What GPA do you need to get into Vanderbilt?

Among 302 applicants who posted a Vanderbilt admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.98 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (247 reported a GPA). Vanderbilt sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.

What SAT score do you need for Vanderbilt?

Among 302 applicants who posted a Vanderbilt admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,550 and the middle half scored 1,520 to 1,570 (186 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.

Does applying early help at Vanderbilt?

In these posts, 39% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (30 of 76), against 27% in regular decision (131 of 489). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.

What extracurriculars do Vanderbilt admits have?

The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (65%), athletics (47%), research (45%), tutoring/teaching (42%). 91% held at least one leadership role and 76% listed a national or international award.

What is the Vanderbilt acceptance rate?

The official rate is published by Vanderbilt in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

College admissions data

How to get into Vanderbilt

What 302 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,155 Vanderbilt results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.

Applying to Vanderbilt? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.

Vanderbilt admits by the numbers

Median unweighted GPA

3.98

Middle half 3.90 to 4.00

Median SAT

1,550

Middle half 1,520 to 1,570

Median ACT

Middle half 34 to 36

Median weighted GPA

4.52

Middle half 4.39 to 4.70

Results posted: 302 admitted, 515 rejected, 338 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Vanderbilt acceptance rate; the official rate is in Vanderbilt’s Common Data Set.

Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference

Median	Admitted	Rejected
Unweighted GPA	3.98	3.90
SAT	1,550	1,520
ACT	35	34

When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.

What Vanderbilt admits did outside class

Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.

Nonprofit/Service65%
Athletics47%
Research45%
Tutoring/Teaching42%
STEM club/competition40%
Internship39%
Music32%
Debate/MUN/Speech30%

Held a leadership role

91%

Founded something

45%

National or intl. award

76%

Did research

45%

Early vs. regular decision at Vanderbilt

Early (76 results)39%
Regular (489 results)27%

Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.

Intended majors of Vanderbilt admits

Computer Science15%
Engineering15%
Economics14%
Biology8%
Business5%
Political Science5%

Who got in

Of the admitted posters, 14% first-generation, 18% low income, 23% underrepresented minority, 9% legacy, 2% recruited athlete and 8% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 26% chose Vanderbilt.

Three recent Vanderbilt admits

2026 cycle · RD · Economics
Debate champion and civic organizer who co-founded a national debate organization and runs student education outreach.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Pre-med/Health
Pre-med biochemistry student with hospital research, speech team captaincy, and nature-center volunteering.
GPA 3.88 UW · ACT 34 · Original post
2026 cycle · Economics
Debate-focused student with public speaking coaching, nonprofit vocational-school work abroad, and law-related research.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post

Where else Vanderbilt admits got in

Vanderbilt admissions questions

What GPA do you need to get into Vanderbilt?: Among 302 applicants who posted a Vanderbilt admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.98 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (247 reported a GPA). Vanderbilt sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
What SAT score do you need for Vanderbilt?: Among 302 applicants who posted a Vanderbilt admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,550 and the middle half scored 1,520 to 1,570 (186 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
Does applying early help at Vanderbilt?: In these posts, 39% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (30 of 76), against 27% in regular decision (131 of 489). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
What extracurriculars do Vanderbilt admits have?: The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (65%), athletics (47%), research (45%), tutoring/teaching (42%). 91% held at least one leadership role and 76% listed a national or international award.
What is the Vanderbilt acceptance rate?: The official rate is published by Vanderbilt in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

Applying to Vanderbilt?

A Specialist who got into a school like Vanderbilt can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.

Book a free call

Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Vanderbilt. All colleges