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Summary
Vanderbilt University is a private institution that was founded in 1873. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,879, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 333 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Vanderbilt University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 17. Its tuition and fees are $41,332 (2011-12).
Vanderbilt University offers a wide range of student activities. Located in Nashville, or Music City, there are plenty of off-campus options for dining, shopping, music, and entertainment. On campus, Greek organizations play a big role in social life, with approximately 40 percent of students affiliated with Greek life. All undergraduate students at Vanderbilt are required to live on campus, and freshmen live together in The Commons, which has six LEED certified green dorms. The Commodores, named for Vanderbilt founder "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, have teams in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference. About 30 percent of students take advantage of Vanderbilt’s study abroad programs, which are offered in more than 25 countries around the world.
Vanderbilt is comprised of 10 schools and colleges covering disciplines from the humanities to music to engineering. Among its graduate programs are the top-ranked Peabody College of Education and Human Development, which also offers undergraduate programs, and the highly ranked Owen Graduate School of Management, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing. Vanderbilt is also well known for its undergraduate Blair School of Music, and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center is ranked one of the best in the nation. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, and novelist James Patterson all received degrees from Vanderbilt.
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Comprised of four undergraduate schools and six graduate programs, Vanderbilt University offers college students a world-class liberal arts education that includes both a high level of intellectual engagement and a myriad of extra-curricular opportunities. Vanderbilt students speak often about maintaining an excellent balance between academic challenge and campus involvement. Vanderbilt's undergraduate students hail from all 50 states and 30 countries and 23% represent minorities. With nearly 400 student-led organizations, campus is always buzzing with activity. The full gamut of political viewpoints is represented in both the student body and among activities held throughout the year. Hip-hop concerts and programming by the Black Cultural Center and Vanderbilt Hillel co-exist with Southeastern Conference football and basketball games and the traditional fraternity and sorority scene as social centers. Designed to foster a sense of community, The Commons offers a living-learning residential experience for first-year students. Seven of The Commons buildings have been LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, making The Commons one of the largest collections of LEED-certified buildings planned on a single campus site in the southeastern United States The complement to the Commons is Vanderbilt Visions, a university core program bringing together first-year students, peer mentors, and faculty advisers to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the college experience. Vanderbilt's study abroad program offers more than 65 direct-credit programs on five continents. Host countries include Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Italy, South Africa, Israel, Spain, France, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, and China, among others. Students at Vanderbilt, the birthplace of the service-oriented Alternative Spring Break, engage with the local and global community through a large number of volunteer programs. Greek organizations provide an active social scene, and approximately 42% of students participate in Greek life. Well-known speakers and musical acts always draw a crowd on campus; a favorite Vanderbilt tradition is Rites of Spring, a music festival that takes place on the main lawn. Indeed, Vanderbilt's location in Midtown Nashville, in the heart of Music City USA, provides something for pretty much everyone: a rich supply of country, rock, and other music, and an abundance of restaurants, theaters, shops, museums, and brewpubs, all within walking distance of campus. Tennessee is home to the Great Smoky Mountains and state parks with picnic facilities, beautiful lakes, and skiing in the winter. The best road trips are to Memphis (home of Elvis), New Orleans (for Mardi Gras), Louisville (for the Kentucky Derby), Atlanta, and Manchester, Tennessee (for the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival). Vanderbilt practices a need-blind admissions policy for all domestic applicants. In addition, the university promises to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students. As of fall 2009, students' financial aid packages will not include need-based loans. Instead, students' need-based aid will include a combination of grant monies and federal work-study funding. Vanderbilt also offers merit aid to approximately 5% of applying students. The three signature merit programs--Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, Ingram Scholarship, and Chancellor's Scholarship--require a separate application and each award includes full tuition plus a summer stipend. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1873 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | urban |
| 2010 Endowment | $3,007,607,000 |
Applying
When applying to Vanderbilt University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 3, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 3. The application fee at Vanderbilt University is $50. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 17.9 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 18% |
| Application deadline | January 3 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 3 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Vanderbilt University is 8:1, and the school has 64.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Vanderbilt University include: Social Sciences, General; Economics, General; Engineering; Political Science and Government, General; and Psychology, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 96.5 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 8:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 85% - High | ||||||||||
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Student Life
Vanderbilt University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,879, with a gender distribution of 48.9 percent male students and 51.1 percent female students. 85.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 15.0 percent of students live off campus. Vanderbilt University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Vanderbilt University.
| Total enrollment | 12,714 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Vanderbilt University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Vanderbilt University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Vanderbilt University.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Vanderbilt University, 47.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $36,352.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $41,332 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $13,560 (2011-12) - High |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
