Situated on a beautiful 340-acre campus in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University consists of 10 schools, four of which offer undergraduate programs. The combination of excellent academic rigor, a vibrant campus life, and an urban location attracts exceptionally talented students from around the world and consistently earns the university a top 20 ranking among the “Best National Universities” from U.S. News & World Report. Vanderbilt’s 7,000 undergraduate and 6,600 graduate students, coming from more than 95 countries, are continuously immersed in the multidisciplinary research and teaching that are at the heart of the campus community. Students take full advantage of campus life by engaging in more than 475 student organizations, a full range of study abroad programs, Division I athletics, and a variety of internship opportunities. The university meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students and financial aid awards do not include loans.

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Vanderbilt University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

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Admissions

Application Deadline

January 1

Acceptance Rate

SAT Range

1480-1570

ACT Range

34-35

Application Fee

$50

SAT/ACT

Considered but not required

High School GPA

Required

Accepts Common App

Yes

Cost

Net Price

$27,553 / year

National

$15,523

Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.

Average Total Aid Awarded

$49,730 / year

National

$7,535

Students Receiving Financial Aid

70%

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Academics

Professors

A+

Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.

Student Faculty Ratio

5:1

Evening Degree Programs

Yes

80%

of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. 76 responses

55%

of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want. 89 responses

30%

of students agree that the workload is easy to manage. 88 responses

Majors

Immersion Vanderbilt

The Immersion Vanderbilt program calls for each undergraduate to undertake a mentored immersive experience in and beyond the classroom. The project culminates in the creation of a final piece completed by the student under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Examples of immersive experiences include internships, study away, community engagement, and civic involvement.

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Online

Programs Offered Entirely Online

Offers Online Courses

Yes

Online Certificate Programs

Online Associates Programs

Online Bachelor's Programs

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Mix of Online and on Campus
2%
On Campus
98%
Online
0%

Students

Full-Time Enrollment

7,042 Undergrads

Part-Time Undergrads

Undergrads Over 25

Pell Grant

18%

Varsity Athletes

Poll

What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?

Based on 48 responses

Ambitious
35%
Rounded
27%
Smart not nerdy, very friendly.
13%
Lazy but intelligent
8%
Pre-professional
4%
Stressed
4%
Hot nerd
2%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus

92%

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Poll

66%

of students say that Greek life is pretty big. 107 responses

Poll

49%

of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life. 129 responses

Poll

What one word or phrase best describes your school?

Based on 69 responses

Southern school with Ivy League standards
48%
Work hard, play hard
32%
Awesome
9%
Shallow
4%
A study in contrasts
3%
Hip
1%
Lazy
1%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation

$69,000 / year

National

$33,028

Graduation Rate

93%

National

49%

Employed 2 Years After Graduation

94%

National

83%

89%

of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation. 57 responses

Vanderbilt University Reviews

1,339 reviews

I graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. I primarily chose to attend Vandy for its academic prowess, and it definitely lived up to that reputation. In retrospect, I loved the majority of my STEM classes, and I find that my education was well-rounded because of my required liberal arts classes. The campus is beautiful, the food is relatively good, and on-campus housing is average. Admittedly, I was excited to live off-campus for my last two years (but beware - living in Nashville is not cheap). Socially, I had a great time at Vandy, especially thanks to the liveliness of Nashville, but sadly not due to Vanderbilt sports - this is not their strong suit. I met lifelong friends at this school! Realistically, however, many students do come from wealthy backgrounds, which can be off-putting at times. Ultimately, while undeniably expensive, Vanderbilt is a great school that will certainly work to your advantage after graduation.

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As a graduate student in Public Health at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, I have found the faculty and administrators to be exceedingly helpful and supportive. Within my Masters of Public Health program, a smaller class size allows students to form better relationships and work closely. Additionally, there are many research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students looking to pursue a career in medical research. Another interesting thing about Nashville is that the university is located in Nashville; while this city offers many things to do, transportation was an issue. Overall, Vanderbilt already has an outstanding reputation as a university, however, it will only benefit students looking for a smaller class size or a generally smaller university.

I had the most incredible experience at Vanderbilt University. Firstly, the freshman experience at Vanderbilt is wonderful in that all first year students live in one of ten dorms in the same vicinity on the same campus, referred to as "Commons." This provides first year students with a great sense of community and camaraderie right off the bat. The school's location in Nashville also offers a wide breadth and depth of opportunities for students, ranging from exploring great food to becoming involved in impactful community outreach. Additionally, Vanderbilt is very much characterized by a collaborative spirit rather than a competitive one, as students enjoy studying together and helping one another find success. As a result of all these aspects of Vanderbilt, the students at this school tend to be extremely happy and fulfilled by their academic and social experiences here. I cannot say enough positive things about my time there.

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