Nashville, TN
Vanderbilt University is a private mid-sized school in Nashville, TN, enrolling about 7,208 undergraduates. Vanderbilt University is highly selective, with an acceptance rate near 6%. Among reported majors, Computer Science shows the strongest outcomes -- $160,021/year in median earnings four years after graduation. Students are required to live on campus.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Vanderbilt University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 24% submitted SAT scores, 28% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: Nov 1, 2026
- Early Decision II: Jan 1, 2027
- Regular Decision: Jan 1, 2027
Confirm on Vanderbilt University's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Vanderbilt University's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Vanderbilt University weighs your application
From Vanderbilt University's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
84 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 14 admitted, 70 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares at six selective private universities: Vanderbilt, UChicago, Tufts, Notre Dame, Boston College and Tulane Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Vanderbilt University's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Vanderbilt University weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Vanderbilt University look for in applicants?
Per Vanderbilt University's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, application essay, class rank, academic GPA, rigor of secondary school record as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Vanderbilt University's acceptance rate?
Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN admits approximately 6% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Vanderbilt University?
Per Vanderbilt University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1510–1560 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Vanderbilt University?
Per Vanderbilt University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 34–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Vanderbilt University cost?
Vanderbilt University's total cost of attendance is reported at $89,590 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Vanderbilt University?
Vanderbilt University's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 1, 2027; Regular Decision Jan 1, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Vanderbilt University require students to live on campus?
Yes -- Vanderbilt University requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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