<p>What are my chances for admission to Tufts Early Decision?</p>
<ul>
<li>High School ranked 31-41 (varies every year) of 200 Best High Schools in the Nation</li>
<li>Very Competitive High School; Well known for academic rigor & drama/theater program</li>
<li>Taking Most Rigorous Course load Possible
<ul>
<li>Sophomore Year: AP European History (3), rest of classes are honors classes</li>
<li>Junior Year: Psych Research Honors, AP U.S. History, AP Psychology, AP English Language, AP Physics B, AP Latin, Precalculus honors</li>
<li>Senior Year: Psych Research Honors, AP Economics, AP English Literature, AP Latin Vergil, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB</li>
</ul></li>
<li>GPA: 3.7 Unweighted</li>
<li>SATs: 2010 (Retook them in October, results pending)</li>
<li>Extracurriculars:
<p>Engaging essay topics and balanced class selection speak more to the quality of people in the admissions office than the quality of the school as a whole. I would like to see Tufts more clearly express what they stand for as an institution of higher learning. The “leader of tomorrow” theme feels too much like a slogan. Some of the “how” behind the slogan is missing, IMO. For me, this is one of the big differences between Tufts and Chicago. Chicago has taken the time to clearly express in writing what they stand for as an educational institution, and has figured out a way to convey that in their communication with perspective students. Tuft has not, at least not to that level. They are still light years ahead of many of their peers, though… Just peruse the web sites of schools like USC, UCLA, CMU, BC, NUY, and you will see what I am talking about.</p>
<p>Hey I’m sorry, I don’t know where I got that you were applying to ED II. My mistake!</p>
<p>Anyway, more important than your GPA is your class rank, as grade deflation/inflation is different at each high school. Where do you rank?</p>
<p>Your SATs are on the low end, but hopefully you did better on the retake. If your class rank is high, that will obfuscate a lower-end SAT score. Have you tried the ACTs? Often kids who don’t do stellar on the SAT do so on the ACT. Consider it, if you have time to.</p>
<p>Your community service leadership will bode well with the Tufts adcom as the mantra is “active citizenship” among Jumbos. So that’s great!</p>
<p>Write really good essays; consider doing the optional one. And give an informed, genuine answer to the “Why Tufts?” essay.</p>
<p>And to GroovyGeek: I think that Tufts does make it rather clear that the essays are a really important part of the application package. That’s why they highlight especially great essays on their website, that’s why they’re among the first in the nation to experiment with radically different essay topics.</p>
<p>Thanks Lolabelle and GroovyGeek for all your advice and whatnot. I am a good writer but I am having a lot of trouble with my essays. I am usually a very fluent writer and produce beautiful writing but I am having severe writer’s block for Tuft’s supplements. I am going to do the optional essay; I am thinking of doing two (one is a short story and the other is doing whatever i want to 8.5 x 11 inch paper). I would appreciate any help that I can get regarding supplemental essays. My school doesn’t rank but I am probably in top 10%; but again, my school doesn’t rank so I’m not quite sure. </p>
<p>I am also thinking of Emory, UNC in Chapel Hill, BC, Carnegie Mellon, University of Rochester, University of Michigan. Which do you think I have a good match at? Thanks for all your help.</p>
<p>LoveJDC: Work with your English teacher, or whichever teacher knows you and your writing the best, on your essays. On writing two optional essays: you can only choose one so make sure you don’t send both! If you’d like, do both then pick the one you’re happiest with (says the most about you).</p>
<p>I’d say BC is a high match. CMU is a low reach/high match. Emory is a low reach. And I don’t know enough about UNC, Rochester, and UMich to opine.</p>
<p>Thanks Lolabelle. I appreciate all of your help. I will be happy to wherever I get in, but I truly believe that Tufts is the perfect school for me. Why Tufts? Well…It really searches for students who have a deeper talent and unique quality than the robotic, “engrossed in academics” student. They really look for people who are different, and I love their outlook and perspective of the college process!</p>
<p>SATs might be a problem.
What were your scores on the junior year AP exams?
GPA is fine, but not overwhelming.
Course selection is impressive.
Good luck.</p>
<p>Hmm, I wish there was a way you could make those two 2’s on the AP’s disappear… I do think it’s a good thing you’re applying ED to up your chances as Tufts is a reach. Work hard on the things you can change (i.e. not those 2 AP’s) – the essays, your apps, make sure you get good recs. Good luck to you</p>
<p>Latin exam gold but only a 2 on the AP-- is this correct? Tufts is a reach based on your posted info. If you live in North Carolina, then UNC Chapel Hill is a match, but if your out of state you are not likely to be admitted. Your posted profile needs polishing. Rank of 31-41 is meaningless without class size or percentile. What do you want to study?</p>
<p>I do not dispute that the admissions office has clearly spelled out what they are looking for. However, saying “essays are an important part of the applications package” clarifies what Tufts is looking for, not who may want to go there. I would like to see more of the web site dedicated to explaining the educational philosophy and the environment at the school. In particular, the “About” section needs to have a lot more in it than the mostly boilerplate stuff that is currently there. Here are a few great examples of a school explaining what they stand for:</p>
<p>The former do not dwell on the “how”, but rather explain the “why”. The latter are quite the opposite. Again, this is NOT Tufts bashing by any means. I like Tufts very much, it is one of my D’s top choices, but it took a 3kmi flight, a campus visit, and quite a bit of work to reach that conclusion. I am just trying to provide constructive suggestions on how the school can make things easier for applicants to figure out whether they are a fit or not.</p>
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<p>The “Why Tufts?” question is to be answered in 50 words or less. It is very difficult to answer this with anything more than a sound bite. I am sure that the adcom has carefully considered how much space to give applicants to answer each question, I am curious why they decided to ask them to write an optional essay, but force them to answer this very important question in just 2 sentences. Dan?</p>
<p>I want to study English or Premedicine or Biology. I also love theater and wouldn’t mind participating in the drama department. But main focus is English and Premedicine. I’m also strong research student; I have interned at NYU as a lab assistant for two summers in my sophomore and junior years in high school; i will probably also intern there again. So I definitely want to pursue research in college.</p>