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Vanderbilt Video Essay Questions

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A Strong Vanderbilt Essay Example from an Accepted Student

Consistently ranked as one of the best schools in the nation, Vanderbilt University is world-renowned for exceptional academics. A top-tier reputation leads to a highly selective admissions process, so to get into Vanderbilt, you need more than just strong grades and test scores—you need stellar essays that set you apart from other academically excellent applicants.

In this post, we will share a real essay submitted by an accepted Vanderbilt student. We will go over what this essay did well, and where there is room for improvement.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Vanderbilt essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Essay Example – The Power of Story

At an intersection in Oakwood, an elderly Asian man walks on the sidewalk. Behind him, a man in a black hoodie follows. Without warning, the man in the black hoodie pushes the Asian man to the ground, his face landing flat against the sidewalk, motionless.

Pausing the video, I watch my friends’ faces flicker between confusion, anger, and hurt. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes became personally painful for my Asian American friends. We encountered news of elderly Asian Americans violently thrashed and berated with slurs. But beyond our circle, conversations about these occurrences were absent. And despite the South Asian community being relatively safe from these crimes, I shared the sobs of my friends. 

A few years ago, I joined a nonprofit that empowers minorities to be civically engaged citizens. Engaging with this group of passionate individuals, I was inspired by their unrelenting dedication to improving others’ lives through community-building.

Eager to foster solidarity among Reno’s AAPI community in light of these tragedies, we pioneered a march against hate, where we invited student speakers to share their stories of racial discrimination. Listening to my peers’ journeys, from finding confidence as an immigrant to navigating implicit bias in the classroom, I became captivated by the power of story. 

Bonding over the commonality in our journeys and in our activism, I yearn to persist in championing the use of dialogue to build community in the face of adversity at Vanderbilt.

What the Essay Did Well

This “Extracurricular Essay” does a great job of telling a story. The beginning draws the reader in by including details like “ an intersection in Oakwood ,” and “ a man in a black hoodie ,” to help us visualize the scene. In the next paragraph, we realize that we are watching this situation through the eyes of the student. By first providing readers with the terrible situation directly, the student arouses our own emotions, which allows us to immediately understand the student’s shock and anger once we realize we are actually in their shoes.

The second paragraph goes on to provide good background on the student’s personal connection to the situation, which allows readers to understand their motivation for engaging in the extracurriculars described in the third and fourth paragraphs. By showing us the pain their friends felt (“ I watch my friends’ faces flicker between confusion, anger, and hurt ”) and explaining that this issue was at the forefront of their mind, but ignored  by many others (“ But beyond our circle, conversations about these occurrences were absent ”), we get a tangible sense of the student’s connection to the issue.

Then, the essay shifts to discussing the student’s extracurricular activity. The point of this kind of essay is to help admissions officers see that you are involved in your activities to grow and learn  about the world, rather than pad your resume. Because the student took the time to explain their passion for AAPI activism and demonstrate their compassion for others in the previous paragraph, we can clearly see that this nonprofit is genuinely meaningful to them.

Finally, although this essay just asks about an extracurricular, this student was still able to infuse elements of their personality into the essay in the way they told it. From the details included, we know this student is compassionate, an activist, and values justice and diversity. Being able to show the reader all that without telling us these aspects of their personality outright makes for an engaging, informative essay.

What Could Be Improved

The biggest thing this essay needs to improve is the shift in focus from the cultural context of the first two paragraphs to the student’s involvement in the extracurricular itself. Right now, that transition is rather abrupt, so although the topics are related, the reader is left to tie them together on their own.

For example, while the detail in the introduction describing the instance of hate is captivating, in such a short essay, that space could be used much more wisely. A better hook would immediately place the reader in the extracurricular activity, possibly like this:

“ STOP ASIAN HATE. PROTECT ASIAN LIVES. I AM NOT INVISIBLE. Hundreds of cardboard signs blocked out the strong Reno sun, the feeling of change hanging in the air. My throat sore and mouth parched after hours of chanting, I couldn’t help but smile knowing that we made this march possible. ”

With this introduction placing the reader in the middle of the action (a technique called “in medias res”), the rest of the essay could then be spent providing more details about what the student did as a part of the nonprofit. They tell us they “ pioneered a march against hate, where we invited student speakers to share their stories of racial discrimination,” but a stronger extracurricular essay would delve into the specific role the student played in planning these events.

Similarly, rather than ending the third paragraph by just telling the reader that they became “ captivated by the power of story ” through listening to others, this student could have demonstrated how that power tangibly affected their own actions, by adding a sentence along the lines of: 

“ Inspired by the stories I had heard, I encouraged my friends to submit their own stories as opinion pieces to our school newspaper, while I created flyers for the march that included photos of myself as a child, to humanize our movement .” Notice how this version both shows us what the student did and provides more insight into their character.

With a word count this low, you need to understand exactly what the prompt is asking for, and make sure everything you say is helping provide that. Background context is important, but if the prompt is asking about your extracurriculars, most of the essay should be dedicated to your actual involvement in the extracurricular.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay

Do you want feedback on your Vanderbilt essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Personal Essay and Short Answer Prompts

Personal essay prompts.

To help us get to know you in the application review process, you are required to submit a personal essay. For insight and advice about how to approach writing your personal essay, see our Expert Advice page. 

• Common Application first-year essay prompts
• Common App transfer essay prompt: Please provide a personal essay that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.
• Coalition, powered by Scoir first-year and transfer essay prompts

Short Answer Question

For both first-year and transfer applicants, we ask you to complete a short answer essay (approximately 250 words) based on one of two prompts. 

• Vanderbilt University values learning through contrasting points of view. We understand that our differences, and our respect for alternative views and voices, are our greatest source of strength. Please reflect on conversations you’ve had with people who have expressed viewpoints different from your own. How did these conversations/experiences influence you?
• Vanderbilt offers a community where students find balance between their academic and social experiences. Please briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you.

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August 26, 2023

2023-2024 Vanderbilt University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Vanderbilt University has released its 2023-2024 supplemental admissions essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2028. This year, in addition to The Common Application ’s Personal Statement, Vanderbilt requires applicants to answer one of their two supplemental essay prompts in approximately 250 words. So what are this year’s prompts? Wonder no more!

2023-2024 Vanderbilt Essay Topics & Questions

Vanderbilt’s two supplemental essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2028, which applicants are to choose one to answer in about 250 words, are as follows:

1. Vanderbilt University values learning through contrasting points of view. We understand that our differences, and our respect for alternative views and voices, are our greatest source of strength. Please reflect on conversations you’ve had with people who have expressed viewpoints different from your own. How did these conversations/experiences influence you?

Vanderbilt’s admissions committee values a diversity of thought on their campus. So applicants should not be afraid to express an opinion- even if it delves into politics. But, no matter what applicants choose to write about in their response, they must showcase that they’ll be respectful of the opinions of others and that they’re malleable to change. The conversation is, in many ways, a window into how a student will take advantage of a liberal arts education.

2. Vanderbilt offers a community where students find balance between their academic and social experiences. Please briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you.

Too many applicants choose to write about an extracurricular activity that will not serve Vanderbilt. For instance, writing about a sport if the applicant isn’t getting recruited for that sport is a wasted opportunity since the student will not be helping Vanderbilt’s team win. And even if a student is a recruited athlete, they should avoid writing about their sport since sports essays are  always  cliché in elite college admissions.

The extracurricular that a student chooses to focus on in their response should be included in the activities section of their Common Application, and it should further shine a spotlight on the applicant’s singular hook (rather than well-roundedness ). After all, Vanderbilt seeks to admit students who will change the world in a very specific way. The applicant’s activity choice for this essay should be consistent with that narrative.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Vanderbilt Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to Vanderbilt by submitting the most compelling essays possible, fill out Ivy Coach ’s consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to delineate our college admissions counseling services for seniors.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

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Video error message: html5: video not loading properly seem to be getting it a lot... i usually use chrome as my browser, but i've had the same issue using ie and android., video lagging with the new video interface change i noticed that the video interface has changed recently, and after the change i've been having serious lagging issues. this lagging problem especiall…, optional essay vs diversity essay this should be pretty quick to answer: is the optional essay the same thing as a diversity essay i realize there's probably not a blanket answer for…, why does pressing space pause your current video and play the second video - at the same time when reviewing sections that have more than one video per page (such as here: https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-33-section-4-game-1/), if you ….

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Vanderbilt Video Essay

I applied RD to Vanderbilt and just realized that there is a video essay option on the applicant status portal. Would it hurt my application if I didn't complete this? I find it confusing that the video essay isn't mentioned in the RD application, yet just appears on the portal. Any advice appreciated.

Alternate video player not working Hi, Used both firefox and chrome and same issue on both. The alternate video player works for the first time I open the page, but if I click …

are you sure this is required for regular admissions? i was under the impression that vandy required the video essay submission only for their early decision applicants: https://law.vanderbilt.edu/prospective-students/admissions/binding-early-decision.php

maybe they only had that space open because early decision applicants use the same portal. if it is not required, it won't hurt your app for not doing it.

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Analyzing the Vanderbilt Supplemental Essay 2021-2022

Padya Paramita

September 20, 2021

Your reason behind applying to Vanderbilt University might have been inspired by the opportunity to learn from esteemed instructors at the Blair School of Music, or the chance to work with one of the school’s 30 registered student service groups. If you’ve done your research, you might already know that its campus itself is a natural arboretum and may be thrilled to continue activities related to nature. Or, you’ve always been fascinated about why Vanderbilt is the “Harvard of the South.” Either way, it’s time to let the admissions officers know about an activity that matters to you through the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 . 

While the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 doesn’t explicitly ask why you’ve chosen the school, admissions officers use the essay to determine whether you’d be a good fit for Vanderbilt—and vice versa—through your response. Take advantage of this prompt to discuss an activity that has made an impact on you, and one where you believe you have left your mark. In reading your essay, Vanderbilt wants to know what unique qualities and experiences you bring and which parts of campus you’re likely to contribute to if accepted to the university. To guide you through the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 , I’ve outlined the question, the dos and don'ts for your response, and some more tips to help you write a successful answer.

Prompt for the Vanderbilt Supplemental Essay 2021-2022

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (200-400 words)

If it seems like Vanderbilt doesn’t have supplemental essays just because there’s no separate writing section, think again. Hidden in the activities section of Vanderbilt’s Common Application page, this short essay should not be overlooked, as it’s a great opportunity to tell admissions officers about an extracurricular that matters to you. Remember that Vanderbilt admissions officers have already seen your personal statement through the Common App. It’s important that you cover an entirely different experience in the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 as they don’t want to read about the same thing over and over. Think about an activity that has had a significant impact on you that you haven’t elaborated on elsewhere in your application. This can include a club at school, an initiative you’ve started, a volunteering experience, or an internship or job you’ve had.

You shouldn’t spend any more than 100 words naming and describing the activity. Admissions officers want to know less about what you do daily as part of the activity, and more on how it has helped hone your leadership skills and influenced who you are. The key focus of your response should lie in explaining why it has had such a powerful impact on you. Has this experience enriched your connection to your community? Is it connected to your interests and goals? Is there a direct connection between your ideal career and the role you played while participating in this particular extracurricular? Anecdotes are important in getting your point across successfully. Think about instances that emphasize why this activity matters so much to you. Why does it stand out over your other experiences?

Even though you haven’t been asked “Why Vanderbilt” directly, think about the types of activities that students are engaged in at the school, and try to find connections between your activity and Vanderbilt’s offerings . Is there an organization at the university where you’d be able to continue similar work? How does Vanderbilt’s commitment to community engagement align with the activity you’ve chosen?

Your choice of extracurricular should reflect the type of experience that holds the most meaning to you personally, because after all, this is your college application. Admissions officers don’t want an essay outlining seemingly impressive activities that you think they want to hear. The Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 should provide more information about who you are and what enjoy. Make sure to reflect on how this activity has shaped your perspective and the role it plays in your aspirations.

More Tips for the Vanderbilt Supplemental Essay 2021-2022

• Think about your leadership role and commitment - When brainstorming the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 , you have to be strategic. The activity you choose should not only be unique but also exemplify your commitment and biggest assets. If you were a general member in a really unusual club for half a year, it’s not the best selection if you didn’t do much. Vanderbilt looks for community leaders who are dedicated to their field. Write about an extracurricular where you’ve been involved for an admirable period of time and taken initiative. Just saying you were a leader isn’t enough either – show your leadership through anecdotes and tangible achievements in your essay.
• Be wary of your activities list description - Since you’re elaborating on a meaningful activity, you should ideally capitalize on the short space provided to describe your achievements with the club or organization. That being said, your Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 is chance to expand upon—instead of repeating—what you’ve written earlier in the Common Application. Admissions officers expect each component of your application to convey new information about you. Mentioning the same things you’ve touched upon elsewhere in the Common App is not strategic. Read back on what you’ve written in the activities section before you write the essay so that you can make sure that all of the information you’ve provided is new.
• Take advantage of the word limit - Even though the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 has provided you with a minimum word count of 200 words, you should take advantage of the upper limit. Although a 400-word limit isn’t too high, it’s generous enough to write an informative essay that demonstrates your passion and commitment to a significant extracurricular. Take advantage of the space you’ve got to introduce the activity, go into anecdotes, and draw a conclusion that makes it clear to admissions officers why this activity holds a special place in your heart. 

Since you don’t have multiple prompts to convey to admissions officers who you are and what makes you unique, the Vanderbilt supplemental essay 2021-2022 must not be taken lightly. Don’t miss this opportunity to highlight your interests and goals by writing a response that demonstrates your passion and dedication to an important extracurricular activity. It’s time to impress the admissions officers with your commitment. Good luck!

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• Vanderbilt Law School

Also known as

Vanderbilt university.

• VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

Vanderbilt Law School is a law school located in Nashville, Tennessee . The school was ranked 16 in 2023 by USNWR. Annual enrollment for Vanderbilt Law School is approximately 155.

Admissions website: https://law.vanderbilt.edu/prospective-students/admissions/

Admissions email: [email protected]

Admissions phone: 615-322-6452

Vanderbilt Law School Key Statistics

During the 2023 application cycle, 5,817 people applied and 845 were offered admission.

Vanderbilt University has a 1L class size of 155, and yield of 17.75%. 150 out of 845 applicants who were offered admission accepted, meaning that 17.75% of the people who were offered admission ended up attending the school .

The 1L class at Vanderbilt University has a median LSAT of 170. The 25th percentile LSAT is 163 and the 75th percentile LSAT is 170.

The median GPA is 3.9. The 25th percentile GPA is 3.57 and the 75th percentile GPA is 3.98.

Vanderbilt Law School LSAT & GPA graph for 2022-2023

LSD has stats for 1,408 applicants for the 2022-2023 application cycle.

The graphs show applicant results plotted against GPA and LSAT. The dotted lines on the graphs represent the 25/50/75th percentiles reported by the school in their ABA 509 report from the previous year.

Each data point represents an LSD user that shared their application results for the benefit of future applicants.

Click on a data point to see that user's profile.

How much does Vanderbilt Law School cost per year?

Sorry, no emploment data yet., cost of attending vanderbilt law school.

In 2023, tuition was $68,816 and the annual cost of attending was $98,784 (tuition plus living expenses).

Cost of Attendance (CoA) is the estimated total amount you will have to spend every year to go to school. Unlike tuition, CoA includes expenses like rent, food, and insurance.

Vanderbilt Law School employment outcomes

95.2% of Vanderbilt University graduates pass the bar on their first try.

Some interesting facts about Vanderbilt Law School

A Balanced Approach

Among the nation’s leading law schools, Vanderbilt Law School stands out as a forward-thinking community of professionals committed to providing tomorrow’s lawyers with the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to tackle difficult problems locally, nationally, and globally in law, public service, business, government, or other areas where law and legal reasoning promote positive outcomes for individuals and society. Scholarship, professional development, and commitment to service for the greater good are integral components of a Vanderbilt legal education.

With about 155 students in each entering JD class, our smaller size allows greater access to an elite faculty in an unusually collegial and rigorous school culture. Drawn from across the nation and abroad, VLS students have remarkably varied backgrounds, experiences, and professional goals, while sharing a common commitment to challenge themselves and each other to excel.

With state-of-the-art facilities situated on a beautiful and vibrant university campus in a sophisticated and livable city, Vanderbilt offers a balanced approach to a productive and rewarding legal education.

Accessible Faculty, Collegial Culture

The central experience of a Vanderbilt legal education is working closely with our faculty of leading experts who approach teaching with the same careful preparation, skill, and enthusiasm they seek to foster in students embarking on professional careers. Lawyers must be team players in difficult circumstances, and Vanderbilt’s well-established active-learning culture promotes collegiality, collaboration, mutual support, and respect for others’ views as integral components of professional practice. Widely respected for their scholarly impact, professors draw on their cutting-edge scholarship to create engaging classroom courses connected to experiential learning opportunities that strengthen core and content legal expertise. Faculty members take an open-door approach, extending their availability to students well beyond class times.

An outstanding classroom curriculum reinforced by experiential and interdisciplinary approaches to advanced training in the second and third years are the hallmarks of a Vanderbilt legal education. Entering students begin their studies with Life of the Law, a course designed to distill the core ideas of legal education and provide tools and information that help beginning law students become productive and effective as quickly as possible. First-year sections of 55 to 60 students study torts, contracts, criminal law, civil procedure, property, and the regulatory state. Legal writing and a spring semester elective course round out the first-year curriculum.

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We are a collaborative and engaged community, offering a rigorous, highly personalized legal education and nationwide career placement. Vanderbilt Law combines the advantages of a stimulating university community, 
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Academic Programs

Branstetter litigation and dispute resolution program, criminal justice program, energy, environment, and land use program, george barrett social justice program, intellectual property program, international legal studies program, law & business certificate program, program in law & government, program on law & innovation, weaver program in law, brain sciences, and behavior.

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Public Interest

We are committed to cultivating a culture of public service and facilitating opportunities for students in the public interest through clinics, practicums, externships, and student-led pro bono projects. 

Experiential Learning

Eight dynamic legal clinics, enriching experiential learning programs, externships, and scholarly student-run publications create an immersive learning environment where theory meets practice.

J.D. Program

Our J.D. program combines a thorough grounding in the law, practical skills development, substantive experiential learning opportunities, and a highly customizable curriculum. Develop knowledge and expertise in specialty areas of legal practice, and earn a Law and Business Certificate or J.D./MS Finance dual degree in three years. Our J.D. graduates enjoy national geographic mobility, supported by the school’s longstanding relationship with legal employers coast to coast.

LL.M. Program

Our one-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) program admits a select group of attorneys who come to Vanderbilt Law from around the globe to learn the fundamentals of the American legal system and study alongside J.D. students. Our expansive curriculum allows you to choose courses each semester that advance your career goals. LL.M. students may earn a Law and Business Certificate, focus on intellectual property, international, environmental or criminal law, or gain exposure to many other areas of legal practice.

Ph.D. Program

Our 6-year Ph.D. program in Law and Economics is unlike any other. Dual-degree students pursue a law degree and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully-integrated curriculum where students conduct policy-relevant research within a wide variety of fields. Graduates have obtained prestigious judicial clerkships, faculty positions in law schools and economics departments, and jobs in government, consulting, and legal practice.

Our online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program provides non-lawyers with a deeper understanding of American law and legal systems. Students expand their professional skillsets and learn legal fundamentals from the same world-class faculty of scholars and educators who teach our J.D. students. Created from the ground up by our top-ranked law school faculty, the MLS curriculum emphasizes both foundational legal principles and insights into areas of law that are most relevant to working professionals.

Why Vanderbilt Law

Students talk about why they chose to attend Vanderbilt Law and discuss their law school experience here.

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The last Dean's Lecture Series on Race and Discrimination for the year, "Free Speech and Equality: Friends or Foes?", was delivered by Jacob Mchangama.

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How simpler governing frameworks can re-empower americans, tracing the lives of the condemned and the people who visit them, rebecca haw allensworth appointed to david daniels allen distinguished chair of law.

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Police in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston as several dozen students shouted and booed at them from a distance.

Georgia State Patrol officers detain a demonstrator on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

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Northeastern University Police remove and arrest protesters one by one at the tent encampment on campus in Boston on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Dozens of NU students and other protesters who set up tents with them on the NU campus were arrested by state, Boston and NU police. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP)

A protester is arrested by University of Texas police at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Columbia University professors rally in solidarity with their students rights to protest free from arrest at the Columbia University campus in New York on Monday April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment is seen at the Columbia University, Friday, April 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Protesters are cuffed after being detained on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

New York City Police Department officers arrest pro-Palestinian protesters outside a student-led encampment at New York University on Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York. The protest and encampment was set up to demand the university divest from weapons manufacturers and the Israeli government. The NYPD said 133 protesters were taken into custody on Monday, and all have been released with summonses to appear in court on disorderly conduct charges. (AP Photo/Noreen Nasir)

Maryam Alwan figured the worst was over after New York City police in riot gear arrested her and other protesters on the Columbia University campus, loaded them onto buses and held them in custody for hours.

But the next evening, the college junior received an email from the university. Alwan and other students were being suspended after their arrests at the “ Gaza Solidarity Encampment ,” a tactic colleges across the country have deployed to calm growing campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war.

The students’ plight has become a central part of protests, with students and a growing number of faculty demanding their amnesty. At issue is whether universities and law enforcement will clear the charges and withhold other consequences, or whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students into their adult lives.

Terms of the suspensions vary from campus to campus. At Columbia and its affiliated Barnard College for women, Alwan and dozens more were arrested April 18 and promptly barred from campus and classes, unable to attend in-person or virtually, and banned from dining halls.

Questions about their academic futures remain. Will they be allowed to take final exams? What about financial aid? Graduation? Columbia says outcomes will be decided at disciplinary hearings, but Alwan says she has not been given a date.

“This feels very dystopian,” said Alwan, a comparative literature and society major.

What started at Columbia has turned into a nationwide showdown between students and administrators over anti-war protests and the limits of free speech. In the past 10 days, hundreds of students have been arrested, suspended, put on probation and, in rare cases, expelled from colleges including Yale University, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota.

Barnard, a women’s liberal arts college at Columbia, suspended more than 50 students who were arrested April 18 and evicted them from campus housing, according to interviews with students and reporting from the Columbia Spectator campus newspaper, which obtained internal campus documents.

On Friday, Barnard announced it had reached agreements restoring campus access to “nearly all” of them. A statement from the college did not specify the number but said all students who had their suspensions lifted have agreed to follow college rules and, in some cases, were put on probation.

On the night of the arrests, however, Barnard student Maryam Iqbal posted a screenshot on the social media platform X of a dean’s email telling her she could briefly return to her room with campus security before getting kicked out.

“You will have 15 minutes to gather what you might need,” the email read.

More than 100 Barnard and Columbia faculty staged a “Rally to Support Our Students” last week condemning the student arrests and demanding suspensions be lifted.

Columbia is still pushing to remove the tent encampment on the campus main lawn where graduation is set to be hosted May 15. The students have demanded the school cuts ties with Israel-linked companies and ensure amnesty for students and faculty arrested or disciplined in connection with the protests.

Talks with the student protesters are continuing, said Ben Chang, a Columbia spokesperson. “We have our demands; they have theirs,” he said.

For international students facing suspension, there is the added fear of losing their visas, said Radhika Sainath, an attorney with Palestine Legal, which helped a group of Columbia students file a federal civil rights complaint against the school Thursday. It accuses Columbia of not doing enough to address discrimination against Palestinian students.

“The level of punishment is not even just draconian, it feels like over-the-top callousness,” Sainath said.

Northeastern University Police remove and arrest protesters one by one at the tent encampment on campus in Boston on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP)

More than 40 students were arrested at a Yale demonstration last week, including senior Craig Birckhead-Morton. He is due to graduate May 20 but says the university has not yet told him if his case will be submitted to a disciplinary panel. He worries about whether he will receive a diploma and if his acceptance to Columbia graduate school could be at risk.

“The school has done its best to ignore us and not tell us what happens next,” said Birckhead-Morton, a history major.

Across the country, college administrators have struggled to balance free speech and inclusivity . Some demonstrations have included hate speech, antisemitic threats or support for Hamas, the group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, sparking a war in Gaza that has left more than 34,000 dead.

May commencement ceremonies add pressure to clear demonstrations. University officials say arrests and suspensions are a last resort, and that they give ample warnings beforehand to clear protest areas.

Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has issued what are believed to be the only student expulsions related to protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding. More than two dozen students occupied the university chancellor’s office for several hours on March 26, prompting the university to summon police and arrest several protesters. Vanderbilt then issued three expulsions, one suspension and put 22 protesters on probation.

In an open letter to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, more than 150 Vanderbilt professors criticized the university’s crackdown as “excessive and punitive.”

Freshman Jack Petocz, 19, one of those expelled, is being allowed to attend classes while he appeals. He has been evicted from his dorm and is living off campus.

Petocz said protesting in high school was what helped get him into Vanderbilt and secure a merit scholarship for activists and organizers. His college essay was about organizing walkouts in rural Florida to oppose Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policies.

“Vanderbilt seemed to love that,” Petocz said. “Unfortunately, the buck stops when you start advocating for Palestinian liberation.”

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