Frequently Asked Questions

Most definitely; every year undergraduates participate in seminars, research tutorials, and Honors Program. Many perform important, publishable research in close collaboration with faculty. Vanderbilt offers close to 100 interdisciplinary centers and institutes that enable students to identify faculty mentors from every major. One often overlooked way to get involved in research is by connecting with your freshman-year professors.

Yes, studying in another country offers students a remarkable opportunity to learn about different cultures, societies, and languages, creating an unparalleled experience. Vanderbilt offers 60 semester-long and year-long study abroad programs in 22 countries, on six continents. The study abroad Web site provides more detailed information about Vanderbilt‘s program, and is geared toward enrolled students who wish to learn more about spending time abroad.

A 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio places each and every Vanderbilt student in close contact with faculty of prominence in every area of academic study. This diverse, talented group of full-time professors is united by one goal: to provide our undergraduates with a challenging, comprehensive education that teaches them to think critically and broadly.

Students in the College of Arts and Science and School of Engineering are assigned a pre-major adviser who helps them determine their major. Engineers must decide at the end of their freshman year; A&S students must decide by the end of their sophomore year. Students in Blair School of Music and Peabody College of Education and Human Development are assigned an adviser in the major they were admitted to freshman year but have the option to change advisers.

Yes, through the Vanderbilt Career Center students can take advantage of resources including individual career advising, career exploration tools, and the career resource library. Last year close to 600 employers were on campus at career fairs allowing all Vanderbilt students to meet with potential employers about internships or full-time positions.

Yes, you may change your major up until the fifth day of classes your senior year as long as you complete the necessary requirements.

Yes, Vanderbilt strongly encourages students to pursue double majors and minors, especially in unrelated academic fields. The exception is the School of Engineering, which only allows engineers to major in engineering fields. Students interested in pursuing double majors and minors do not indicate this on their applications. Instead, the declaration of such plans is made after matriculation.

The Course Catalog is available online and includes organized, detailed, descriptive list of the course offerings at Vanderbilt.

A Vanderbilt education leads to a degree with distinction. Most recently, 36% of our graduating seniors entered graduate or professional school and 47% went directly into the workforce. Another 17% volunteered, entered the military, or had other plans.

Vanderbilt has more than 50 majors within four undergraduate schools and colleges and ranks as one of the top universities throughout the nation. Read more about our rankings. The great thing about Vanderbilt is that even if you change your mind once you enroll, you‘ll have so many top-rated programs to choose from, you can be confident of your preparation for a career, graduate school or professional school.

Eighty-three percent of students who graduate from Vanderbilt complete their requirements in four years or less. Of course, there are students who do not graduate in four years. Many students choose to take additional course work, change majors, study abroad, participate in internships or cooperative programs, or simply leave the University.

Vanderbilt encourages students struggling with issues or problems affecting their academic performance to meet with their professors or consult with their academic advisers right away. Other options for assistance include: Pre-major advising, The Writing Studio, Tutoring Services, and the Opportunity Development Center.

Information on Pre-Professional Programs is available online. Vanderbilt offers pre-professional advising for students interested in pre-medicine, pre-law, pre-business, pre-architecture, and pre-journalism.

Yes, Vanderbilt generally awards college credit for a score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement exam.