one of them, and if I choose to accept the offer, I will be guaranteed a spot in Vandy's med school. The catch: it's binding.

Background: Asian, 3.8, currently studying MCAT (aiming for 38+), great recs, great essays, great extracurriculars, above average interviewing ability

Argument for taking Early offer:

1) Obviously, no stress for the next 2 years, and no MCAT. I save myself from the regular admission process which requires a lot more work and about $5k worth of application and travel fees.

2) Vanderbilt Med is ranked 15, which meets my basic expectations. I think top 5 med schools are pretty much unrealistic for me. I think I have a chance at a top 10 med school, but is 5-10 ranks higher worth the extra work?

3) Med school doesn't even matter the most. Residency is what counts.

4) I'll have the opportunity to take academic risks and it will be much easier to study abroad.

5) Turning down the offer may disappoint those who wrote me recommendations, and it may be awkward to reapply for Vandy Med again. I have heard that no one has turned down such an offer before.

Argument against taking the Early offer:

1) Although the Early process is not exactly representative of the regular process, in most cases, there is an inherent trade-off. I could be selling myself short. Vandy is not my dream school, and I may regret taking the offer when I see peers getting into better places.

2) I'm currently in the middle of studying for the MCAT, and as I grow increasingly confident of my ability to score well, I view this test as an opportunity to shine.

3) I think I can reasonably count on getting into Vandy Med during the regular admissions cycle anyways, so I have nothing to lose by turning down the Early offer.

4) I like Nashville, but 8 years is a bit much. There are more exciting places to be. It may be beneficial to attend med school in the Northeast. Also, I would know too many people at Vanderbilt Med.

5) Going through this Early process was in no way a waste even if I turn it down. I've gotten essays and recs ready for the regular cycle. The Early offer might serve as an impressive credential (maybe?).

What do you guys think? If you have a vote or any insight in general, fire away!

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[pelliper]

After graduating from CC, this is my first post on SDN. Here I go:

Vanderbilt Med's Early Acceptance Program took 9 Vanderbilt sophomores this year. I was one of them, and if I choose to accept the offer, I will be guaranteed a spot in Vandy's med school. The catch: it's binding.

Background: Asian, 3.8, currently studying MCAT (aiming for 38+), great recs, great essays, great extracurriculars, above average interviewing ability

Argument for taking Early offer:

1) Obviously, no stress for the next 2 years, and no MCAT. I save myself from the regular admission process which requires a lot more work and about $5k worth of application and travel fees.

2) Vanderbilt Med is ranked 15, which meets my basic expectations. I think top 5 med schools are pretty much unrealistic for me. I think I have a chance at a top 10 med school, but is 5-10 ranks higher worth the extra work?

3) Med school doesn't even matter the most. Residency is what counts.

4) I'll have the opportunity to take academic risks and it will be much easier to study abroad.

5) Turning down the offer may disappoint those who wrote me recommendations, and it may be awkward to reapply for Vandy Med again. I have heard that no one has turned down such an offer before.

Argument against taking the Early offer:

1) Although the Early process is not exactly representative of the regular process, in most cases, there is an inherent trade-off. I could be selling myself short. Vandy is not my dream school, and I may regret taking the offer when I see peers getting into better places.

2) I'm currently in the middle of studying for the MCAT, and as I grow increasingly confident of my ability to score well, I view this test as an opportunity to shine.

3) I think I can reasonably count on getting into Vandy Med during the regular admissions cycle anyways, so I have nothing to lose by turning down the Early offer.

4) I like Nashville, but 8 years is a bit much. There are more exciting places to be. It may be beneficial to attend med school in the Northeast. Also, I would know too many people at Vanderbilt Med.

5) Going through this Early process was in no way a waste even if I turn it down. I've gotten essays and recs ready for the regular cycle. The Early offer might serve as an impressive credential (maybe?).

What do you guys think? If you have a vote or any insight in general, fire away!

If I were in your shoes I would take the acceptance. Not only is Vandy a Top20 school, it's also a school with one of the happiest student bodies out there. The two things you seem concerned about are 1) staying in Nashville for four more years and 2) the feeling that you can go better, and the fear that your peers will get into "better" institutions.

To respond to your first point, yes Nashville is not the greatest city in the world, but remember you are only there for four more years and that Vandy will let you get residency practically anywhere you want. Of those four years, two will be spent mostly in the hospital where it won't make a difference whether you're in one city or another.

About your second point: there's no guarantee that with a 3.8 and 38 MCAT you'll get into "better" places. I know people with better stats than that who were not accepted to Top15 schools, including Vandy. To be honest you also probably have a good shot at Top5 places, but there's also a chance you might not get into 5-15 at all. Yes, some of your friends will get into more prestigious schools, but isn't there a certain prestige to saying you got into Vandy as a sophomore too? And don't forget that the application process will cost you your sanity for most of senior year.

TLDR: If you really hate the location and don't mind the stress and $5k associated with the application process, go ahead. But don't reject the offer just because you think you can get into a school that is only marginally better, because you might not, and then you'd spend the rest of your life wondering "what was I thinking?"

 

[isuckatverbal]

After graduating from CC, this is my first post on SDN. Here I go:

Vanderbilt Med's Early Acceptance Program took 9 Vanderbilt sophomores this year. I was one of them, and if I choose to accept the offer, I will be guaranteed a spot in Vandy's med school. The catch: it's binding.

I thought Vanderbilt's early acceptance was only for vanderbilt undergrads?

 

[Steeler7588]

I thought Vanderbilt's early acceptance was only for vanderbilt undergrads?

CollegeConfidential.

OP, as great as it is to already have an acceptance at somewhere like Vandy in hand, without needing to take the MCAT, if you don't feel it's the best fit, apply elsewhere. I really like Vanderbilt, it's a great school, but I ended up liking schools ranked both higher and lower more. I don't think you can count on getting a Vandy admission again (although I hear they love Vandy undergrads, they might question why you turned it down before), applying broadly will allow you to explore other schools' environments and opportunities, open yourself up to scholarship opportunities, etc.

 

[NickNaylor]

Take it.

 

[rockaction]

You'd be a fool not to take this. Going to Vanderbilt is NOT selling yourself short at all. You have the blessing of a guaranteed spot into an amazing medical and you're thinking of turning it down to stroke your ego?

 

[ButImLETired]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say don't take the early acceptance. There's nothing that sucks more than wondering if you took the easy way out, and if you think you can "do better", then you should try. You might regret having given up the spot, but I think you'll keep wondering if you could have gotten into a "higher-ranked" school, so knock yourself out.

 

[NickNaylor]

Just curious: why would you go through the process just to turn it down? My significant other goes to Vandy and applied as well (she's out of the country so I don't know if she's found out or not yet), and I know how difficult the process is. Seems like a huge waste of effort to me. There's too much risk to turn it down and not enough reward in my opinion. What would make you happy? A Harvard acceptance? JHU? Even if you're a stellar applicant (which you clearly are) it's still a crap shoot at those schools because there are so many well-qualified applicants.

If you don't want it, though, might as well decline as I'm sure the 10th person would love to have your spot. I think that would be a stupid decision though.

 

[FrazzleSnazzle]

If I were you, I'd just take the offer. Vandy is a great school and since you yourself have said that you're not confident about getting into the top-5 ranked schools, you're basically just shooting for the 6th-14th range of other schools to apply to. That's kind of just splitting hairs IMO.

Although, I do find it kind of funny that most of the people in this thread telling you to take the offer were Vandy waitlistees (myself included), while the one person who actually goes to the school is the only one encouraging you not to go. Maybe we just have outside-looking-in syndrome and are projecting it on you.

 

[qingchendelushu]

Hey JCEarly.

Heres what I think. Vandy Med is a great school. And I'm sure if you attend there, you will eventually like it. Yet this process necessitates that you must mold yourself to like it; you must learn to like it.

If you don't take it and apply somewhere else, I believe you'll be accepted into similar schools in the future. Yet when you do this, you'll (hopefully) be applying to schools you'll want to go to. So when you get your acceptances then, you'll be picking from a pool that you've already designated yourself to like.

Either way the outcome will ultimately be similar.

Take MCATs first dude and just chill. You've got time to decide.

 

[Isleofthedeep]

Hope you find the answers to life's most persistent questions on SDN, J.

 

[daisy44]

If I was in your shoes (and I have been), I would decline the offer.
For me, it was because of financial issues. I knew that I wouldn't qualify for financial aid, and I wasn't completely ready to pay 60 grand/year. I decided to apply later, and I'm glad I did because I opened myself to scholarship opportunities. Once I had all the dollar amounts in front of me, I decided on my state school where I got a scholarship, and realized that was the best deal for me. I'm really glad I hadn't locked myself into a school that I wasn't ready to pay for. FWIW, I ended up declining vandy.
Of course this depends on your financial situation, but remember that you don't really know what you're ready to pay until the time comes. You may feel differently senior year.

 

[ButImLETired]

If I were you, I'd just take the offer. Vandy is a great school and since you yourself have said that you're not confident about getting into the top-5 ranked schools, you're basically just shooting for the 6th-14th range of other schools to apply to. That's kind of just splitting hairs IMO.

Although, I do find it kind of funny that most of the people in this thread telling you to take the offer were Vandy waitlistees (myself included), while the one person who actually goes to the school is the only one encouraging you not to go. Maybe we just have outside-looking-in syndrome and are projecting it on you.

Just wanted to point out (in case I didn't make myself clear) that I'm not saying not to come here because it's not as great as you guys think- far from it. I think we're awesome, and I love my school. Because of that, I'd hate for us to take someone who really doesn't want to be here and thinks he could have done better (whatever that may mean). Those are always the party poopers who complain all the time. We have the reputation for having one of the happiest, most well-balanced student bodies in the country for a reason, and we'd like to keep it that way.

I can tell you that I know at least a half dozen people in my class who gave up a top 5 school to come here (and most of them didn't get a scholarship, as far as I know). There are a ton of people who gave up other schools ranked higher than we are. I can't tell you what their thinking was, but I can only guess that it had something to do with "fit". You either fit in here or you don't. If you do, great- I'll see you in a couple of years. If you don't, then by all means, give up your spot to someone who does. We won't suffer for having lost someone who wasn't committed to coming here, and you won't suffer because you'll have gone somewhere you like better.

As for financial aid issues, that's actually one of the main reasons why I didn't take advantage of my undergrad's early acceptance option. However, I can tell you that I know at least 3 former Vandy early acceptees who are here on a full ride, so I know that they don't skimp on money even though they know you're coming here. I think that's really impressive, since they obviously could give that money to students they're trying to lure away from other places instead of people who are guaranteed to come here.

Ultimately, I think about what the dean at Duke told me when I was interviewing there- any med school of this level has the "toys" (facilities, resources, simulation labs, whatever) and the rockstar doctors, so when you're looking at them, the only thing that will concretely differentiate them is how comfortable you feel. If you already know this place isn't for you, then it isn't.

 

[longhorn09]

Ask yourself if there are a lot of things you are not happy with about Vendy medschool. If there ain't many, then go with the early acceptance program.

 

[longhorn09]

It'll suck even more if you decline this offer only to find out that you can't get into a top 15 school (I know the chance of it is low given your credential, but also bear in mind the random nature of medsch app).

 

[MacVA]

Dude,

If you enjoy the city of Nashville, take the acceptance and run. Vandy Med is a great school and you can truly go anywhere from there. I have two friends who graduated from there within the past two years and both of them matched into high prestige residency programs.

Check out Vandy's Match List and compare it to any other Top 5 medical school - you will see that there isn't much difference.

 

[CalBear2009]

Take the acceptance, use the $5K saved from not applying and go on the vacation of your life. While others are sweating away working on secondary essays and going crazy waiting for decisions, you can be sippin a pina coloda somewhere on a beach.

 

[wanderer]

After graduating from CC, this is my first post on SDN. Here I go:

Vanderbilt Med's Early Acceptance Program took 9 Vanderbilt sophomores this year. I was one of them, and if I choose to accept the offer, I will be guaranteed a spot in Vandy's med school. The catch: it's binding.

Background: Asian, 3.8, currently studying MCAT (aiming for 38+), great recs, great essays, great extracurriculars, above average interviewing ability

Argument for taking Early offer:

1) Obviously, no stress for the next 2 years, and no MCAT. I save myself from the regular admission process which requires a lot more work and about $5k worth of application and travel fees.

2) Vanderbilt Med is ranked 15, which meets my basic expectations. I think top 5 med schools are pretty much unrealistic for me. I think I have a chance at a top 10 med school, but is 5-10 ranks higher worth the extra work?

3) Med school doesn't even matter the most. Residency is what counts.

4) I'll have the opportunity to take academic risks and it will be much easier to study abroad.

5) Turning down the offer may disappoint those who wrote me recommendations, and it may be awkward to reapply for Vandy Med again. I have heard that no one has turned down such an offer before.

Argument against taking the Early offer:

1) Although the Early process is not exactly representative of the regular process, in most cases, there is an inherent trade-off. I could be selling myself short. Vandy is not my dream school, and I may regret taking the offer when I see peers getting into better places.
Is this your biggest concern? Where others are going?
2) I'm currently in the middle of studying for the MCAT, and as I grow increasingly confident of my ability to score well, I view this test as an opportunity to shine.
I disagree.
3) I think I can reasonably count on getting into Vandy Med during the regular admissions cycle anyways, so I have nothing to lose by turning down the Early offer.
Generally turning down a school's early admissions is major red flag at that med school.

4) I like Nashville, but 8 years is a bit much. There are more exciting places to be. It may be beneficial to attend med school in the Northeast. Also, I would know too many people at Vanderbilt Med.
This is a legitimate concern.

5) Going through this Early process was in no way a waste even if I turn it down. I've gotten essays and recs ready for the regular cycle. The Early offer might serve as an impressive credential (maybe?).


What do you guys think? If you have a vote or any insight in general, fire away!

~

 

[metallica81788]

I would take it no questions asked. I also find it funny reading about trying to "do better" than Vanderbilt. I understand there are "better" schools out there, but this is a gift.

 

[brandnew1]

No offense, but it sounds like the only reasons you are considering rejecting the offer are ego-based, as in you think you may be above the school and would be uncomfortable if "lesser" applicants than yourself ended up going to "better" medical schools.

Therefore, based on what you have said, I would advise you to not take it. Going into a school thinking that you could have done better is not a good recipe for happiness. An early acceptance at a med school of this caliber is a tremendous opportunity; it would probably be best if it went to someone who would truly appreciate it.

 

[pyrocat9]

take the offer...

Argument against taking the Early offer:

1) Although the Early process is not exactly representative of the regular process, in most cases, there is an inherent trade-off. I could be selling myself short. Vandy is not my dream school, and I may regret taking the offer when I see peers getting into better places.

Only a very small fraction of schools would be considered "better," and it is hard to quantify or qualify how said schools are better, other than matriculating students with very slightly higher GPA/MCAT...Vandy students are pretty much always getting the residency they wanted and have an amazing experience on their journey to that point. I've talked to a lot of them (I just graduated from vandy undergrad a month ago)

2) I'm currently in the middle of studying for the MCAT, and as I grow increasingly confident of my ability to score well, I view this test as an opportunity to shine.

You will probably do amazing on the MCAT, but that will not guarantee you a spot at a better school

3) I think I can reasonably count on getting into Vandy Med during the regular admissions cycle anyways, so I have nothing to lose by turning down the Early offer.

Definitely not true...many students with amazing stats are rejected from Vandy every year. In fact, I was recently reading a book from HPAO which gives examples of premed students' stats and their essays, and then shows where they applied and where they were accepted. The student who stuck out to me was the Vandy premed student: 3.99 GPA, 4.00 BCPM GPA, 38+ MCAT, activities like being a trainer for red cross at Vandy, VSVS, etc. He did get into Vandy, Wash U, and Emory, but was rejected from every single one of the "better" schools. No med school is ever a sure thing, and you would be turning down a sure thing at one of the best ones...Keep in mind that you were accepted into a special program as a sophomore under different conditions than your application will be viewed if you apply regular-decision. You cannot "reasonably count on getting in" during regular admissions. I know 4 of the people from my year who were accepted into this same program when we were all sophomores, and only 1 of them would be such an attractive regular-decision candidate that he/she would not have to worry about being offered admission. Turning down this offer is a bigger risk than you are making it seem, imho.

4) I like Nashville, but 8 years is a bit much. There are more exciting places to be. It may be beneficial to attend med school in the Northeast. Also, I would know too many people at Vanderbilt Med.

What would be so beneficial about med school in the northeast? VUSOM can land you the northeastern residency you want just as well as any of the northeastern schools themselves...However, I understand not wanting to be in the same place for so long. Personally, I love Nashville but it is easy to get bored of the same hospitals after so long. Strangely, I think this is your reason that I most agree with : ) Try to look on the bright side: With all the stresses of being a 1-2yr med student, do you really want to have to learn to feel comfortable in a new city and find your way around new hospitals?

5) Going through this Early process was in no way a waste even if I turn it down. I've gotten essays and recs ready for the regular cycle. The Early offer might serve as an impressive credential (maybe?).

i agree that it is not a big waste to write the essays and ask for LORs for the Vandy Early Decision Program. The waste is that you seem like you want someone to convince you to turn down an offer by one of the best med schools just so you have the much smaller chance of getting into a better school available to you. I can understand wanting to go to the most prestigious med school out there, but try to keep in mind that Vandy will educate you just as well as those other schools and land you the same residencies. 99.9% of the people on these forums would sell their grandmother into slavery to be in the position you are in (okay, not really, that would probably raise a red-flag when medical schools screen for altruism), and you are considering turning down this amazing offer for what seems to be an egotistical reason which will have no effect on your future career. Try to keep things in perspective, here. In the same way that you went to Vanderbilt (rank approx. 18) as an undergrad and are still an attractive candidate to top medical schools, you can go to Vanderbilt for medical school (again, top 20) and land a top residency, which is what matters for the rest of your life. I highly doubt you will regret not attending Harvard med (if you could even get an acceptance offer there) if you do not currently regret not attending Harvard undergrad. The residency is what matters most, and Vandy will get you that residency. And from what I've seen of the students, your journey to that residency will be pretty amazing and I can't imagine anyone regretting it.

 

[DocDrakeRamoray]

.....

 

[maadaputtar]

Hello everyone,
What are the average MCAT and GPA scores of accepted applicants and Vanderbilt. Are these numbers higher of accepted international students (I am a Canadian citizen). My cGPA is 3.75 with an MCAT score of 32P. I also have a Masters in Medical Sciences.
Thanks,
maadaputtar

 

[rockaction]

Hello everyone,
What are the average MCAT and GPA scores of accepted applicants and Vanderbilt. Are these numbers higher of accepted international students (I am a Canadian citizen). My cGPA is 3.75 with an MCAT score of 32P. I also have a Masters in Medical Sciences.
Thanks,
maadaputtar

a 3.8 gpa and 35 MCAT are the averages. maybe higher for internationals, but I don't know. but with a school like Vanderbilt, it's still hard to get in even with the average numbers.

 

[SpaceDementia]

Do what makes you comfortable and leaves you without regrets. You know yourself better than anyone on an online message board. The easiest road (or the most popular) isn't necessarily the right one, and you never want to feel burdened by the belief that you could have done better. It's classic risk vs. reward, but typically a confident and driven applicant is going to do all right without the guaranteed acceptance, as long as you know that there is considerable randomness in the process (i.e. Vanderbilt may not give you another chance).

 

[TexasDoc2388]

Take the acceptance and save the money that wouldve been spent on apps and interviews and go buy yourself a huge flat screen for your apt during medical school.

 

[HolySmokes]

I'd have to agree with the majority on this; take the offer. I feel like I sold myself short when applying to colleges based on my numbers and knowing that I could have gotten in at more prestigious places. For med school, though, getting in anywhere is an accomplishment, and in the end you'll still be a doctor.

Vanderbilt is an awesome school, and most people would kill to be in the position you're in. If you're really concerned about regretting your decision (always wondering "could I have gotten in somewhere better?"), then decline and hope for the best, but turning down an acceptance (to a top 15 school, nonetheless) hoping for something better seems silly to me.

 

[Onres]

I wish I had this "problem"...

 

[Wermz]

do it