Nestled close to downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University has stood as
a stronghold of higher education in the southeastern United States since its founding in
1873 by a gift from railroad and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. In recent years
Vanderbilt has become one of the nation’s most engaging, lively, and balanced undergraduate
Institutions.
I love the metaphor of Vanderbilt being ‘constantly under construction.’
I appreciate the fact that the school seems to have improved itself every time I
visit, and I think these changes reflect Vanderbilt’s overall interest in always
evolving toward excellence.
Characterized by a unique balance of academic rigor and social activity, Vanderbilt
has always attracted the nation’s top students. These students come to learn in an intimate
and diverse academic setting; many of them have multiple majors or do research with their
professors. Because it is comprised of four undergraduate schools and several renowned
graduate programs, Vanderbilt provides unique opportunities for academic exploration.
Students from all fifty states and ninety countries also bring to campus a buzz of activity.
Their wide variety of extracurricular passions range from the more traditional (Division
I sports, community service, and student government) to the more obscure (hot air ballooning,
bowling, and disc golf). Vanderbilt students traditionally exhibit a thirst for service to
the world around them, and over half of the student body also participates in volunteer activities
while at Vanderbilt. Every year many students travel to destinations ranging from South
Dakota to New York City through the Alternative Spring Break program, which was founded
at Vanderbilt in 1986.
A walk around Vanderbilt reveals one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses. A
national arboretum, its 330 acres are densely populated with leafy limbs under which students
(and squirrels) habitually nap, snack, or study. The student body lives amidst the various
species of trees and classic red brick buildings of Vanderbilt’s campus. Students find a
fantastic community through residence life, starting with the commons, a new residential
community dedicated to enhancing the first year experience.
Vanderbilt students are only five minutes from flourishing downtown Nashville, and
the campus itself rests in the center of the city’s trendiest neighborhood. Nashville’s population
of 1.5 million people radiates a vibrant mix of cosmopolitan energy and southern hospitality,
which students find both welcoming and invigorating. Metropolitan Nashville also
offers Vanderbilt students opportunities for community service, employment, internships,
and religious life just outside the campus perimeter.
A challenging and energetic university, Vanderbilt continues to seek students who
hope to engage in four years of both academic and social learning. These students will play
a vital role not only in contributing to Vanderbilt intellectually and socially, but also in
shaping the direction of the university.
The perfect blend of social activity and academic rigor, Vanderbilt offers prospective
students a chance to explore, engage in, and enjoy the college experience. Its spacious
lawns, beckoning benches, and shady branches create a comfortable and lovely home for
the university’s increasingly diverse and talented student body. In the classroom, students
thrive under the expert and personal instruction of Vanderbilt’s faculty. Outside the classroom,
Vanderbilt students continue to affect the world through involvement and service,
both in their years on campus and in their lives beyond the gates of Vanderbilt.
A blossoming community, Vanderbilt University offers all students a chance to experience
four years of challenge, vitality, and change.
Vanderbilt University
Academics
Under the umbrella of Vanderbilt University lie four undergraduate schools: College of
Arts and Science, Peabody College of Education and Human Development, School of
Engineering, and Blair School of Music. With its four undergraduate schools and distinguished
graduate programs in arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, divinity, nursing,
and education, Vanderbilt is uniquely suited to provide its students with lavish opportunity to
explore and research many fields of study. Every undergraduate at Vanderbilt has access to
the courses and resources of the entire university. At least one-third of Vanderbilt students
have multiple majors across schools, and many create their own interdisciplinary programs.
For me, the best part of academics at Vanderbilt was how learning was
integrated across the curriculum and even outside it. I had an interdisciplinary
major (Public Policy Studies) and minor (European Studies). Having this
broad academic background that was an integrated whole rather that a collection
of disparate pieces gave me a better leg up in the workplace after graduation,
but more than that it prepared me for life in the ‘real world.’
College of Arts and Science
The oldest and largest undergraduate school at Vanderbilt, the College of Arts and
Science offers students a broad, liberal arts education, based on a multidisciplinary
curriculum in humanities, natural science, social science, languages, and math. Students
begin fulfilling this core curriculum in their first year and are not required to declare a
major until the spring of their second year. Thus, broad exploration and multidisciplinary
study characterize the Arts and Science student.
Engineering School
The first private school in the South to offer a degree in engineering, the Vanderbilt
School of Engineering boasts exceptional facilities to offer every possible learning tool
for students in the field of engineering, including wireless connection, interactive computer classrooms, and advanced research and computer labs. Additionally, Engineering faculty
have recently claimed several notable awards in their fields. Vanderbilt Engineering
students are highly sought after by corporations as well as graduate schools. Of those engineering
graduates seeking employment in a recent year, ninety-five percent had jobs within
six months of graduation.
Peabody College of Education and Human Development
Consistently ranked in the top five education schools in the nation, Peabody College is
home to the education and human development majors at Vanderbilt. With its focus on
experiential learning across the lifespan, Peabody requires internship and field placements
for most of its majors guaranteeing superb preparation for work upon graduation. The most
popular undergraduate major at Vanderbilt—Human and Organizational Development—
resides in Peabody College. Peabody has produced several renowned programs, including
the progressive Head Start program, and it also boasts the top Special Education program
in the nation.
Blair School of Music
The Blair School of Music addresses music through a broad array of academic, pedagogical,
and performing activities. Each student auditions as a part of the admissions
process and chooses to study performance (including all orchestral instruments), composition/
theory, musical arts, or musical arts/teacher education. Both students and faculty
enrich the campus with frequent performances at Vanderbilt and in the greater Nashville
community. Blair’s facility includes a 618-seat performance hall with full staging capabilities,
recital hall, and generous rehearsal and studio space.
One of the greatest opportunities I had as a student at Blair was getting
to see the Nashville Symphony perform frequently. Seeing my clarinet professor
on stage with my music theory professor and the teacher of my ear training class
and then being able to dialogue about the performance with them the next day
in class was a priceless experience for a music major.
Learning Experience
Vanderbilt boasts not only an intimate, collaborative liberal arts-based learning experience,
but a small average class size (19) and impressive student-to-faculty ratio (8:1).
The prestigious learning environment also includes access to over $440 million of federally
funded research each year. With over 97% of classes being taught by faculty who have a PhD
in their respective field, students get the most of each classroom experience. Professors are
known for their accessibility, as it goes well beyond just having office hours; they also serve
as student academic advisors.
Classes
The prestigious learning environment at Vanderbilt feels intimate not only because of the
faculty, but also because of the small class sizes. With an average class size of nineteen,
Vanderbilt’s undergraduate schools keep almost every class (ninety-three percent) below
fifty students, and a majority of them (seventy-eight percent) below twenty five students. In
some classes, graduate students assist professors as teaching assistants by leading small
group breakout sections and conducting review sessions. Professors also work hard to keep
classes lively and challenging. For example, a sunny spring day at Vanderbilt usually smiles
on several classes discussing the day’s material on the grassy lawns of the campus.
Recently, in order to continue challenging students and attracting prestigious faculty,
Vanderbilt has placed a renewed focus on interdisciplinary study and research funding.
Undergraduates at Vandy have continually increasing exposure to teaching and research in
cutting-edge fields. In keeping with this pedagogical philosophy, the head of one of
Vanderbilt’s newest interdisciplinary departments (a renowned scientist) also taught a freshman
seminar last year.
Study Abroad
Approximately forty percent of Vanderbilt students study abroad at some point in their
Vanderbilt careers. These students take advantage of Vanderbilt’s unique partnerships
in various countries, usually for one or two semesters of junior year, or for summer study.
Vanderbilt has home-base programs in several countries, including England, Spain, Italy,
France, and Germany. Participants in the Vanderbilt Study Abroad programs are guaranteed
that their financial aid packages will translate to the Study Abroad semester or year,
and courses in the Vanderbilt programs have been evaluated for transferal of credit.
Additionally, Vanderbilt belongs to a consortium of schools through which students can find alternative programs that may be better suited to their interests. Vanderbilt encourages
students from all undergraduate schools to pursue studies abroad when possible.
My semester in Leeds, England, unquestionably changed my life.
Thanks to the ease with which Vandy transferred my financial aid and academic
credits, I was free to enjoy the experience without any headaches. I will never forget
reading novels for my Victorian Lit class while the sheep slipped by me outside
the train window—I traveled a great deal and learned so much about the
world!
Graduate Study
Vanderbilt offers applicants unique academic opportunities for graduate study.
Undergraduates have the opportunity to apply early to the Vanderbilt business and
medical programs. The medical school accepts a select number of Vanderbilt undergraduates
at the end of their sophomore year. These students do not take the MCATs and proceed
directly to Vanderbilt’s Medical School upon graduation. The Owen Graduate School of
Management accepts undergraduates in their junior year at Vanderbilt; these students
complete their undergraduate studies in addition to an M.B.A. in five years.
The Honor Code
Today I give you two examinations, one in trigonometry and one in
honesty. I hope you pass them both, but if you fail one, let it be trigonometry. —M. Madison Garratt
The Honor Code governs student integrity at Vanderbilt University. A rich tradition at
Vanderbilt dating to 1875, the Honor Code allows faculty and students to learn in a flexible
and trusting environment.
Commitment to the Honor Code begins with all freshmen participating in a discussion
and signing of the Code during fall orientation. The pages of signatures hang in Sarratt Student
Center, framed as a reminder to students of their oath and to the Vanderbilt community of its
reputation for integrity.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Vanderbilt University.
A highly competitive institution, Vanderbilt has experienced significant increases in
the number, diversity, and academic profile of its freshmen applicants for the last few years.
In the 2007–2008 application year, more than 16,944 students applied for 1,550 freshman
spots at Vanderbilt. The average class rank of admitted students was top five percent, and
accepted applicants combined exceptional classroom performance with average SAT
Critical Reading and Math scores ranging between 1330 and 1500.
Application Requirements
An application to Vanderbilt is evaluated on the basis of five components through the
common application. The first and most important of these components focuses on a student’s
academic work in high school. Admissions officers look for a high school curriculum of
challenging, academic classes (with an emphasis on Honors, Advanced Placement, and
International Baccalaureate courses), rather than simply basing their evaluation on grade
point average. Additionally, applicants should submit standardized test scores, academic
teacher recommendations, a resume of extracurricular pursuits, the 1 common app. essay, and
the Vanderbilt Supplement.
Standardized Tests
Vanderbilt accepts both the SAT and the ACT. All ACT students must complete the
optional writing tests. SAT subject tests are not required for admission; however, they
are strongly recommended. These subject tests are used not only for admission evaluation,
but may also be used for placement into language, math, and writing classes upon entrance
to the university (additional testing times are offered at academic orientations). Vanderbilt
additionally requires the TOEFL and or IELTS for overseas applicants whose first language
is not English.
Decision Plans
Vanderbilt offers three decision plans: Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular
Decision. Created for students who have decided upon Vanderbilt as their first choice,
Early Decision is a binding admission plan. Students who apply Early Decision sign a contract
to attend Vanderbilt and agree to withdraw all other applications if accepted. Early
Decision I applications are due by November 1 with notification mailed by December 15.
Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants must be postmarked by January 3. Early Decision II students receive notification by February 15, and Regular Decision students
receive notification by April 1.
Financial Aid
Vanderbilt University’s seven-year initiative of progressively reducing education related
undergraduate student debt will reach a bold new level. Financial aid package for incoming students beginning in the fall of 2009 will
include no need-based loans. The amount of needbased
loans you would have been offered in the past
to meet your demonstrated financial need will now
be replaced with increased amounts of Vanderbilt
scholarship and/or grant assistance. Applicants must
complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) and the CSSPROFILE by February 1.
Vanderbilt makes the following commitments:
Since talent and promise recognize no
social, cultural, economic, or geographic
boundaries, the admissions process is
entirely need-blind.
Vanderbilt will meet 100% of a family’s
demonstrated financial need for all admitted
U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens.
Financial aid package for incoming and
current undergraduate students beginning
in the fall of 2009 will include no needbased
loans.
Over sixty percent of Vanderbilt University
receives some form of financial aid. The average
award in 2007–2008 was around $37,800.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Vanderbilt University 3561st for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Tennessee scholarships and financial aid
Although Vanderbilt students pursue academic success vigorously, they also pour
vast amounts of energy and time into extracurricular pursuits. This balance of academic
and social pursuits brings a friendly and energetic feel to campus life.
Student Organizations
Nearly all of Vanderbilt’s 400-plus organizations are open to all students, who can join at
any point in their Vanderbilt careers. These organizations cater to a variety of interests,
and they facilitate speakers, special events, community service projects and various
other campus activities.
Sarratt Student Center, the hub of campus life, houses office space, mailboxes, meeting
areas, and even faculty advisors for these campus organizations. Additionally, the Sarratt
Student Center is a sprawling home to student study spaces, a cinema, several dining options,
the bookstore, the post office, and a convenience store called Varsit/Market. Because of the
involved nature of campus life at Vanderbilt, the Student Center daily buzzes with activity. On
a sunny day, students congregate to advertise events, sell tickets, and socialize on “The Wall.”
Students can best sum up the undergrad experience with one word: balance.
When people ask me to describe my life as an undergraduate at
Vanderbilt, I often say ‘busy!’ From the moment I took my first tour of campus, I
loved the fact that Vanderbilt was filled with people who had as much energy as
I did. The experience of living, studying, organizing, serving, performing, growing,
and relaxing with my fellow students provided me with rich growth and
deep friendships, both of which are still part of my life today.
Residence Life
Because all undergraduates are required to live on campus, the students who choose to
attend Vanderbilt quickly become integrated into the Vanderbilt community. As of
2008, all freshmen will live together in the new Freshman Commons. This brand new complex
facilitates relationships between the incoming, diverse freshman class as they embark
on their Vanderbilt careers. Critical to the first year experience is the new Vanderbilt
Visions program, which helps facilitate the transition into life at Vanderbilt. The program
begins on move-in day with a comprehensive orientation program and continues until
December. Distinguished by weekly meetings with a 15-person Visions group co-led by professors
and upperclass students, Vanderbilt Visions allows first year students to discuss
issues of transition and the Vanderbilt experience, traditions, and community. Vanderbilt’s
walking campus accommodates the needs of students through campus access to laundry
facilities, dining options, and a chapel.
Alternative Spring Break
The original program of its kind, Vanderbilt’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB) annually
sends students into needy communities over spring break. Vanderbilt ASB is also one of
the largest programs in the country. In 2007, over 500 students traveled to nearly thirty destinations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico to face issues ranging from Native
American issues to urban violence. The ASB Executive Board states, “Our mission is to promote
critical thinking, social action and continued community involvement by combining
education and direct service on the local, regional, national and international levels.”
Greek Life
While Greek life plays a significant role at Vanderbilt, less than half of the student body participates
in fraternities or sororities. Unlike most southern schools, Vanderbilt offers a
deferred recruitment process. New member recruitment occurs during the spring semester of
freshman year, giving new students a chance to adjust to college life and make friends in the fall
semester. Students at Vanderbilt can choose from nineteen fraternities and twelve sororities,
including Asian, Hispanic, and historically black Greek organizations. All parties are open to the
entire student body, and only officers (usually around six) live in the Greek houses on campus.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Vanderbilt University?
A member of the Southeastern Conference, Vanderbilt offers Division I athletics in addition
to club and intramural sports. Vanderbilt University maintains a proud tradition
of Black and Gold (the school colors) in intercollegiate sports, including six men’s and ten
women’s varsity teams. Students enjoy attending games to cheer and to socialize, and
although Vanderbilt is the smallest and only private member in a conference of giants, the
Commodores are becoming a stronger program each year. Specifically, in 2007, seven of the sixteen varsity teams were ranked in the top-25; men’s basketball made the Sweet Sixteen,
women’s bowling won a national championship, and men’s basketball was ranked #1 in the
nation for 18 weeks in a row. Vanderbilt athletes strive for excellence both on the
field/court and in the classroom.
Vanderbilt attracted me as an athlete and a student, a combination
offering that no other university could match. Challenged daily on the football
field, playing against national title contenders, I also relished the chance to compete
daily in the classroom against the brightest minds in the country. From a
chancellor who strives to ‘win’ in every aspect of the university, to coaches and
players who respect and honor academic commitments and accomplishments,
the entire athletic community at Vanderbilt pursues victories on the field without
losing sight of other academic and social victories to be won off the field.
Local Community
Although students from outside the South may tiptoe with curiosity into Nashville, they
are certain to fall in love with the city soon after arriving. “Music City” claims the country’s
“third coast,” featuring musicians from many genres and backgrounds, who can be
seen performing all over the city. In addition to its renowned live music scene, Nashville
boasts a rich cultural and educational heritage. Sixteen other universities call Nashville
home, as do the only exact replica of Greece’s Parthenon, the Frist Center for the Visual
Arts, the Tennessee government and state capital, the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, and the
NHL’s Nashville Predators. Nashville also features diversity usually reserved for more sizable
cities, with the largest Kurdish population in the United States and thriving Asian,
Hispanic, and African communities.
Vanderbilt’s location near downtown Nashville provides easy access to Nashville’s
best restaurants and hottest night spots, and students often walk to nearby parks. When
Vandy students need to get away for a weekend, Nashville also provides an ideal location
from which to travel, as it is served by an international airport featuring service from seventeen
airlines, and easy access to three major interstate highways.
Alumni
The original gates of Vanderbilt University, still
located at the main entrance to campus, have ushered
generations of Vanderbilt students into the world with
great success. Vanderbilt graduates are equipped with
strong analytical, critical thinking and writing skills,
and they have many options upon graduation.
The Career Center at Vanderbilt assists students in the job search. Career counselors
offer standard services such as resume review, and recruiters also come on campus to conduct
information sessions and interviews at the Career Center. In fact, more than 300
recruiters came to campus in a recent year. Vanderbilt students also have access to career
testing, an alumni mentor search engine, and career workshops.
While the majority of Vanderbilt graduates enter the workforce upon graduation, close
to 50% attend graduate programs. Vanderbilt’s rigorous academics and excellent reputation
make it a wonderful springboard for further education. Law, business, and medicine are popular
options for postgraduate study.
Prominent Grads
Tom Schulman, ’72, Academy Awardwinning
screenwriter (Dead Poet’s
Society)
Tipper Gore, ’76, Wife of Former
Vice-President
Will Perdue,’88, ESPN Radio Commentator;
Former NBA World Champion with
Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs
Fred Thompson,’67, Movie, TV Actor,
Former U.S. Senator
Dr. Norman Shumway,’49, Transplant
Pioneer at Stanford
Lamar Alexander, ’62, Current U.S.
Senator from Tennessee, Former
Secretary of Education, Former Governor
of Tennessee
Ann S. Moore, ’71, CEO and Chairwoman,
Time Inc.
James Neal, ’57, Watergate Counsel
Karl Dean, ’81, Mayor, Metropolitan
Nashville-Davidson County
Perry Wallace, ’70, SEC’s First African-
American Basketball Player, Law
Professor, Washington, D.C.
Sam Feist, ’91, Senior Executive
Producer, CNN
The Late Grantland Rice, ’01 (1901),
Legendary Sportswriter
James Patterson, ’70, Best-selling Crime-
Suspense Novelist
The Late Robert Penn Warren, ’25, Author
and Three-Time Pulitzer Prize Winner (All
The Kings Men)
m Dr. Mildred Stahlman, ’46, Neonatology
Pioneer at Vanderbilt
Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr., ’61, Chairman,
Founder, Hospital Corporation of America
Chantelle Anderson, ’03, Two-time First
Team All-American
Faculty
A prestigious research institution, Vanderbilt employs many professors who have received and are receiving notable recognition in their fields. However, professors at Vanderbilt truly enjoy both the teaching and the research aspects of their profession. In fact, many professors choose Vanderbilt because it is a school where they can focus on teaching relationships in addition to conducting excellent research. To this end, almost all of the professors hold office hours, and they continually make themselves available via email, phone, or appointment. Vandy boasts a 9:1 student to faculty ratio; in contrast to many research universities, Vanderbilt can also boast that ninety-five percent of a typical undergraduate’s courses are taught by professors. With such personal attention, undergraduates never doubt that the faculty at Vanderbilt genuinely care about their students.
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almost 5 years agoCynthia Coffey Daigle cdaigleslp4life ((at)) aol dot com
Hello, I am Cynthia Coffey Daigle and reside in Lake Charles, LA, home of Hurricane Rita-2005. I would like to thank the marching band director for his hard work and efforts. I am excited that my daughter competed and was selected drum major/feild commnader for the 2007-08 school year. God Bless, Love, Teach and Protect all of you. I applaud you for the outstanding job.
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cdaigleslp4life ((at)) aol dot com
Hello, I am Cynthia Coffey Daigle and reside in Lake Charles, LA, home of Hurricane Rita-2005. I would like to thank the marching band director for his hard work and efforts. I am excited that my daughter competed and was selected drum major/feild commnader for the 2007-08 school year. God Bless, Love, Teach and Protect all of you. I applaud you for the outstanding job.