NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ A record high 11,628 students sought admission to
Vanderbilt University‘s fall 2005 freshman class, while fewer than
4,000 of them actually received letters of acceptance, making
admissions for the Class of 2009 the most selective in the university‘s
history. The 34 percent admission rate is well below last year‘s 38
percent figure.
“Applications for the Class of 2009 rose by 4 percent from last year as
the university continues to attract an increasingly diverse and
academically talented student body,” said William M. Shain, dean of
undergraduate admissions at Vanderbilt. Admit packets were sent by
priority mail on March 30.
Shain noted that the growing ethnic diversity on campus is reflected in
a record 977 students of color just having been accepted for admission.
This includes a 9.4 percent increase in Hispanic students and 5.1
percent increase in African-American students compared to 2003-04.
While the exact profile of Vanderbilt‘s incoming freshman class will
not be known until this summer, Shain is confident that these students
will possess the strongest academic qualifications in the university‘s
history. He pointed out that admission to Vanderbilt is a “holistic
review process,” and there is no specific test score or characteristic
that results in acceptance or denial for a student. “We really do value
the essays and experiences of our students as well.”
More information on Vanderbilt undergraduate admissions is available at www.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions.
Media contact: Ann Marie Deer Owens, (615) 322-NEWS
annmarie.owens@vanderbilt.edu