During the last semester of high school, most seniors have either chosen their college or are still deciding, but it’s a difficult process. When applying to colleges, establishments look for academic excellence, any extracurriculars, and personality, especially top colleges. For one Atherton student, Mahdi Bevab (12) accomplished just that for his hard work and dedication. Bevab was accepted into the prestigious Vanderbilt University with a full-ride scholarship.
Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the south’s top research universities, known for their strong academic programs, and with their acceptance rate only being 5.9%. Bevab had other schools in mind, such as the ivy leagues and other top universities. However, Vanderbilt was perfect for Mahdi. It’s close to home and out-of-state, in a big city, and offers an amazing pre-med track. Vanderbilt’s motto “work hard, play hard” influenced Bevab based on their school spirit and supportive community.
When applying to colleges, Bevab noted that when making a college essay, the switch from analytical to descriptive was challenging as it was a different way to show his personality. But what helped Bevab to prepare for college applications was simple; getting a head start.
“I had a head start on filling out my personal information and extracurriculars/honors as soon as they came out so I could focus on my college list and essays later. This definitely made the process less overwhelming when I had to actually start my applications,” Bevab said.
Being known for their high-achieving pre-med courses, Bevab will be attending Vanderbilt with a double major in Biology as well as Chemistry. Bevab anticipates the courses will prepare him to take the MCAT and medical school, in hope of becoming a doctor.
Lastly, Bevab gave advice for future students when applying to colleges to make the choices easier to manage.
“Definitely start early in August and focus on your essays and college list. Your GPA and ACT/SAT scores are important, but what distincts you from other applicants are your personal essays and impact of extracurriculars. They really want to see your personality shine!” Bevab added.
Congratulations to Mahdi for the amazing opportunity, Vanderbilt is lucky to have you!
