The Basics About Vassar College
Vassar College is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,452, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 1000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Vassar College's ranking in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 12. Its tuition and fees are $43,190.
Overview: Vassar College
General Information
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Institutional Control:
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Private
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Year founded:
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1861
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Religious affiliation:
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N/A
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Academic calendar:
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semester
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Fall 2009 Total number of undergraduates:
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2,452
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Setting:
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suburban
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2009 Endowment:
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$680,153,562
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Fall Admissions
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Application deadline:
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1/1
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Application fee:
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$60
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Fall 2009 Acceptance rate:
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25%
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Selectivity:
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most selective
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Expenses
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Costs:
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2010-2011 Tuition and Fees: $43,190
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Student Life at Vassar College
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Vassar is located Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in the scenic Hudson Valley, 75 miles north of New York City. At Vassar, students can get involved with more than 100 student organizations on campus, including the Vassar Night Owls, one of the nation’s oldest continuing all-female a cappella groups. Vassar does not have fraternities or sororities. The Vassar Brewers compete in NCAA Division III varsity sports in the Liberty League. The Vassar Quidditch team, known as the Butterbeer Brewers, competes against other colleges in the sport from the Harry Potter novels. Vassar is a residential college, and freshmen are required to live on campus. The school guarantees housing for all four years, and 98 percent of students live in the nine residence halls and apartments.
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Other Facts About Vassar College
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Vassar College is one of the first of the Seven Sisters, a group of historically women’s colleges in the northeast including Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, Smith, Radcliffe (now part of Harvard), Bryn Mawr, and Barnard. In 1969, Vassar became the first of the Seven Sisters colleges to open its doors to men. The Maria Mitchell Observatory and the Main Building, which once housed the entire college, are registered as National Historic Landmarks. The Miscellany News, the college newspaper, was founded in 1866 and is one of the oldest college newspapers in the country. Notable alumni include computer pioneer Grace Hopper, poet Elizabeth Bishop, actress Meryl Streep, actress Lisa Kudrow, and writer-director Noah Baumbach.
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Mission (as provided by the school)
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Intellectual inquiry at Vassar is characterized by an unusual degree of flexibility. The college does not have a core curriculum and students can declare a major by concentrating in a department, an interdepartmental program, a multidisciplinary program, or an individually tailored field of study in the Independent Program. This intellectual freedom produces original thinkers and has shaped the very essence of Vassar's academic life. In fact, the encouragement of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies has distinguished Vassar academics at least as far back as the early 1900s -- when the college began offering interdepartmental courses -- and the wide-ranging exchange of ideas has steadily inspired an array of new courses, programs, and resources. Vassar now boasts a dozen multidisciplinary and interdepartmental programs ranging from Latin American and Latino/a Studies to Environmental Studies and Cognitive Science, the latter for which Vassar was the first college or university to offer a bachelor's degree (1982). The college's oldest such program, Africana Studies, celebrated its fortieth anniversary in 2009, and Media Studies became the newest of these programs in 2004. As a result, Vassar's curriculum is broader, richer, and more varied than ever, now offering students a choice among 29 departments, 6 interdisciplinary programs, 12 multidisciplinary programs, 51 majors, and over 1,000 courses.
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Applications: Vassar College
Regular Decision
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Application deadline:
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1/1
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Notification date:
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04/01
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Deadline for accepting admissions offers:
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May 25 (Fall), December 23 (Spring)
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Early Decision
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Is an early decision plan offered?
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Yes
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Early decision deadline:
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11/15
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Early decision decision sent by:
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12/15
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Early Action
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Is an early action plan offered?
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No
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Early action deadline:
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N/A
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Early action decision sent by:
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N/A
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Application Fee
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Application fee:
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$60
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Is the application fee refundable?
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No
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Can the application fee be waived for students with financial need?
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Yes
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Is it possible to defer admission?
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Yes
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Application Formats
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Can applications be submitted via E-mail?
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No
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Electronic application URL:
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http://admissions.vassar.edu/apply.html
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Tuition and Room Deposits
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Tuition deposit:
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$500
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Is the tuition deposit refundable?
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Nonrefundable
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Room deposit:
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N/A
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Is the room deposit refundable?
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N/A
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Contact Information
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Admissions director:
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David Borus
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Admissions office phone number:
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(845) 437-7300
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Admissions E-mail:
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Requirements and Factors: Vassar College
Admission Requirements
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Admission interview?
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Neither required/recommended
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Campus visit?
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Recommended
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Off-campus interviews?
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may be arranged with an admission representative
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Does the school have an open admission policy?
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No
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Does the college use SAT or ACT scores in admissions decisions for first-time, first-year applicants?
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Yes
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Standardized tests?
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Either SAT or ACT required.
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ACT Writing test?
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ACT with writing required
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SAT/ACT scores must be received by:
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02/15
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SAT Subject Test scores must be received by:
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02/15
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High school completion requirement for admissions:
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High school diploma is required and GED is accepted
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General college-preparatory program?
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Require
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Academic Factors Used in Admissions Decisions
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Rigor of secondary school record?
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Very Important
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Class rank?
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Important
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Academic GPA?
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Important
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Standardized test scores?
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Important
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Application essay?
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Important
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Recommendations?
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Important
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Nonacademic Factors Used in Admissions Decisions
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Interview?
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Considered
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Extracurricular activities?
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Considered
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Talent/ability?
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Considered
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Character/personal qualities?
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Important
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Being a first-generation college student?
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Considered
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Alumni/ae relations?
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Considered
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Geographical residence?
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Considered
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State residency?
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Not Considered
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Religious affiliation/commitment?
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Not Considered
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Race/ethnicity?
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Considered
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Volunteer work?
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Considered
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Work experience?
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Considered
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Level of the applicant's interest?
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Not Considered
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Required High School Course Work
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Recommended High School Course Work
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High school units recommended in English:
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4
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High school units recommended in Foreign languages:
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4
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High school units recommended in History:
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2
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High school units recommended in Mathematics:
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4
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High school units recommended in Science:
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4
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High school units recommended in Science Labs:
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3
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High school units recommended in Social Studies:
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2
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Total high school units recommended:
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20
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Entering Class Statistics: Vassar College
Fall 2009 Selectivity
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Selectivity:
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most selective
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Fall 2009 Acceptance rate:
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25%
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Early decision acceptance rate:
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43%
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Early action acceptance rate:
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N/A
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Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students):
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23%
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Fall 2009 Applications, Acceptances, and Enrollments
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Number of applicants:
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7,577
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Number of applicants accepted:
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1,873
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Freshman enrollment for Fall 2009:
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660
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Percent of total enrolled incoming freshmen who been accepted under either early acceptance or early action:
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39%
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Number of male applicants:
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2,285
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Number of male applicants accepted for Fall 2009:
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803
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Male freshman enrollment:
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266
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Number of female applicants:
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5,292
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Number of female applicants accepted Fall 2009:
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1,070
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Female freshman enrollment:
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394
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Fall 2009 Wait List
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Does the school have a waiting list?
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Yes
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Number of applicants placed on a waiting list:
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1,531
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Number of students on the wait list accepted:
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608
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Number of students enrolled from a waiting list:
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52
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Fall 2009 High School Rank
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Percent of first-year students submitting high school class standing:
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63%
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2009 Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class:
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67%
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2009 Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class:
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95%
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2009 Freshmen in top 50 percent of high school class:
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99%
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Fall 2009 High School GPA
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Percent of first-year students submitting high school GPA:
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99%
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Average high school GPA:
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3.8
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Fall 2009 Freshmen SAT Scores
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Percent of first-year students submitting SAT scores:
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81%
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SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range:
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660-750
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SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range:
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640-720
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SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range:
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660-750
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SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range:
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8-10
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 700-800 range:
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54%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 600-699 range:
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41%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 500-599 range:
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5%
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 400-499 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 300-399 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Critical Reading scores in the 200-299 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 700-800 range:
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39%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 600-699 range:
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55%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 500-599 range:
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6%
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 400-499 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 300-399 range:
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N/A
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Percent with SAT Math scores in the 200-299 range:
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N/A
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Fall 2009 Freshmen ACT Scores
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Percent of first-year students submitting ACT scores:
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35%
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ACT English 25th-75th percentile range:
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N/A
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ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range:
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N/A
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ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range:
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29-32
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 30-36 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 24-29 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 18-23 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT English scores below 6:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 30-36 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 24-29 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 18-23 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Math scores below 6:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 30-36 range:
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76%
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 24-29 range:
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24%
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 18-23 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 12-17 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores in the 6-11 range:
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N/A
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Percent with ACT Composite scores below 6:
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N/A
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Transfer Students: Vassar College
Deadlines
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Terms for which transfer students may apply for admission:
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Fall, Spring
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Application date for transfer students:
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March 15 (Fall), November 1 (Spring)
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Admission decision sent:
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May 10 (Fall), December 10 (Spring)
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Deadline for accepting admissions offers:
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May 25 (Fall), December 23 (Spring)
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Requirements
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Do transfer applicants need a minimum number of credits to apply?
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No
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Minimum required high school GPA:
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3
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Minimum required college GPA:
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3.3
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High school transcript?
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Required of all
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College transcript?
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Required of all
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Essay/personal statement?
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Required of all
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Admission interview?
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Not required
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Standardized test scores?
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Required of all
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Statement of good standing from prior institution(s)?
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Required of all
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Lowest course grade that may be transferred for credit:
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C
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Maximum number of credit/courses that may be transferred:
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60 from a two-year school, 60 from a four-year school
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Is there a minimum number of credits needed to complete degree?
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60 credits for a bachelor's degree
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Transfer Student Application and Enrollment Statistics
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Total number of transfer students applying for Fall 2009:
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315
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Total number of transfer students accepted for Fall 2009:
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28
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Total number of transfer students enrolled for Fall 2009:
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3
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International Student Admissions: Vassar College
Deadlines and Requirements
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Application deadline:
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January 1 (Fall)
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Preapplication form required?
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No
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Separate application form required?
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No
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TOEFL
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TOEFL requirement?
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N/A
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May the TOEFL be submitted in place of the SAT or ACT?
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No
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Minimum TOEFL score required (paper test):
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600
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Minimum TOEFL score required (internet test):
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250
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Average TOEFL score (paper test):
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640
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Average TOEFL score (internet test):
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N/A
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