Chance me Tufts RD 2020!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
1

Hi! I am a rising senior who visited Tufts recently and loved it. I feel like I am a well rounded applicant, however my testing is slightly low and I was wondering how this would affect my chances. Here are my stats:

I go to a competitive public high school in the northeast. Usually sends 10ish kids to Ivies and a dozen more to top 20 schools. Last year, 6 applied to Tufts and 3 were accepted.

GPA: UW 97.8/100, W 99.9
Rank: 8/539
Courseload: Most rigorous (1exception- took ap physics 1 instead of combined ap physics 1&2, if this matters). All honors fresh and sophomore and AP world as a sophomore (1st one allowed to take- got a 4)
This year took Physics 1, English Language and Composition, US History. I got a 4 on all three. Also took pre Calc honors, spanish 4 honors, Latin 4 university and chamber orchestra.
Senior Year courseload: AP Lit, AP macroeconomics, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, Latin 5 honors and chamber orchestra. I’ll have 1 more class but I don’t know what it will be yet because I had scheduling conflicts. :frowning:
Self-studying AP Psychology.
SAT: 2050 superscored. Considering enrolling in prep scholar to bring up 200 points.

Awards: (nothing big but some good ones maybe)
-Published in local newspaper for article about accountability, honored by county board for article and given scholarship
-Selected for Area all-state Orchestra festivals 2013&2014, principal violist 2014
-Selected for All-County Orchestra 2010-2015, principal all years
-Harvard and Brandeis Book Awards
-English&music class awards 2013, social studies award 2014, music award 2015
-respect award 2013-2015

Extracurriculars:
-Yearbook Editor-in-Chief (12,11 staff member 9-10)
-Violist in highly regarded Youth Orchestra in my state- (performed in Carnegie, performing abroad next year, huge televised cancer fundraiser, other community performances) (10-12)
-Weekly volunteer at Physical therapy office, help around the clinic and shadow the therapists as well(have 350 hours, will continue until graduation) (10-12)
-Girl Scout since kindergarten- completed silver award and going for Gold- big big project, don’t want to go into it too much here
-Highly involved in Church- on music ministry (10-12), selected as youth representative on Parish Council (1 of 2 selected) (11-12), confirmation retreat organizer (12), possibly co-religious Ed instructor (12)
-Fiddle Club- president 12, vp 11, treasurer 10, member 9- toured abroad this year in Ireland, lots of community gigs and performances every year
-Recycling Club- vice president (hopefully) 12, vp 11, secretary 10, member 9

  • Rec Soccer- spring & fall, k-12

Summers:
2014- Attended NSLC health care and medicine conference; church camp counselor, also self-employed street musician to fundraise for trips abroad
2015- taking for credit online Harvard course in Neurobiology, church camp counselor, street musician again

Other:
Essays: already started, should be great
Recs: guidance counselor will be outstanding, latin teacher who had me all 4 years even more outstanding, other teacher probably an 8/10. Also submitting additional Rec from a physical therapist I shadow, should be pretty great too.

I will submit a music supplement.I play Viola which is somewhat unique and sometimes needed. It should be excellent, maybe a hook? Probably not haha.

I want to be a Community Health major and music minor.
No hooks (unless Viola counts…)

Also another note, my parents have gone through a really messy divorce over the last 5 years which involved me getting a legal advisor and going to court. I might mention this in the family section on common app BRIEFLY, also im sure my guidance counselor will touch on it a little in her letter of rec.

Feel free to chance me for my other schools! Northeastern EA, Georgetown EA, UPenn, Brandeis, American, Ithaca College and SUNY Stony Brook.

Sorry if there are any mistakes because I’m on mobile. If you made it through this lengthy post I appreciate it so much. I will chance you back! Just leave me a link.
Thanks!!

2

Eh, you have a fair shot. Your stats are compelling and your score isn’t too bad (albeit it is the 25% i believe). Try to bring your score up, but if you can’t, it’s not the end of the world. I’m sure Tufts will see quality in you, and perhaps they might accept you! Best of luck, from a fellow Tufts RD 2020 Candidate :smiley:

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Thanks so much! @Princetonian2020

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@ptkid16 i think that you would be an excellent applicant for tufts, you seem to be very well rounded, focus a lot on your essay, i know that tufts’s essay tend to be very personalized and deep, don’t worry too much about your test scores

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Honestly, other than for your SATs which are likely acceptable, your application looks quite good.

Your SAT would likely get you through to the “next round” where all the acceptable applications are further looked at.

If possibly, I’d try to take the ACT as well as the SAT at least once more; the ACT could be better than the SAT for you, and the SAT would be superscored automatically by Tufts. As far as I know, Tufts’ computer automatically superscores you, so that the best combination of SAT or ACT scores go to the admissions committee.

I’d focus on your essays now. They are very important to Tufts. Go to Tufts blogs and look at past essays, given on the Tufts websites.

Also, you might consider making Tufts an Early Decision school, if financial aid is not a deal breaking consideration for you and if you REALLY want Tufts. That would significantly increase your odds, as you cannot demonstrate commitment to a school any better than ED.

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Thank you! @takudan
@tigerdad unfortunately FA is a deal breaker for me and I’m praying that I’ll get a good enough deal somewhere (tufts would be awesome!). I’ve taken the SAT 3 times now, I think I’ll study hard and take them once more in October instead of learning a new test (ACT). Thanks so much for the chance!

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I took the SAT twice (scored a 2070 superscored), wasn’t happy with my scores and switched over to the ACT. I scored a 32 the first time (32 E, 31 M, 35 R, 31 S), and a 34 the second time with minimal extra preparation (34 E, 35 M, 35 R, 33 S) and am now entering my freshman year at Tufts.

I think that it might be worthwhile just to try a practice test and see how you do. It could make a huge difference and possibly be one of the factors that gets you admitted. Best of luck either way though.

Edit: Forgot to add that I applied ED and also needed financial aid. I don’t believe Tufts is technically need-blind RD and I think they make an effort to be need-blind ED. Idk if that factors into your decision of when to apply.

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Oh wow maybe I’ll take a practice test. Thanks! @micmatt513