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Mentorship Preferences

As part of the application process, you can rank order multiple mentorship opportunities (1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, 4th choice.). Ranking multiple opportunities (maximum of four) in no way negatively impacts your chances of being placed in your first choice mentorship. At the same time, only ranking one mentorship does not increase your chances of being placed. If you are placed in a mentorship that you ranked lower in your application, you will remain on the waiting list for mentorships that you ranked higher. You can rank as many (or as few) mentorships as you have interest.

Admissions Process & Placement

Vanderbilt Mentor Immersion accepts applications on the date specified in the timeline above. Starting on the date specified, all complete applications received will be equally prioritized and reviewed for fit and placement. Admission to the program is selective based on eligibility, with our most popular mentorships involving a competitive selection process. All applications received in the priority window will be evaluated with the same level of priority and rigor. Therefore, you can apply at any point during this time period. However, due to the competitive selection process, applying during this window does not guarantee placement in a mentorship even if you are eligible.

Please note that you may show interest in more than one mentorship experience as part of your application. Showing interest by ranking more than one mentorship opportunity will not decrease your chances of being placed in your top-ranked mentorship. Ranking more than one mentorship experience may increase your overall chances for placement in the program if you are eligible after the rigorous review process. See the waiting list section below for more information about ranking, placements, and waiting lists.

Applications received after the conclusion of the priority window are examined with the same level of rigor as previously submitted applications, but applications are reviewed on a rolling basis based on the date in which they are received. Students also may apply for mentorships that are currently full after the conclusion of the priority window. A student’s position on the waiting list for applications received after the conclusion of the priority window will be based on eligibility and the date/time the application was submitted.

We encourage students applying after the conclusion of the priority window to visit the Mentor Immersion experiences page before applying to check availability, as the application fee is nonrefundable regardless of whether a student is placed in a mentorship. Please note that while we try to keep our website as up-to-date as possible concerning mentorship availability, sometimes our availability changes quickly during peak application times. Make sure to check the date published on the website of when the mentorship availability page was last updated. We anticipate that many of our mentorship opportunities will fill quickly, so we recommend that students apply during the priority window to be considered in our first round of admissions.

Admissions Notification

Students who apply during the priority window will be notified of admissions decisions by the date specified above. Students applying after the conclusion of the priority window will receive information about their admission status on a rolling basis.

PTY is unable to process incomplete applications. We ask that you complete your application as soon as possible to be considered for admission. You can check the completeness of your application through the application portal. PTY will also be in touch as soon as possible about missing components. However, note that incomplete applications can result in delayed processing and could impact placement.

For families who have applied for financial aid, financial aid information may be included in the admissions notice if you are placed in a mentorship program and financial aid materials have already been submitted. The admissions notice will include the tuition statement.

Waiting List

A waiting list is retained for all full mentorship opportunities. Students who we are unable to offer a place in a particular mentorship due to space will be placed on a waiting list. Being placed on a waiting list means you are eligible for the program, but there is not a space available in the particular mentorship experience you are interested in.

Those applying to mentorships on or before January 14 who are not offered a place in the mentorship through the competitive review process will be placed on a waiting list for the mentorship, if eligible. The student’s placement on a waiting list will be based on their application if they applied during the window. Eligible students who apply after January 14 will be placed on the waiting list based on the date/time of application receipt.

Waiting lists are held until close to the start of the mentorship program session. No tuition payment will be owed until you are placed in a mentorship that you ranked in your application. The application fee, however, is nonrefundable.

If you have been placed on a waiting list, and you have questions about your status on the waitlist, please contact PTY at 615-322-8261 or pty.peabody@vanderbilt.edu.

Cancellation Policy

The application fee is nonrefundable for all applicants regardless of admission or placement in a mentorship. No tuition refunds will be granted after the tuition deadline for the session. Please see the Program Timeline section above for program tuition refund deadline.

Required Forms

Upon admission into the program, families will receive instructions concerning required forms. Required forms include emergency contact information, participant permission, media release, etc. All students who participate in programs through Programs for Talented Youth (PTY) must have current required forms for the 2025-2026 school year on file with PTY.