Top Academic Scholarships At Vanderbilt University In Nashville
By: Todd Long
Submitted: 2010-11-12 08:50:01 | Word Count: 932
Vanderbilt University, located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, ranks consistently in the top 20 academic universities in the country. Today, the private research university has 6,500 undergraduates and 5,300 graduate and professional students. There are 3,100 full time faculty members and 23,000 staff members. Vanderbilt is also a thriving medical research university, with a top-notch hospital. Vanderbilt is the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee and the second largest private employer in the entire state of Tennessee.
The cost of attending Vanderbilt is around $57,000 per year plus travel. Around $39,000 of this annual cost is tuition. Approximately 1600 incoming freshman are admitted each year, and the applications number much more than this. Although Vanderbilt states that it looks at each application as a whole and there are no set requirements for admission, academics play a huge role to secure a seat in the freshman class. Most applicants to Vanderbilt are in the top 2 % of their graduating high school class.
While being accepted is tough, receiving the top academic scholarships to the university is even tougher. The competition is fierce, but if you or your child excels academically, there is no reason not to try for some of the most prestigious scholarships available in the country. Only about 1% of the entering freshman class receives merit scholarships. Vanderbilt strongly encourages that freshman applicants apply for need based financial aid as well.
History of Vanderbilt
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Vanderbilt was built on a one million dollar endowment in spring of 1873 by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. This was his only major philanthropy. When his wife’s cousin, Methodist Bishop Holland N. McTyeire of Nashville, Tennessee was visiting in his home while recuperating from a medical treatment in New York, they became embroiled in a vision for a true university in the South. The vision was to create a university that would strengthen ties to bind together all parts of the country. This was a noble vision following the divide that was in place following the devastation that was in place following the end of the Civil War in 1865. Vanderbilt University was originally on 75 acres, but today has grown to 260 acres.
The first idea was that Vanderbilt was to be an all male college, following traditions of the day. Yet, they never made moves to prohibit women from applying. At least one woman was admitted to Vanderbilt from 1875 on, so for the majority of the school’s history, it has been a co-educational institution. In 1894, they began allowing women to compete for academic prizes.
The Signature Merit Scholarships
This is a group of three scholarship programs that award full tuition at the tune of $39,000 per year. Each award is renewable each year as long as the student maintains a 3.0 GPA during his or her time on the Vanderbilt campus. Applicants can apply for all three scholarships. There are no requirements regarding the choice of major or school. There are special programs on campus for these award recipients, from enhancement activities to social activities. Vanderbilt also has a number of other merit scholarships. The way to apply for these lower dollar amount scholarships is through the Cornelius Vanderbilt application. This is the basis for all scholarships awarded at Vanderbilt University.
Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship Program
All students applying to Vanderbilt should fill out and apply for this scholarship. Even if a student is not awarded the Cornelius Vanderbilt scholarship, it supplies the basis for other merit and talent scholarships, as in music or art. If applying for a scholarship to the Blair School of Music, an audition at the school will be required.
Recipients of this award receive the full tuition, as well as a stipend towards a summer study abroad, which usually takes place at the end of the sophomore or junior year. To apply, all forms must be submitted by January 3. Award winners will be notified by email and regular mail.
Chancellor’s Scholarship Program
This program was begun in 1985. Recipients of this scholarship receive the full tuition as well as a stipend for a summer study abroad, as in the Cornelius Vanderbilt scholarship. The deadline to submit all forms is January 3. Winners will be notified via mail and email in March of each year.
Ingram Scholarship Program
This program began in 1993 to award academic scholars who give back to their community. One of the bases of the awarding of this scholarship is community volunteerism. Winners of this scholarship must have all scholarship forms and materials submitted electronically or postmarked by December 1st the year preceding the enrollment year.
Those proceeding through the process will be asked to visit the campus in January for an interview. The field is then narrowed down to finalists, and these interviews take place in February. Winners are announced on campus in March.
The recipients receive the full tuition and stipends for special service projects that they develop on their own during the summers of their Vanderbilt University career. For the endurance of the four years, recipients are required to log in at least 20 hours per month in community service. The scholarship is renewable each year as long as a 3.0 GPA is maintained and the community service projects are completed.
Early Decisions
Although early decisions can secure your place in the Vanderbilt freshman class, scholarship awards will not be announced until March of each year. If you receive an early decision, then you will have to commit to attending Vanderbilt without knowing if you will receive a scholarship. This is one of the reasons that Vanderbilt strongly encourages that all applicants apply for need-based financial aid.
