FAQs

Got a question about ASB? Before emailing a board member, take a look at the answers to these frequently asked questions.

** WHAT IS ASB?
Officially, Alternative Spring Break is a student-run community service organization whose mission is to promote critical thinking, social action, and continued community involvement by combining education, reflection, and direct service on the local, regional, national, and international levels.

Unofficially, ASB is the greatest week of your college life in which you are thrust into a group with 11 strangers and are asked to transcend personal boundaries, state lines, and comfort zones as you travel to a new city (or small town or desert or national park!) where you’ll be of direct service to that community, learn more than you could ever imagine, and return to Vanderbilt with 11 new friends.

**Interview
Who will be interviewing me?
If you are applying to be a site leader, you will be interviewed by three members of the ASB executive board. If you are applying as a participant, you will be interviewed by a combination of ASB executive board members and site leaders. Usually, your interview panel will consist of 1-2 board members and 2-3 site leaders.

What should I wear to my interview?
Whatever you’d like! We want you to be yourself. The interview is incredibly casual and to be used simply as a means to better get to know an applicant.

**Applications, etc.
How long should my responses be for my application?
There is no true answer to this question. We just want to get to know you and get to the heart of why you want to be a part of ASB. A novel is by no means necessary, but you definitely want more than just a sentence or two. A few substantial paragraphs for each question is probably best. The average application is 2-3 pages.

Who can apply?
All Vanderbilt students, both undergraduate and graduate, are welcome to apply.

Do I have to have been on ASB before in order to be a site leader?
No, past experience is not required to become a site leader.

**Sites Specifics / Rankings
Is there a language requirement for the international trips?
A Dios Le Pido, A Whole New World and That’s Why God Made Mexico require moderate Spanish-speaking capabilities. A Day in the Life and Talking About a Revolution require basic Spanish speaking capabilities. If you apply to one of these sites, we will ask you a question in Spanish in your interview to gauge your speaking abilities. ASB trips are a great opportunity to practice language skills, but with over 35 trips this year, there will be plenty to choose from even if you do not speak Spanish.

How far down in my rankings might my site be?
We try to place applicants within their top 3 sites. Due to the overwhelming popularity of some sites, this isn’t always possible, but nearly all applicants are placed on one of their top 6 sites.

**Waitlist
What does the waitlist mean?
If placed on the waitlist, it means that at that moment in time, you are not assigned to a site for ASB. It also means, however, that if a current participant were to drop out of ASB, you may be offered his or her spot.

Why are people put on a waitlist?
We have 36 sites on each of which we place a maximum of 12 participants. When you take away the spots already occupied by the 72 assigned site leaders, you’re left with 360 participant spots available. We receive far more than 360 applications every year and, naturally, some applicants have to be cut. Every year, though, a number of people decide that ASB is not for them for various reasons and drop from their sites before spring break. It is then that we call upon the waitlist and offer those spots to others.

If waitlisted, when will I be called upon?
We unfortunately have no way of knowing. This is could be as early as a few days after participant notification and site revealing or as late as the final few days before Spring Break.

**Financial Aid
How does financial aid work?
If seeking financial aid, you must complete a financial aid application. Every application is reviewed by the ASB Board who will then award financial aid to those who qualify.

How do I apply?
At the beginning of the spring semester, a financial aid application will be released. It will be available through your site leader, any board member, and the ASB website. Simply fill it out and turn it in by the designated due date.

When will I know if I will receive aid?
This application is due in mid-January and you will be notified within a few weeks if you will be receiving aid.

**Studying Abroad
How do I apply for ASB if I am abroad in fall?
Download the application from the website and fill it out as you normally would. Email it to one or both of our Placement Co-Chairs (their email addresses can be found on our home page under “Contact Us,” as well as on the actual application) by the designated due date for participant applications. When we contact potential participants with interview times, you will have one just as everyone else, but yours will be done through Skype rather than in person.

Can I apply to be a site leader if I am abroad in the fall?
Students studying abroad in the fall can apply to be a site leader only if they have been site leaders in a previous year.

Can I apply to be on board if I am abroad in the spring?
You are free to apply but let it be known that preference may be shown to students who are on campus as your work as a board begins before the spring semester ends.

**Exec. Board
How do I apply for a board position?
We appoint a new executive board every spring. Shortly after spring break, an application is released. The process is similar to other ASB application process consisting of a written application and an interview with current board members. Turnover is usually in early April.

Who can apply for a board position?
Any Vanderbilt undergraduate who has participated in ASB. You do not have to be a past site leader in order to apply.

What board positions are available?
We appoint twelve people to six positions — Co-Chair, Education, Placements, Public Relations, Site and Service Development, and Treasurer. Two people are appointed to each position and serve as partners.

**General / Miscellaneous
How many people go on each site?
Each site has 10-12 members, consisting of 2 site leaders and 8-10 participants.

Can I go with my friends?
While ASB does not exclusively prohibit you from participating with friends, we try very hard to make each site’s group as diverse as possible, pulling students from as many different graduating classes, majors, greek organizations, hometowns, etc. in order to give each site a truly unique experience and further accomplish the ASB’s basic goals. You may not request to be placed on a site with another individual.

Do students from other colleges / universities join us?
No, Vandy ASB exists exclusively for Vanderbilt students and faculty.

I am on the board of another Vanderbilt organization. Can we collaborate with ASB to sponsor an alternative break?
We are happy to offer basic advice in creating an alternative break for your organization, but it is our policy not to co-sponsor trips with other organizations.

Why is Alternative Spring Break considered “alternative?”
Alternative Spring Break trips are substance (drug and alcohol) free, offering students an alternative to the more “traditional” spring break. This experience allows students to be immersed in environments that enable them to interact with diverse communities and understand complex social issues.

Does ASB return to the same sites year after year, or do they pick new sites every year?
One of the goals of Alternative Spring Break is to create lasting relationships with the communities which we serve. Typically, we return to 75% of the same sites every year, but we also create new sites depending on interest level and feasibility (it is exciting to find new organizations with which to partner!).