If you are planning on applying to Vanderbilt, the regular decision application deadline is January 1 and the application fee costs $50.
Students who submit their applications to Vanderbilt for fall semester should receive an admissions decision no later than April 1.
The following is an overiew of some of Vanderbilt's admissions stats.
Vanderbilt 2022 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.9 |
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 90.5% |
Admissions Test Policy | Test Optional |
Applicants Who Submit SATs | 25% |
Applicants Who Submit ACTs | 32% |
Waitlist | Yes |
These are the application deadlines for Vanderbilt University.
Application Type | Offered | Application Deadline | Notification Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Early Decision I | Info Not Available | –– | December 15 |
Early Decision II | Yes | January 1 | February 15 |
Early Action | No | –– | –– |
Vanderbilt University may or may not offer early admission, however the school has not provided any application information. Check with Vanderbilt directly for more information about early applications.
🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 1. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.
The early decision acceptance rate at Vanderbilt is 18%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 7%. In 2022, Vanderbilt admitted 901 of the 5021 students who applied early decision.
➡️ Find a list of some competetive colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
Transfer student admissions is extremely difficult.
Vanderbilt has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that prioritize the admissions factors where you're strong.
What does Vanderbilt consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.
Admissions Factor | Level |
---|---|
Academic GPA | Very Important |
Character/Personal Qualities | Very Important |
Class Rank | Very Important |
Extracurricular Activities | Very Important |
Application Essay | Very Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
Standardized Test Scores | Very Important |
Recommendation(s) | Important |
Talent/Ability | Important |
Alumni/ae Relations | Considered |
Geographical Residence | Considered |
Work Experience | Considered |
First Generation | Considered |
Interview | Considered |
Racial/Ethnic Status | Considered |
State Residency | Considered |
Volunteer Work | Considered |
Make sure to check with Vanderbilt for more information on admission factors.
To apply to Vanderbilt, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with Vanderbilt's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Area | Required | Recommended | Required for Some | Details (If Any) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Interview | ||||
Transcript(S) of College Record | ||||
Standardized Test Scores | ||||
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) | ||||
Letter(s) of Recommendation | 3 | |||
Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | |||
Other Requirements | √ | 3 letters of recommendation (2 from teachers in core subject areas and 1 from counselor) | ||
Transcript of High School Record | √ |
Students admitted to Vanderbilt have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.
Out of all students that were admitted, 30.9% submitted a class rank. At Vanderbilt 90.5% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 95.6% were in the top 25% and 98.6% were in the top 50%.
At Vanderbilt University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
GPA | Percent of Students |
---|---|
4.0 GPA | 40.6% |
3.75 and 3.99 | 45.3% |
3.50 and 3.74 | 9.9% |
3.25 and 3.49 | 2.4% |
3.00 and 3.24 | 0.9% |
2.50 and 2.9 | 0.9% |
2.00 and 2.49 | –– |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Vanderbilt directly.
About GPAs
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Vanderbilt considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.
Vanderbilt is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
In 2022, 25% of Vanderbilt's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 32% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.
To be competitive with other Vanderbilt applicants, you should aim to earn between 1480 and 1570 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Vanderbilt 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1570 and 25% of scored lower than 1480, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Vanderbilt students scored 800 or higher and 75% of students scored 720 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Vanderbilt students scored 770 or higher, and 75% scored a 720 or higher.
To be most competitive at Vanderbilt, you should strive to earn between 34 and 35 on the ACT.
An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Vanderbilt's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.
A 34 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Vanderbilt students. Only one out of every four students scored below 34.
Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.
For transfer students, it is extremely difficult to get admitted to Vanderbilt.
Transfer students can enroll in Vanderbilt during the following terms:
• Fall Term
Can I defer my acceptance to Vanderbilt?
✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Vanderbilt.
Does Vanderbilt accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
✅ Vanderbilt accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to Vanderbilt?
❌ No, Vanderbilt is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you may want to send them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application.
What is Vanderbilt's acceptance rate?
✅ Vanderbilt has an acceptance rate of 7%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Vanderbilt?
✅ Vanderbilt's early decision acceptance rate was 18% in 2021.
Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.
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Admission Difficulty
How hard is it to get into Vanderbilt? Vanderbilt is a selective institution. The Vanderbilt acceptance rate is 7%. This means that the institution accepts 7 out of every 100 applicants.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Vanderbilt is Jan 1.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
ACT Score
Estimated Chance
35 and Above
34 to 35
34 and Less
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
At Vanderbilt, the average unweighted high-school GPA for admitted students is 3.89. This is the average, which means that some applicants submit GPAs lower than this and some applicants submit GPAs above this level. If your GPA falls below the average, strong test scores or other qualifications may help you make you a more competitive applicant.
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
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