<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 10/31/98
000 C000000 0000034066
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
001 B000000 811-1530
001 C000000 6106691000
002 A000000 100 VANGUARD BOULEVARD
002 B000000 MALVERN
002 C000000 PA
002 D010000 19355
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-15908
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
008 A000002 GRANAHAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000002 A
008 C000002 801-23705
008 D010002 WALTHAM
008 D020002 MA
008 D030002 02154
008 A000003 CHARTWELL INVESTMENT PARTNERS
008 B000003 A
008 C000003 801-54124
008 D010003 BERWYN
008 D020003 PA
008 D030003 19312
010 A000001 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
010 B000001 801-11953
010 C010001 MALVERN
010 C020001 PA
010 C030001 19355
012 A000001 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC.
012 B000001 84-772
012 C010001 MALVERN
012 C020001 PA
012 C030001 19355
013 A000001 PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS LLP
013 B010001 PHILADELPHIA
013 B020001 PA
013 B030001 19103
014 A000001 VANGUARD MARKETING CORPORATION
014 B000001 8-21570
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02110
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 96
019 C000000 VANGUARDGR
020 A000001 INVESTMENT TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.
020 B000001 95-4339369
020 C000001 322
020 A000002 INSTINET CORP.
020 B000002 13-3443395
020 C000002 179
020 A000003 ALEX BROWN & SONS, INC.
020 B000003 52-1319768
020 C000003 164
020 A000004 HEFLIN & CO.
020 C000004 130
020 A000005 STANDARD & POORS SECURITIES INC.
020 B000005 13-2671951
020 C000005 126
020 A000006 SMITH BARNEY INC.
020 B000006 13-1912900
020 C000006 104
020 A000007 BRIDGE TRADING CO.
020 B000007 43-1450530
020 C000007 92
020 A000008 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000008 94-1701676
020 C000008 78
020 A000009 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000009 13-5659485
020 C000009 77
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 A000010 JEFFERIES & CO. INC.
020 B000010 95-2622900
020 C000010 74
021 000000 3023
022 A000001 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC./POOLED CASH ACCT.
022 B000001 23-1945930
022 C000001 1353193
022 D000001 1431686
022 A000002 HAMBRECK & QUIST LLC
022 B000002 94-3220242
022 C000002 37744
022 D000002 62011
022 A000003 ALEX BROWN & SONS, INC.
022 B000003 52-1319768
022 C000003 39093
022 D000003 50582
022 A000004 JEFFERIES & CO., INC.
022 B000004 95-2622900
022 C000004 35875
022 D000004 50731
022 A000005 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000005 13-2655998
022 C000005 53677
022 D000005 19258
022 A000006 PIPER JAFFREY INC.
022 B000006 41-0953246
022 C000006 18614
022 D000006 42535
022 A000007 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
022 B000007 94-1701676
022 C000007 43087
022 D000007 15100
022 A000008 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000008 13-2741729
022 C000008 18142
022 D000008 36455
022 A000009 ADAMS, HARKNESS, & HILL, INC.
022 B000009 04-2149932
022 C000009 8447
022 D000009 42042
022 A000010 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000010 13-5659485
022 C000010 26991
022 D000010 23228
023 C000000 2148289
023 D000000 2275513
024 000000 N
025 A000001 DELETE
025 D000001 0
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
025 A000003 DELETE
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 61407
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 79535
028 B010000 60892
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 71747
028 C010000 63916
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 112671
028 D010000 78638
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 66671
028 E010000 35155
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 40756
028 F010000 72078
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 60825
028 G010000 372086
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 432205
028 H000000 0
029 000000 N
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
034 000000 N
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 N
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 Y
047 000000 N
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 Y
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
054 A000000 N
054 B000000 N
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 N
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 3000
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 Y
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 Y
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 Y
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 N
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 1594053
071 B000000 1638466
071 C000000 2201597
071 D000000 72
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 13667
072 C000000 9840
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 663
072 F000000 4309
072 G000000 3657
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 6066
072 J000000 86
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 110
072 M000000 6
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 129
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 11
072 S000000 0
072 T000000 637
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 61
072 W000000 0
072 X000000 15072
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 9098
072AA000000 376075
072BB000000 373631
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 282104
072DD010000 10298
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 240982
073 A010000 0.2500
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 5.8500
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 719
074 B000000 246294
074 C000000 5753
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 2218
074 F000000 1969660
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 406
074 J000000 6527
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 10321
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 2241898
074 O000000 12768
074 P000000 1235
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 31978
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 2195917
074 U010000 44269
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 49.60
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 175672
074 Y000000 5753
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 2439862
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 350000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 148
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE GARY P. SOURA
TITLE MANAGER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000034066
<NAME> VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> US
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1998
<PERIOD-START> NOV-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2002544
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 2223925
<RECEIVABLES> 16848
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1125
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 17973
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 12768
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 33213
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 45981
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1955858
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 44269
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 40923
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 6448
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 4645
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 228966
<NET-ASSETS> 2195917
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 9840
<INTEREST-INCOME> 13667
<OTHER-INCOME> 663
<EXPENSES-NET> 15072
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 9098
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2444
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (282104)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (270562)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 10298
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 240982
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 13941
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 15267
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4672
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (353983)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 7648
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 243183
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 4309
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 15072
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2439862
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 62.31
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.21
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (6.82)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.25
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 5.85
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 49.60
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.62
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
