School Location:

NASHVILLE, TN

School Type:

PRIVATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

How difficult is it to get into Vanderbilt?

Vanderbilt is a particularly competitive school to gain admissions to. Of the 45,313 students who applied to join Vanderbilt’s Class of 2027, 2,844 were admitted, yielding a low acceptance rate of just 6.28%. The 25th-75th percentile range for SAT Composite scores was 1500-1560 and a 34-35 for ACT composite scores. 92.5% of students were in the top tenth of their high school class.

In their Common Data Set, Vanderbilt admissions indicates that they consider six criteria to be very important in the admissions process; rigor of high school courses, class rank, GPA, application essays, extracurricular activities, and character. Recommendations, standardized test scores, and talent are considered, while level of applicant interest and religious affiliation are not. With such a low acceptance rate, Vanderbilt should be considered a “high reach” school for all applicants!

What is the campus like at Vanderbilt?

Vanderbilt is located in the heart of Nashville, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. As a Vanderbilt student, you have access to this city’s rich musical history. You can see a show at a honky-tonk on Nashville’s famous Broadway strip or at music venues such as the Ryman Auditorium, Ascend Amphitheater, and the Basement. Nashville is also home to many sports teams, and you can attend a Tennessee Titans or Nashville Predators game. You can also explore the Nashville Farmers’ Market, discover Nashville’s increasingly renowned food scene in Nashville’s restaurants, or see a movie at the Belcourt movie theater.

Students also have a plethora of opportunities to become involved on Vanderbilt’s campus. Due to the school’s belief that on-campus living increases academic and social success, all undergraduate students are required to reside on campus, though seniors may apply for off-campus housing. To support undergraduates in their successful transition to Vanderbilt, all freshmen live together in the Martha Rivers Ingram Commons, a collaborative learning environment comprised of 10 houses and The Commons Center, where students live with their faculty heads of house and have access to a dining center, a gym, seminar/study rooms, public spaces, pre-major advising, and other resources for underclassmen. All freshmen also participate in a meal plan during their first year of enrollment.

Vanderbilt’s not all work and no play. Most students consider the school culture to encourage a “work hard play hard” attitude as Vanderbilt has one of the most active social scenes amongst top schools in the country. Vanderbilt’s tight-knit community begins forming when students are freshmen living in the Commons. Among 500+ student organizations, Vanderbilt offers ample communities to explore and organizations for students to join, such performing arts, community service, and intramural sports and Greek life. Vanderbilt’s thriving Greek life includes fraternities, sororities, and co-ed organizations. Freshmen officially rush in the spring to join a sorority or fraternity starting the fall of their sophomore year.

As for arts and cultural activities to get involved in at Vanderbilt, first look to the historic Dyer Observatory. Students can get involved in one of Vanderbilt’s many arts extracurriculars, from the Rhythm and Roots Performance Company to Vanderbilt’s University Band Program. Students interested in media and communications can write for the school newspaper, The Vanderbilt Hustler, or participate in a variety of other student-run media outlets.

Vanderbilt also has a large number of student-run service organizations celebrating the diverse cultures and identities that make up Vanderbilt’s student body. If students can’t find a club they want to join, they are encouraged to start a club of their own.

What is Vanderbilt known for?

Beyond its excellent academics and fun social scene, Vanderbilt is also a thriving research institution. The school received $298M in funding (FY 23) to fund its interdisciplinary research, conducted in the school’s numerous centers and institutes, including Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering, and the Center for Digital Humanities. Undergraduate students at Vanderbilt are highly encouraged to participate in research, and the school fosters involvement through a number of research programs like research assistantships or the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Summer Research Program, as well as various funding opportunities. Vanderbilt students are also known for their large school spirit; many are found supporting the Vanderbilt Commodores at football and other sports games on the weekends.