2009 Decision Letters Have Been Mailed
Decision letters for the next great incoming class at Vanderbilt University have officially left 2305 West End Avenue!
Last year’s incoming class was historic. For a year now, the Vanderbilt class of 2012, the first Commons class, was able to boast about being the most diverse, best prepared group of incoming students ever seen at Vanderbilt. After this coming Fall, the class of 2012 will not be able to say that anymore.
In several ways, Vanderbilt’s applicant pool had a breakthrough year in terms of the overall quality, depth of character, diversity, and intellectualism. Some highlights of this amazing applicant pool include:
- 19,350 applications received, up 16% over last year and setting a new Vanderbilt record.
- Vanderbilt’s geographic diversity continues to expand as students from around the United States and overseas consider Vanderbilt an academic destination. This year’s applicants hail from all 50 US States, 13 US Territories and Military Bases, and 97 foreign countries, up from 77 just two years ago.
- The exploding growth in the ethnic diversity of Vanderbilt’s applicant pool continued yet again this year, with all underrepresented groups registering double-digit increases in applications over last year:
- African-American: Up 15%
- Asian: Up 20%
- Hispanic: Up 18%
- Native-American: Up 33%
- Other Minority: Up 10%
- International: Up 38%
- This year’s applicant pool featured the highest level of academic preparation in Vanderbilt’s history as evidenced by students enrolling in the most demanding curriculum offered at their high school.
- Most impressively, our applicant pool set a new standard of engagement and leadership at the high school, community, regional, national, and international level.
As a result, our staff had the difficult task of selecting the students who will make up another historically accomplished and diverse incoming class at Vanderbilt.
Statistically, below is a breakdown of the students admitted for the Vanderbilt class of 2013. It is critical to understand that these figures are provided to assist you in contextualizing our decisions, and have never been, and never will be, firm cut-offs in our process. The middle 50% standardized testing bands mean that, for example, 25% of students admitted had below a 1400 SAT (M+CR) or an ACT composite below a 31, and 25% had above a 1560 or a 34. We believe strongly in the merits of a truly holistic review process for admission, and these numbers cannot fully capture everything that gets considered – leadership, character, intellectual verve, and overall fit with Vanderbilt, for example.
- Admit Rate: 18.9%
- Middle 50% SAT Reasoning (M+CR): 1400 – 1560
- Middle 50% ACT Composite: 31 – 34
- Percent of admitted class in top 10% of their graduating high school class: 92.15%*
- Gender breakdown:
- Female: 49.1%
- Male: 50.9%
*Figures only represent admitted students for whom we have official rank information from their high school.
Our office will be closed to the public tomorrow (Friday, 3/27). We will not release decisions over the phone until Wednesday, April 1st. If you have not received your decision by then, please feel free to call our office (800.288.0432).
Congratulations to the newest members of the Vanderbilt community!
March 26th, 2009
What % of total applicants were in the middle 50%?
March 26th, 2009
Thank you SO much for your hard work, guys.
March 26th, 2009
How many total EFR(new)/TRN(transfer) students did you admit; I am curious as to the breakdowns in each of these categories..
And yes congrats on completion, all your hard work, and of course.. I hope my acceptance :-) This BLOG has been fastic to get info and keep updated.. Thanks for doing this!!
March 26th, 2009
Congratulations, OUA!! :)
March 26th, 2009
I was admitted under Early Decision a couple of months ago, but thank you for your hard work. I and many others sincerely appreciate it.
March 26th, 2009
Congratulation on completing the apps and all the time and effort you’ve put into this, but those statistics have me convinced that I’m getting rejected. I guess I’ll just have to wait. Once again thank you.
March 26th, 2009
Do you have a breakdown by college? I presume these stats are overall. Can you provide stats for Peabody? Thanks so much!!! The blog is awesome.
March 26th, 2009
Why isn’t admission decision info available online?
March 26th, 2009
Nice VU hand gestures!
I see you in the back, Thom! =] BUT WHERE IS BRAD IN THE PICTURE!? Is he in the back next to some taller guy with dirty blonde hair? I’ve spent 5 minutes trying to find him.
March 27th, 2009
thanks so much for all your hard work! i was admitted ED I, but i’m still equally as excited now as the day i received my letter. i am SO proud to be a part of the class of 2013! GO ‘DORES!
March 27th, 2009
Just checking as a parent whether Vanderbilt had a website on admissions – this was great information. Surprised that there is not an online notification system, but my daughter looks forward to getting a letter in the mail.
Some schools got their regular decisions out a few weeks ago:
Case Western – already accepted, flying my daughter out for a visit
Washington University in St. Louis – already accepted
McGill – wait-listed
Vanderbilt initially was my daughter’s first choice, but because these other schools are in essence beating you to the punch, she has started becoming more interested in them. Hopefully she’ll have Vanderbilt as a choice.
Now how long does it take the mail to get from Nashville to Texas?
March 27th, 2009
Thank you so much for all the hard work putting into reviewing our applications and running this admission blog. This cool blog was one of the reasons why I decided to apply to Vanderbilt.
Like Catherine and other applicants, I am proud to be a member of the class of 2013!
March 27th, 2009
Really, why aren’t admission decisions available online? Of the 8 schools to which I applied, Vandy is the only one that does not post decisions online. . .why?
March 27th, 2009
Hello everyone, great to see all the comments and while I can’t respond to all of them, here’s a smattering of thoughts:
-I know that many of our peers have online notification, and I guess we’re a little old school that we don’t. It’s funny though, some people like it that we don’t put our decisions on the web, and some don’t. The letters will arrive soon, don’t worry. We have heard news that letters were received already in many homes in the Nashville area today.
-Brad is indeed in the photo, underneath the three tail lights (on the center-top part of the truck) tucked between people.
-Rachel, great to hear from a former OUA-er on the blog!
-We used to provide breakdowns by college about 2 years ago, but have since moved away from it. It is our practice now to only release class-wide data. Also, the data provided is only for beginning students/first-year applicants (no transfer students included)
Thanks so much to everyone for reading and posting. You guys make hosting this blog so much fun! Have a great weekend!
March 27th, 2009
yeesh those middle 50%’s are high! I know I’m not quite in that range…hopefully I still get in though!!
March 28th, 2009
I’ve just discovered the Blog! What a great idea. Our stomach’s are turning upside down in anticipation. What an opportunity! Congratualtions on finishing all your hard work–we just hope we become part of the Commodore family.
March 28th, 2009
Thanks guys (admission officers)
This blog has been very informative and helpful (especially about the selection process). I received the Vandy admissions email yesterday and I am now looking forward to the big package:).
March 28th, 2009
If I understand mx’s comment correctly, admission emails were sent out yesterday. If this is true, then it would be reasonable to assume my child didn’t make the cut. This is very sad because Vanderbilt has always been her preferred (first choice) university to attend. She worked so hard her entire academic career to be able to have the opportunity to attend Vanderbilt. How very sad this day will be………..
To all who made the cut, congratulations and good luck. To those who didn’t, I know what you are feeling. Keep your head up and always be proud of your accomplishments. While you may feel as though you lost an opportunity, be assured there are other opportunities that await you. If you believe in yourself, you will succeed.
To the Vanderbilt admissions staff……thanks for all your dedication and hard work.
March 28th, 2009
It sounds like some received e-mails? Are e-mails sent to those being offered a spot but not sent to those who are denied admission?
March 28th, 2009
Hey, i am an international in Bangladesh, and have not yet recevide any e-mail. Can anyone from the office please reply? I am really worried.
March 28th, 2009
Hey, i am an international in Bangladesh, and have not yet recevide any e-mail. I am really worried.
March 28th, 2009
Your wait list letter says it is most likely admits from the wait listed students pool will not be admitted until after May 9th. All schools that my son has applied to have firm May 1 dates for accepting admission and making deposits. Our college counselors are very clear that students should not accept at a school and then not attend.
How does one reconcile this dilemna?
What % of applicants were placed on the wait list, and what are the approximate odds of clearing that staus and being accepted?
March 28th, 2009
Have emails been sent to all accepted students?
March 28th, 2009
Thanks a lot for the decision. Contrary to what others have been posting, you have actually beaten a lot of the colleges I applied to in getting me a decision. Thanks a lot for the hardwork (I can only imagine reading so many essays), it seems as though, at least by the figures, this class seems to be as talented as they come!
March 28th, 2009
I found a big, beautiful package in my mailbox today :) :)
I really, really hope my parents can afford to fly me up to all my schools’ admitted students days. Otherwise, this is going to be a hellish month of decision-making (especially if Tuesday turns out well….)
On the bright side, Vanderbilt’s FinAid package was verrry generous!
Thanks for everything, guys!
March 28th, 2009
Congratulations and thank you for all of your hard work! I am a transfer student-athlete and have been told by my coach that I have been accepted but that I won’t receive my letter until around this time (April/mid-April). I was wondering if the letters you sent out on Thursday included the transfer admission letters. I am hoping it did, because I’m looking forward to getting started on the rest of the admissions stuff I have to do before next fall. Thanks so much!!!
Kayla
March 28th, 2009
Letter did not come today.
March 29th, 2009
I am posting to thank you for your time in considering my application. As an applicant who was denied admission, I am extremely dissappointed. Vanderbilt had been my first choice school since my freshman year of high school. However, you will be seeing my application to your medical school soon enough.
March 29th, 2009
Thanks so much for your hard work these days.
I’m getting really really nervous these days waiting for the decision… This is the hardest year of college application in history, especially hard for international students like me.
But anyway, thank you again for your hard work… I really appreciate it…
March 29th, 2009
Out of curiosity, what makes you waitlist an applicant rather than admit or reject him/her?
March 29th, 2009
Thanks everyone for posting and congratulations to all who were admitted. I will be posting some tips and information later this week for all of you who were admitted. I will also post something this week (and will try and post regularly) about how our waitlist will work this year, and try and give some guidance to everyone about how we approach it.
Remember, if you have not received your decision by 4/1, you can call our office.
March 30th, 2009
In an earlier blog, you described the appeals process for denied decisions. When do you review appeal letters? Upon receipt or after all EDI, EDII, and RD decisions are made?
March 30th, 2009
Hello all,
Again with all of the questions, I’m not able to respond to all of them (but I have tried to do so either in this comments section or sometimes emailing the poster directly). For the poster who was asking about the appeals process, this is how it works.
The student will need to write a letter (paper copy, not an email) to our Dean of Admissions asking for a reconsideration. We will ask that you provide new information (e.g., 7th semester grades, a new test score, something that was not originally in your application). Once all of that has been received, an independent review is conducted by the Dean to consider the appeal and a final decision is rendered. The entire process (once everything has been received by the Dean’s office) takes a couple weeks. Hope this helps.
March 30th, 2009
I got my decision back and it’s a waitlist, but I’m going to try my hardest to get off the waitlist because I desperately want to go to Vandy.
March 30th, 2009
My son received his acceptance package from the Vanderbilt College of Arts and Sciences today (Yes!!), but he also applied and audtioned for the Blair School of Music, and the package did not indicate one way or another the status of his Blair application. Were Blair acceptances/rejections sent out separately? Thanks-
March 30th, 2009
I am totally confused with the process. My daughter applied early (regular decision), top 50% standardized test scores, great essay, very high academics, very hard curriculum, top 5% of graduating class, great letters of rec., Presidential Gold community service awards (multiple years), outstanding leadership and work history. LEGACY, yet was wait-listed. Has already been accepted at Washington University in St. Louis and Emory University. Not sure what else she could have done. Vanderbilt was her number one choice. I guess now she needs to re-evaluate.
March 30th, 2009
Oops…I forgot she has received an appointment to the Air Force Academy and her grandfather was an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Still confused.
March 30th, 2009
i read a figure that 75 percent of those first and second in their class got in did that happen this year too? I’m wondering because I’m second in my class and a have a 30 ACT and I’m very very involved not to mention I’m a great leader in many different areas from being drum major in band to being a two time varsity captain in different sports not to mention being the student body president and that wasn’t good enough to beat 25 percent of other tops in class? or was this year different and not as many got in. Just wondering for self esteem lol. And I didn’t even get on the wait list? I thought I’d at least have that. I love your university I’m just very upset I didn’t get in. It doesn’t help that I haven’t gotten in anywhere else either haha. I don’t think you can do this because the decisions have been sent, but if not enough people accept think of me…
William
P.S. I’m crazy about your web site, its the best admissions site I’ve seen. If you could Email me I’d really appreciate it. Thank you for reading this.
March 31st, 2009
That was disappointing. Could you let us know how well you guys do with yield, because there’s a lot of talk about other top 20 schools in the CC vanderbilt forums especially with the mosaic kids. Is there any way the waitlist could be extended? You know, to me? Haha. Sorry, I’m just lookin’ for a little hope. In any case, do you retain any information for possible transfer applications or do I have to resend SATs and whatnot again?
March 31st, 2009
I’m so nervous! I’m basically stalking my mailbox! Do you know by any chance how many students were accepted into the Blair School of Music freshman class? This admissions blog has been so helpful and is easily the most current and up-to-date site I’ve seen. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!
March 31st, 2009
Steve, I too share in your confusion regarding the admission process. My daughter’s first choice was Vanderbilt as well. She attends a selective enrollment high school, is in the top 4% of her graduating class, has been a straight A student for most of her academic career, scored in the top 20% of the ACT exam and is very highly recommended. She has won several academic awards and has successfully taken classes at the university level. She is athletically and musically talented. She works hard, is very personable, is well liked and well respected by her teachers and her peers. She has done everything right her entire academic career. She is an exceptional young lady and I am proud and honored that she is my daughter. She was not admitted. She is not legacy and we are not rich. Perhaps the richness of her academic success and the strength of her character didn’t shine through in the application process. Perhaps the probable need for financial aid was a deterrent. I understand the complexity involved in the admissions process. I also understand the disappointment that thousands of young adults, just like my daughter, are experiencing right now. In their minds, being selected is not just about getting into the colleges of their choice, but, to a degree, about recognition and validation of their accomplishments. They can’t quite understand why they were good enough for one top rated school but not another. I truly believe there are many other factors at play when it comes to the selection process. However, I will never know the answer to this question. The process is over and it is time to move on. Wherever my daughter decides to attend college, she will continue to achieve success in her academic career and beyond. To the many young people disappointed because they didn’t receive the outcome they hoped for, please do not take it personal. Be proud of your accomplishments. Success is achieved by what you do, not where you go to school. Good luck to class of 2013, wherever you choose to attend.
March 31st, 2009
Very well stated J. Just for clarification though, Vanderbilt is completely need-blind in its admissions review. So, if your family had a higher financial need, that would not have played a role in the decision.
April 1st, 2009
I read that displaying a continued interest in Vanderbilt might help someone move off the wait list–what exactly would that look like? (I’m assuming begging and nagging wouldn’t be of any benefit.) Thanks.
April 1st, 2009
I just attempted to call the office of admissions to receive my decision, and they refused to give me any information. They instead claimed that I would receive a letter within the next three days with my decision. I don’t know if it’s simply an issue of miscommunication, or if this site’s information is incorrect, but at this point in time I am still unable to figure out my admissions status. I am excited though, and I’m definitely willing to wait, but it’s starting to get a little frustrating.
April 1st, 2009
JAlexander,
We are here and should be able to provide you with your decision. I apologize you received that response. Give us a call and ask to speak to the “on-call” officer.
April 1st, 2009
My daughter was placed on the waitlist. If she is offered a spot for the freshman class from the waitlist, how long does she have to make a final decision? Thanks
April 1st, 2009
My daughter called this morning and was told she had to wait 3 more days, and I just tried to call and was put through to the “on-call” officer’s voicemail. This is very frustrating. This is the most disorganized school of the 8 my daughter has applied to and as much as she is wanting to go to Vandy, this makes me wonder how the rest of the university is ran.
April 1st, 2009
I am a Vandy graduate and was thrilled when my daughter placed Vandy at the top of her list. We visited the campus in February and she was sure that was the place above all others she wanted to attend. She made a 31 on her ACT (a perfect 36 on English which she wants as her major), an 11 on the writing part of the ACT and an 800 on the writing portion of the SAT. Her SAT and ACT composite scores were within the middle 50% portion of statistics for this years admittees. Likewise, her GPA (from a college preparatory school) is a 3.9 or 4.0 on a 4.0 scale. Among her accomplishments: she is a student govenment leader, on the debate team, several community leadership groups, an accomplished pianist, dancer and singer, and a peer leader at her school as well as president and/or officer of school organizations, a youth leader at her church. She is motiviated, hardworking, and well liked and respected by her peers and teachers. Her recommendations from the faculty and others were very strong. She has worked very, very hard to be worthy of attending a strong academic university like Vanderbilt. She has been offered a full scholarship and/or substantial scholarship at several schools.
We were heartbroken to receive a rejection letter. We understand that there were many worthy contenders for a relatively few slots. What is hard to understand is why she was rejected when she fell within the parameters of the middle 50% – which means that 25% of this years admittees were less qualified than she and yet were admitted. She could have some closure if someone in admissions could just tell her what they found lacking in her or what would have made a difference in her being admitted or not. Thanks, p.s. To all who were admitted please do not take it lightly for there are hundreds of students who would be thrilled to have received your letter. I loved my years at Vandy and wish this class well – I only wish my daughter would have the same opportunity.
April 1st, 2009
I’m still confused… so were people supposed to recieve an email? I live in Italy and have heard nothing so I am starting to get a bit worried… Thanks again though to all that went through those thousands of applications!
April 1st, 2009
Thanks Thom! I called back earlier this afternoon and everyone was incredibly friendly as they redirected me to the appropriate people.
May 14th, 2009
I finally got my letter like a week a go but I got in! Anyone that got in is from California? Or the bay area??? if so so email me here because it would be nice to know someone from your state while attending vandy..
Chubbycheekz@sbcglobal.net
May 5th, 2010
As a sophomore in high school, I still have a bit of time to prepare before applying for college. However, it would be extremely helpful to know if there are any specific things I could do or participate in that might help me in the long run. I understand that a university such as Vanderbilt has a multitude of people applying who are the top of their class and who have extracurricular activities, scores, and honors on their application that woud make them qualified. With this being said, what determines whether they are accepted or not?