Vanderbilt University

Personal statement required (250-650 words), plus one supplement, plus more depending on your college or program:

1. Required · approximately 250 words (College Transitions adds "300 word maximum, 200 word minimum"; Vanderbilt's own page states only "approximately 250 words")

   Vanderbilt University’s motto, Crescere aude, is Latin for “dare to grow.” In your response, reflect on how one or more aspects of your identity, culture, or background has played a role in your personal growth, and how it will contribute to our campus community as you dare to grow at Vanderbilt.

   Vanderbilt calls this the "Short Answer Question". It is required for BOTH first-year and transfer applicants. "Crescere aude" appears in italics (<em>) on Vanderbilt's page. This is Vanderbilt's ONLY general supplemental writing piece.

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2. Required (only for applicants to Peabody College who select Elementary Education, Secondary Education, or Special Education) · not stated on Vanderbilt's page

   What prior experience with and enthusiasm for the field of education will you bring to Vanderbilt? In your response, reflect on why you want to be an educator.

   Vanderbilt prefaces the question with this context paragraph, which is part of the prompt block on the page: "Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development has a rich tradition of excellence in teacher education, preparing students to pursue a research-grounded, practice-intensive program leading to licensure. Students pursuing careers in education spend as much time in the classrooms and hallways of Nashville’s public schools as they do in seminar rooms on campus, observing and working in a variety of community and educational settings." The page then labels the next sentence "Question:". Most essay guides omit this prompt entirely.

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