Vanderbilt University

TN · Private · East South Central

Acceptance rate: 13% (6,124 applicants)
Median LSAT: 170 (middle 50%: 167–171)
Median GPA: 3.91 (middle 50%: 3.77–3.97)
Tuition: $76,440 (per year)
Bar passage: 94.6% (+12.7 pts vs. state average)

Deadlines

Application deadline: April 1, 2027

Essays

Personal statement (2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point)

Please present yourself as a prospective law student by writing a personal statement. You may write about any topic that you feel will help our Admissions Committee better understand you as a person and as a prospective law student. In your personal statement, you can discuss your motivations to pursue law, your personal and professional goals and interests, or your thoughts on engaging the intellectual, experiential, and professional resources and opportunities that law school and the legal profession offer.

Lived experience statement (2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point)

The quality and vibrancy of the educational environment at Vanderbilt Law arise from enrolling a student body with a broad mix of individual backgrounds, experiences, skills, knowledge, and interests. Please tell us about any aspects of your background and experiences that you believe would contribute to the educational environment.

Video essay (early decision) (Video response)

You will be asked to answer a question during a video recording through your applicant portal.

Addendum (optional) (About one paragraph, no more than one page)

Any addendum submitted should be brief (we recommend one paragraph, no longer than one page, double-spaced) and should provide additional factual context.

Editor's notes

Early decision at Vanderbilt buys money and speed, not odds. The school says early applicants don't get a significant edge in selection, but every early decision admit gets a scholarship. You can't compare offers, and you can't defer. Apply early only if you'd take Vanderbilt's award without seeing anyone else's.
You're writing two required essays, so give them two jobs. The personal statement shows you as a future law student. The lived experience statement shows what you'll add to the room. If you can swap the two and nothing changes, rewrite one.
Put Jan. 10 on your calendar the day you're admitted. That's the deadline for the Law Scholars full-tuition application. Regular merit awards come automatically, but the full rides require a separate application.
Leave out the GRE. Vanderbilt accepts only the LSAT or JD-Next. If you're thinking about JD-Next instead of the LSAT, plan for the eight-week course before you apply.