On campus
About two-thirds of students in the Class of 2023 started their time at Vanderbilt in the College of Arts and Science, but many changed colleges and majors in the four years. Out of the students who transferred out of the College of Arts and Science, 75% went to Peabody College, while 25% went on to study in the School of Engineering.
By graduation, School of Engineering students comprised 18% of the graduating class, while Peabody College students comprised just over a quarter. The proportion of students in Blair School of Music remained the same from matriculation to graduation at around 3%.
While less than a third of students switched colleges, 82% of students switched majors in their time at Vanderbilt, with 55% graduating with more than one major and 62% graduating with at least one minor.
Vignesh Chennupati (‘23) graduated with a degree in biomedical engineering on a pre-med track, a combination that he said gave him a unique perspective on medicine.
“It prepares you for the MCAT science sections really well, and you get to see medicine from a different angle than usual pre-med majors,” Chennupati said. “It’s also super helpful in research because you usually have a different mindset and skill set than the average pre-med or bio major.”
The majority of students were not satisfied with the Vanderbilt administration’s responsiveness to student concerns, but more students expressed satisfaction with the work of Vanderbilt Student Government. Significant differences in responses were not found based on race or income bracket.
In terms of Campus Dining, more students were satisfied with food offerings before COVID-19 than after.
About a third of students strongly agreed with divesting from fossil fuels, but opinions on abolishing Greek Life were more varied. Of those who strongly disagreed with abolishing Greek Life, 73% were in a Greek organization when they graduated.
Greek Life remains relevant on Vanderbilt’s campus, however. Including all Greek Councils, 30% of the Class of 2023 reported being members of a Greek organization upon graduation.
On the other hand, 55% of students never participated in Greek Life. The remaining students either rushed and were not offered membership, dropped or were expelled from their organizations. A greater percentage of women than men were in a Greek organization upon graduation.
