Vanderbilt Transfer Acceptance Rate and Requirements — 2024

December 13, 2023

vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate

Nashville-based Vanderbilt is a dream school for many stellar high school students. Unfortunately, that dream will remain an unrealized one for most, as an astounding 94% of those who apply for freshman admission are turned away. Yet, if Vandy remains your ideal postsecondary destination, there are still compelling reasons to keep striving toward this goal. Accordingly, this blog will cover the Vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate as well as other critical pieces of information like the Vanderbilt transfer decision date, deadline, requirements, and much more.

Vanderbilt Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available Vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

For entry in the fall of 2022, 2,833 students applied for transfer admission, and 471 were accepted. This means that the Vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate is 16.6%. If we break this down by gender, the acceptance rates are as follows:

  • Male transfer applicants: 15%
  • Female transfer applicants: 18.3%

For entry in the fall of 2021, there were 2,450 transfer applicants and 430 individuals were accepted. This means that the Vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate was 17.6%.

When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to look at historical data. Many schools have significant swings in transfer acceptance rates from year to year. As you can see, the Vanderbilt transfer acceptance rate has fluctuated between 16% and 37% over the past six years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2020 37%
2019 23%
2018 25%
2017 30%

Vanderbilt Transfer Deadline

The university offers only a fall transfer option. The Vanderbilt priority transfer deadline for fall applicants is March 15. They will continue accepting applications on a rolling basis after that date until May 1. However, it is strongly recommended that you meet the priority deadline.

Vanderbilt Transfer Requirements

The Vanderbilt transfer requirements are as follows:

Vanderbilt University Transfer Acceptance Rate (Continued)

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to Vanderbilt have done the following:

  • Completed at least 12 semester credit hours.
  • Earned exceptional grades in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
  • Been significantly involved in their previous campus community, if transferring from a four-year residential college.

Vanderbilt Transfer GPA

According to the admissions committee, “admitted transfer students have a GPA of a B+/A- or higher.” In previous years, admissions has specified that the admitted transfer GPA range is A-/A, so we’d recommend a 3.7 and above to be the most competitive.

Vanderbilt Transfer Writing Supplement

All transfer applicants must complete two essays. The first is a broad essay covering why you want to transfer to Vandy:

  1. Please provide a personal essay that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve (250-650 words).

Vanderbilt University Transfer Acceptance Rate (Continued)

The second is a short-answer question related to community engagement:

Please select one of the following short answer prompts:

  • Choice A: Vanderbilt University values learning through contrasting points of view. We understand that our differences, and our respect for alternative views and voices, are our greatest source of strength. Please reflect on conversations you’ve had with people who have expressed viewpoints different from your own. How did these conversations/experiences influence you?
  • Choice B: Vanderbilt offers a community where students find balance between their academic and social experiences. Please briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you.

Vanderbilt Transfer Decision Date

Vanderbilt transfer decisions are made on a rolling basis, beginning in late April. There is no singular notification date.

Final Thoughts – Vanderbilt University Transfer Acceptance Rate

In addition to community involvement and strong academic preparation, Vanderbilt is looking for students to provide a compelling reason as to why transferring is the best option for them. As such, be sure to utilize your essays to fully explain your reasoning as well as how Vanderbilt in particular will help you achieve your academic aspirations.

For an elite school, Vandy remains quite friendly for transfers. If admitted, you’ll also have access to the range of resources available for transfer students, which include transfer orientation as well as special on-campus groups, mentorship, and programming.

Looking for information on how to apply to Vanderbilt as a first-year student? You may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

 


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