Chances for Tufts?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
1

<p>I visited Tufts University this past week and I absolutely loved almost everything about the campus! The programs are outstanding and the opportunities sound amazing. Also, the social life seems to be very great! What are my chances for admittance to Tufts, in your opinion? :)</p>

<p>SAT I:
2180 Composite (780 M, 780 W, 620 CR) - Retaking to raise CR in fall
SAT II:
- Chem - 720
- Math II - 750
- Bio M - 650
Unweighted GPA: 3.9 ish
Weighted GPA: 4.286
Class Rank: 2-5/250ish</p>

<p>AP Classes (so far):
-AP Chemistry 5
-AP Statistics 4
Have taken all honors classes and a gifted english class, as well as an honors level chorus.</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
-AP Biology
-AP Calculus
-AP Comparative Government
-AP Physics
-Honors English
-Honors Special Chorus</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-National Honor Society (President)
-International Thespian Society (Vice President)
-Amnesty International (Vice President)
-Spanish Honor Society
-Peer Counseling
-Math League (Champions)
-Piano Lessons (10yrs)
-Drama Productions and Musicals: "Godspell" (Ensemble), "How to Succeed" (Womper), "Brighton Beach Memoirs" (Stanley), "RENT" (Paul), "The Wiz" (Lion) - extreme devotion and passion for this. Dedicate alot of time to it in the Fall and Spring seasons.
-Small Group Choir - All year round
-JV Boys Soccer (9th and 10th)
-JV Boys Tennis (10th)</p>

<p>Community Service:
-Various events/activities through NHS and SHS, including a Book Fair, Sponsoring FOOD at the Annual Cabaret, an Electronics Day, a Charity Auction.
-Tutoring thru NHS
-Teacher Assistant since 10th Grade for the same teacher, 4 hrs/wk
-Peer Counseling: Teacher Dinner, Freshman Orientation, New Teacher Tea, New Student Breakfast, Breakfast for Haiti (2010)
-Battle of the Bands sponsored by Amnesty International to raise money for Cambodia - I also was the M.C. of the event</p>

<p>Major Awards, etc:
-Undergraduate Award (9th) - World History Honors
-Undergraduate Award (9th) - Spanish II Honors
-Undergraduate Award (9th) - English I Honors
-Undergraduate Award (9th) - Foundations of Health, Science, and Technology
-Math League Champions (10th)
-Harvard-Radcliffe Book Award (11th)</p>

<p>Summers/Work:
Summer@Brown 2010 - Neuroscience Course
CJSA Certified Soccer Referee (2008-Present)
Dunkin Donuts Counter Attendant! (2011-Present)
Summer Theater Productions - RENT (2010), Footloose (2011)
Private Paid Tutor (2010-2011)
Paid Accompanist for the Danbury Summer Chorus (2011)
Summer Theater Workshop for 2 wks (2011)</p>

<p>Other:
- Major: Biochemistry
- State: CT
- Ethnicity: Whitey :\
- Gender: M
- Income: Approx. $120K
- Essay-Struggle with a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder (entered high school at 50-60lbs and weak) which has inspired me to want to specialize in gastroenterology and have empathy for others who have similar disorders. Passion... will write my essay about how the experience in hospitals, diagnosing, and tests has changed my view on life and what I want to do with my life in the future with my education.
Should have pretty outstanding recs because all of the people I asked have a very personal relationship with me!</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>Most of your application is very appealing.
You have taken challenging courses and obviously done very well, so your grades and class rank are solid. Your ECs are okay (not great, but okay). It sounds like you can write a compelling essay about why you want to be a doctor (you also need to write a “why Tufts” essay). Your SAT Subject Tests are fine, because the Bio won’t count; Tufts will look at your two strongest scores, which are 750 and 720.
Your SAT Math score is great. So the only material weakness - and it is very weak - is that CR score of 620. Yes, that could potentially be a problem, so you are wise to take another shot at the SAT. But have you also taken, or considered taking, the ACT? It could pay off for you.</p>

3

<p>Oops! Forgot to include that! I got a 31 Composite on the ACT first try, 11 Essay. Don’t really plan on taking it again, its just there haha. I’m really hoping I can improve the CR score to 650+ :). Thanks for your opinion!!</p>

4

<p>How did you do on the reading on the ACT? </p>

<p>I always find it hard to tell anything about ECs from lists, I feel like your list is too long if anything. If the Common Application is the same as last year, there will be a question about which EC you enjoyed the most and why, so that’s a chance to show another side of your personality.</p>

5

<p>ACT Subscore:
31 English
31 Math
29 Reading
31 Science
11 Essay</p>

<p>That EC supplement sounds great! I would definitely write about my involvement in the theater, because I have been doing that all year round for about 4 years now.</p>

<p>What do you think my chances are for tufts though?</p>

6

<p>Applying ED or RD?</p>

7

<p>As of now, I’m planning on RD… but if my parents and I decide we can handle the commitment and that it is definitely the school for me, i MAY choose ED.</p>

8

<p>Definitely submit your ACT - I think that reading score is the equivalent of a high 600 score.</p>

<p>I don’t really do chances, but I think you are a viable candidate, but there’s no way to predict how your application (essays, LOR etc.) will be read by the committee.</p>

9

<p>I’d say you have atleast an 80% chance. Your numbers and ec’s are good, and it sounds like your essays will be very unique and inspiring. Good luck! If Tufts is your first choice, apply ED. If it is not, apply RD. I personally recommend you look into Johns Hopkins. You have stats within their range, and they have a great pre-med program (if you are looking at pre-med). I completely agree with you too, when I visited Tufts in April of this year, the happiness of its students and strong sense of community and social life were so blatantly obvious! Good Luck! </p>

<ul>
<li>P.s Chance me if you can!</li>
</ul>

10

<p>^^12lyncje- I find it amusing that even though you are just another prospective applicant asking the OP “Chance me if you can!,” you feel comfortable saying that the OP has “at least an 80% chance.” The OP is a solid applicant, but the 80% odds you offer are ridiculous. If everyone with comparable scores, GPA, ECs, etc. had an 80% chance, Tufts’ acceptance rate would probably jump from about 22-23% to well over 40%, maybe even more.</p>

11

<p>That is a very well-balanced ACT score. Be aware that Tufts is not just number crunching applicants – those supplemental essays are intended to suss out whether Tufts and you would be a good fit together.</p>

12

<p>Thanks for all feedback! I’m hoping I stand a better chance than the “average” applicant to Tufts (making my chances over 22%-the average admittance rate of all applicants). I intend to send ALL scores: ACT, SAT (once I retake to improve CR to 650+), and the SAT Subject Tests… just in case some of you were wondering.</p>

13

<p>SAT score-wise, you were in the same boat as me at that time. I had a 2180 (lowest with reading) first time around. If you can retake them, go for it if it’s not a waste of time. It made my combined score a 2280. An 100 point jump’s pretty sweet. You never know what you can get. If you want to do the same for ACT, go for it too. Just don’t do something without preparing first. I submitted both ACT and SAT (they were pretty much equal), but whatever floats your boat in the end. In the end though, as I’m sure you know, you’re not just a number. You have good ideas for what to do, but be patient with your essays and let them sink in! Make them your life, and make them reflect who you really are. Don’t make them reflect, necessarily, what every college expects out of a student. Go for it, and I wish you the best.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the post, penguin! I really appreciate your advice! I’d love to improve that 100 pts, it would be fantastic to have the 2280… At this point i’d just like to get a balanced CR score so it shows no weakness.</p>

<p>Thanks!! Anyone else care to add any input?</p>

15

<p>You seem strong. Just write good essays. And I would work to just study for the critical reading portion of the SAT…nothing else. You can definitely come off stronger that way.</p>

16

<p>I wish to pursue medicine in the near future and obviously, to pursue this, I will have to enter as a pre-med student. I’ve just finished junior year and I’m studying the IB curriculum. My higher levels are:
Biology- A
Chemistry- A
Economics- A
My standard levels are;
Mathematics- A-
English- A
French- A-
I’ve given my SAT once and I got a 2060, I wasn’t satisfied with the score so I took it again and got a 2200
I also gave the ACT to be on the safe side and got a 33
I’m the president of student council in my school
I’m the debate captain in school as well
I play varsity level basketball
I’ve done 2 internships, and about 200-300 hours of community service
I’m on the honors roll and have won the best student award every year in high school so far and I’ve also got an award for biology all throughout high school.
Also, I play the piano and I’ve managed to complete the grade 7 piano exam (trinity) I’ve been in theatre productions in grade 10 and 11.
I also won the chemistry award at the end of junior year. My letters of rec. seem pretty strong as well.
Lastly, I gave the SAT II subject tests in biology and chemistry and scored a 800 and 750 respectively.
Other than that, I’m an international student who has had the opportunity to live in various parts of the world.
Gender -F
What are my chances of getting in?
Thank you</p>

17

<p>You will be a very competitive applicant. Beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess.</p>

18

<p>othdge…</p>

<p>You should start your own post rather than piggy-back this one!</p>