Vanderbilt's average ACT score?

Yo! I'm a rising senior, and Vanderbilt is definitely one of the schools I am seriously considering. Does anyone know the average ACT score for Vandy? Thanks in advance!

Hello! When it comes to testing, Vanderbilt tends to admit students who have performed exceptionally well on standardized tests. For ACT, the middle 50% score range for admitted students in the 2023-2024 cycle was 34-35.

This statistic means that 25% of students admitted had an ACT score below 34, 25% had a score of 36, and the other 50% of students had a 34 or a 35. So, a score of 34 is the lower end of what you'd want to aim for to be competitive in terms of ACT scores.

However, keep in mind that while your ACT score is undoubtedly an important part of your application, it's not everything. Vanderbilt reviews applications holistically - they're interested in who you are as a person, not just how you perform on a standardized test. Make sure other parts of your application, like your essays, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation, are also strong.

If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at Vandy, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including not just test scores but also GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at Vanderbilt and hundreds of other colleges: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator

This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, whether by raising your ACT score slightly or some other step, like earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars.

Or, if you want tips on how to strengthen the more intangible aspects of your application, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which breaks down how to tackle Vanderbilt's school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-vanderbilt-university-essays/. Especially at highly selective schools like Vanderbilt, the essays are a great opportunity to showcase what you have to offer beyond the numbers.

Finally, it's worth noting that Vanderbilt is officially test-optional, so you actually are not required to submit an ACT (or SAT) score. However, you're smart to still be thinking about target ACT scores, as at highly selective schools like Vanderbilt, you generally want to showcase your strengths in as many ways as possible. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional

Best of luck on your ACT and your journey to college!