College Profiles/ Vassar College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Vassar College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Poughkeepsie, NY · 2,514 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Vassar College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Vassar College admitted 18.6% of 12,447 first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,210.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[3]
18.6%
Overall admit rate[1]
33 to 35
Middle 50% ACT[4]
$99,210
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
91.1%
Six-year graduation rate[4]
Vassar College at a Glance
- Location
- Poughkeepsie, NY
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 7:1[6]
- Endowment
- $1.3 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 94.9%[4]
The ConnectPrep Take on Vassar College
The ConnectPrep take
Vassar weighs academic performance alongside personal strengths, motivation and potential, with special attention to the breadth, depth and rigor of the junior and senior year programs. That makes eleventh and twelfth grade course choices the heart of the file. Vassar admitted 18.6% of 12,447 applicants. Your student can commit through ED I on Nov 15, or ED II on Jan 1, the same day as Regular Decision. Testing is optional; federal data puts the middle 50% at 730 to 770 in reading and writing and 720 to 780 in math, so we advise submitting at 750 or above in each section. Vassar meets 100% of demonstrated need. Interviews are informational, not evaluative. The mistake we see is an easy one: missing the test optional form in the portal, due Nov 22 for ED I.
What to do this fall
- Build a junior and senior schedule with breadth, depth and rigor, since Vassar weighs those years closely.
- Complete the test optional form in the applicant portal by Nov 22 for ED I or Jan 8 otherwise.
- Artists, musicians and dancers submit SlideRoom portfolios by Nov 17 for ED I or Jan 5 for ED II and RD.
- Submit scores at 750 or above in each SAT section, and aim for 770 and 780.
Applying to Vassar College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Vassar College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
12,447 |
|
18.6% |
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[4] |
730 to 770 |
| SAT Math[4] |
720 to 780 |
| ACT composite[4] |
33 to 35 |
Test score ranges on this page come from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which reports an earlier entering class than the school’s newest Common Data Set.[4]
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 770 in Reading and Writing and 780 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 35 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Vassar College looks for
In its own words: Vassar weighs high school academic performance alongside personal strengths, motivation, and potential shown through essays, recommendations, and community involvement, with special attention to the breadth, depth, and rigor of the junior and senior year programs.[7]
Vassar College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
|
| Early Decision II |
Jan 1 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 1 |
|
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Vassar College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Informational interview request |
Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 1 (ED II, RD) |
Interviews are informational, not evaluative, and run October to early March. Domestic applicants only; not every request is granted.[8] |
| Music, art, dance portfolio (SlideRoom) |
Nov 17 (ED I); Jan 5 (ED II, RD) |
Portfolios go through vassar.slideroom.com. QuestBridge and Coalition applicants choose the Non-Common App SlideRoom program for their round.[9] |
| Test-optional form |
Nov 22 (ED I); Jan 8 (ED II, RD) |
Test-optional form completed in the applicant status portal; ED I deadline is Nov 22.[3] |
See how Vassar College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Vassar College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$99,210 |
| Tuition[2] |
$76,140 |
| Average share of need met[10] |
100.0% |
Tuition 76,140, fees 1,020, housing and dining 19,800, and a suggested budget of 2,250 for books, supplies, personal expenses, and transportation.[2]
- Vassar College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[10]
- International students: Need-aware. Vassar is need aware when reviewing international applicants and meets the full demonstrated need of admitted students who apply for aid at the time of application; students admitted without aid in the first year cannot receive Vassar funding later, and aid is not available to international transfer applicants.[11]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$15,953 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$14,548 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$14,126 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$25,773 |
| Over $110,000 |
$56,615 |
| All aided students |
$39,343 |
Academics and Majors at Vassar College
Signature programs
Flexible curriculum with correlate sequences
Vassar says its curriculum has always been characterized by boldness, breadth, and flexibility, with optional minors called correlate sequences in most departments and programs.[12]
Summer research
Summer research students immerse themselves in a research project for 10 weeks.[12]
Independent program
Students can design an individually tailored course of study through the independent program or pursue faculty-supervised independent study.[12]
Accelerated, dual, and partnership degrees
Vassar offers 4 dual-degree programs, and its partnership options include a Columbia BA/MPH with the Mailman School of Public Health.[12]
Arboretum campus
The 1,000-acre campus is maintained as an arboretum with over 200 species of trees.[6]
Choosing a major and getting in
Vassar offers 51 majors, 65 correlates (minors), and 4 dual-degree programs across 30 departments, 3 interdepartmental programs, and 14 multidisciplinary programs; students can also design an individually tailored course of study in the independent program.[6][12]
Special admission paths
- Application fee waived automatically for QuestBridge Finalists and U.S. military veterans.[7]
Vassar College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[4] |
94.9% |
| Graduated within six years[4] |
91.1% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$71,366 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$18,625 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
19% |
Make Vassar College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Vassar College FAQs
What is the Vassar College acceptance rate?
Vassar College admitted 18.6% of first-year applicants.
When are the Vassar College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 1; Regular Decision Jan 1.
How much does Vassar College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,210. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What does Vassar cost for a family earning under $75,000?
Federal data shows an average net price of $14,126 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000 and $15,953 for families earning $30,000 or less, against a 2026-2027 cost of attendance of $99,210. Vassar meets 100% of demonstrated need, and aid forms are due Nov 15 for ED I and Feb 1 for RD.
Does a Vassar interview help my student's application?
Not directly. Vassar's interviews are informational, not evaluative, and run from October to early March for domestic applicants, and not every request is granted. Requests are due Nov 15 for ED I and Jan 1 for ED II and RD. Use the interview to research fit rather than to strengthen the file.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vassar College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
