🏠 Vanderbilt University — Parent Guide

Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at Vanderbilt University.

💡 Tips for parents reviewing dorm options:

🏠 How housing selection works at Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt requires all freshmen and sophomores to live on campus. Housing is managed through Housing & (HRE), and the process is organized aroundThe Commonsfor first-year students.

The Commons — Freshman Year:All incoming freshmen live in The Commons, a dedicated on the south end of campus containing 10 houses. has Faculty Heads who live in the community and host programming. Students complete a lifestyle questionnaire; HRE assigns students to houses based on preferences. Students cannot select their specific house.

Sophomore Village:After first year, sophomores move to — a collection of (Blakemore, Cole, Gillette, Lewis, Lupton, Warren & Moore) near the campus. Sophomores enter a lottery and can room with friends from their freshman year Commons house.

Upperclass Housing (Junior/Senior):Juniors and seniors choose from a wider range of on-campus options including traditional doubles, singles, and apartment-style units in Kissam, Highland Quadrangle, and other buildings. A lottery with class seniority determines selection order. Many juniors and seniors also choose off-campus housing in Nashville's neighborhoods near campus.

As of May 8, 2026

📍 Location

Nashville, TN

🏛️ College Type

Private Research University

👥 Enrollment

12,600 total students

🏠 Housing

20 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter

📊 Dorm Comparison by Safety & Cleanliness

DormOverall ★Safety ★Cleanliness ★ReviewsFeatures
E. Bronson Ingram College 0
Cole House 0
Crawford House 0
East House 0
Gillette House 0
Hank Ingram House 0
Memorial House 0
Murray House 0
Stambaugh House 0
Sutherland Hall 0
West House 0
Nicholas S. Zeppos College 0
Holland House 0
McGill Hall 0
Carmichael Tower East 0
Carmichael Tower West 0
Rothschild College 0
McTyeire Hall 0
Morgan House 0
Tolman Hall 0

🔗 More Resources

🔗 Vanderbilt Housing & Residential Experience

Open link ↗

🔗 The Commons (Freshman)

Open link ↗

🔗 Upperclass Housing

Open link ↗

🔗 Room Selection

Open link ↗

🎓 Class-Year Housing Guides

Year-specific advice for Vanderbilt University dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:

🎓 Freshman Guide📚 Sophomore Guide📖 Junior Guide🎉 Senior Guide

🔍 Filter by Amenity

Looking for something specific? Browse Vanderbilt University dorms filtered by amenity:

❄️ with Air Conditioning🍳 with Shared Kitchen🛗 with Elevator♿ ADA-Accessible🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Friendly🚿 with Private Bathrooms🛁 with Semi-Private Bathrooms🧼 with Communal Bathrooms♀ All-Female