Vanderbilt: the complete school report for parents
Vanderbilt rates 6 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and the essay. This is a genuinely holistic review. It does not consider demonstrated interest, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 5.4% admit rate and 88% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Transfer applicants are admitted at 26.2% against 5.4% for first-years, so the transfer route is materially wider.
Vanderbilt is officially Vanderbilt University, also known as Vandy. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does Vanderbilt actually weigh in admissions?
Vanderbilt rates 6 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay, extracurricular activities, personal qualities, class rank. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Vanderbilt's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Vanderbilt rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Very Important |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Vanderbilt consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Vanderbilt consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Vanderbilt consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Vanderbilt consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Vanderbilt consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Vanderbilt consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Vanderbilt consider demonstrated interest?
No. Vanderbilt does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Vanderbilt consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Vanderbilt consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Vanderbilt consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Vanderbilt consider religious affiliation?
No. Vanderbilt does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
88% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.895 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.8% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 31.6% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 56.6% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 9.1% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 1.4% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0.6% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.6% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.1% |
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Vanderbilt admitted 26.2% of 3,177 transfer applicants, against 5.4% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 14.1% of ED applicants were admitted against 5.4% overall, a gap of 9 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | January 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Decision II offered | Yes |
| Early Decision II deadline | January 1 |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $50 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Vanderbilt requires 18 academic units and recommends 21. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 3 years | 4 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 2 years |
| History | 1 year | Not stated |
| Visual / performing arts | 0 years | Not stated |
What will Vanderbilt actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $15,846 a year at Vanderbilt after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $69,822. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 134 merit awards averaging $32,791 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
19% of Vanderbilt graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $30,578 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $148 a month in repayment. Vanderbilt’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Vanderbilt pay off?
Graduates earn a median $91,565 ten years after entering, and $73,909 at six years. 91% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 84% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$140,068 to $62,840, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Vanderbilt:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | $140,068 | 151 |
| Economics | $128,449 | 251 |
| Engineering Science | $109,116 | 37 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $105,677 | 50 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $101,152 | 52 |
| Political Science and Government | $92,330 | 104 |
| Social Sciences, General | $90,203 | 245 |
| History | $88,187 | 49 |
| Music | $79,962 | 44 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $70,739 | 103 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $65,369 | 63 |
| Psychology, General | $62,840 | 100 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
97% of first-years return for a second year. 93% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 90.4% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 93.5% of everyone else, a gap of 3.1 points.
How big are the classes?
57% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 8:1, and 85% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Vanderbilt like?
7,366 undergraduates, 84% of first-years from out of state. 100% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 74.5% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 27.4% of men join a fraternity and 31.6% of women a sorority. 12% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,279.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Vanderbilt recommends 21 academic units.
- 88% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.895. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
- Its highest-earning major returns $140,068 five years out against $62,840 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Vanderbilt
What GPA do you need for Vanderbilt?
88% of enrolled students at Vanderbilt had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.895, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do Vanderbilt graduates earn?
Vanderbilt graduates earn a median $91,565 ten years after entering, and 91% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Vanderbilt
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Vanderbilt’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.