Vanderbilt University sent out letters of acceptance last week to the most academically talented, diverse and international class in the school’s history.
“It is gratifying to see that more and more students are realizing what we already know: Vanderbilt offers one of the best educational opportunities in the world in a setting ideally suited to provide a truly exceptional undergraduate experience,” said Douglas L. Christiansen, associate provost for enrollment and dean of admissions.
Vanderbilt received a record number of applications in 2008 – 16,875, up from 12, 911 in 2007, for a 30.7 percent increase. The spike in applications moved the admit rate from 32.4 percent of applicants in 2007 to 23.1 percent in 2008.
“We received applications from so many highly talented students that we were able to offer admission to the most selective class in Vanderbilt’s history,” Christiansen said.
Of those students admitted, 30.2 percent are students of color, compared to 27.2 percent in 2007. The university also saw a rise in international students, with 117 admitted in 2008 compared to 56 in 2007.
The academic and leadership quality of the admitted class is the highest as well. More than 92 percent ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. In addition the admitted class includes more students who have taken Advance Placement, International Baccalaureate and honors courses and have excelled in a variety of fields outside the classroom. The SAT middle 50 percent score in the admitted 2008 class is a 1380-1540, compared to a 1340-1510 in the 2007 admitted class.
“Vanderbilt has done very well with regard to academic excellence, diversity and overall talent,” Christiansen said. “We are proud of this class. We know these incredibly talented students will be energized by their time at Vanderbilt, just as they will energize us with their new ideas, creativity and quest for knowledge.”
The 1,550 students who enroll as freshmen will experience life in The Commons, a campus for first-year students of 10 houses grouped around four quads adjacent to Vanderbilt’s historic Peabody campus. All aspects of life in The Commons are designed to encourage community. For more information about The Commons, visit http://commons.vanderbilt.edu/
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 6,500 undergraduates and 5,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt, ranked as one of the nation’s top universities, offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education and human development, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.
Media Contact: Elizabeth Latt (615) 322-2706
Elizabeth.p.Latt@vanderbilt.edu