Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN

Research Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Learn about its admission info, degree programs and financial aid to make an informed education decision.

About Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University, located in the heart of Nashville, is the second-largest private employer in Tennessee. It was founded in the spring of 1873 through a donation from Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. In June 1914, the school severed its ties with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The school, which was originally 75 acres, grew to 260 acres by 1960. In 1979, Vanderbilt merged with George Peabody College for Teachers, which added another 53 acres to the campus.

Vanderbilt is a private research university. It consists of 10 schools and a medical center, as well as a center for public policy and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Vanderbilt among the top 20 universities in the nation.

Academics

Vanderbilt offers a total of 134 degree programs through its 10 colleges. The 4 undergraduate colleges and schools are the College of Arts and Science, the Blair School of Music, the School of Engineering and the Peabody College of Education and Human Development. The College of Arts and Science alone offers more than 45 majors. Vanderbilt also has 6 graduate and professional schools: the Divinity School, the Law School, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the Graduate School and the Owen Graduate School of Management.

Admissions

Early Decision I applications must be submitted by November 1st, but regular decision applications may be submitted as late as January 3rd. Admission decisions for Early Decision I applicants are mailed by December 15th, and Early Decision II notices are mailed to applicants by February 15th. Notices for regular decision applicants are mailed by April 1st.

Secondary school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores are required for admission. ACT scores for the middle 50% of first-time students who enrolled in Fall 2011 ranged from 8-10 for writing, 30-34 for math and 31-35 for English. The middle 50% of SAT scores for that same group of students were 680-770 for critical reading, 700-780 for math and 670-760 for writing.

Of all undergraduates entering Vanderbilt in Fall 2011, 81% were from other states, 13% were Tennessee residents and 6% were from foreign countries. White students accounted for 62% of the student body, while 8% were Hispanic, 7% were Asian and another 7% were African-American.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition costs are the same for all students regardless of residency. For the 2011-2012 academic year, tuition and fees totaled $41,332, while books and supplies cost an estimated $1,344. On-campus room and board for that same academic year cost about $13,560, and miscellaneous expenses came to around $2,318. Total expenses for the 2011-2012 school year were estimated at $58,554.

Out of all full-time beginning undergraduate students for the 2010-2011 academic year, 61% received a grant or scholarship, and the average award amount was $37,641. A further 14% of students received student loan aid from either the federal government or other sources, with an average loan amount of $7,322.

VANDERBILT UNIVERISTY QUICK FACTS
School Type	4-year, private not-for-profit**
Degrees Offered	Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees**
Religious Affiliation	None***
Academic Calendar	Semester***
School Setting	Large city**
Student Body	12,836 (6,817 undergraduates) in 2011**
ACADEMICS
Schools and Colleges	10 schools and colleges with 134 degree programs*
Student-Faculty Ratio	8 to 1**
Most Popular Fields of Study by Degree Level (Number of Recipients)	In 2010-2011: Bachelor's: Social Sciences (191) Graduate: Business Administration and Management, General (184) and Law (198)**
Undergraduate Graduation Rates	87% in 4 years and 92% in 6 years for students who started in 2005**
ADMISSIONS
Admission Rate	16% in Fall 2011**
Entering Class Size	1,550 in Fall 2011**
First-Year Retention Rates	96% of full-time students**
Middle 50% ACT Composite Score of Applicants	31-34 in Fall 2011**
Undergraduate Application Due Date	Rolling admissions; early decision deadline is November 1st and regular deadline is January 3rd for Fall 2013 admissions*
Decision Notification Date	December 15th for early decision, April 1st for regular decision for Fall 2013 admissions *
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
Tuition (2011-2012)	$41,332**
Financial Aid Sources Available (Percent of Students Receiving It)	In 2010-2011: Federal grants (17%), Pell grants (13%), other federal grants (16%), state and local grants/scholarships (13%), institutional grants/scholarships (59%), federal loans (13%)**
Percent of Students Receiving Some Form of Aid	64% (2010-2011)**

Sources: *Vanderbilt University, **National Center for Education Statistics, ***U.S. News & World Report.

School Contact Information

Address: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 2305 West End Ave., Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-322-2561
Website: www.vanderbilt.edu