Hi, I’m a junior at a boarding school in New Jersey. I have a 3.87 GPA and a 1340 on the SAT. I took two APs this year and will take two more next year, along with an independent study on race relations in America after the era of the Civil Rights Movement and an elective on Harlem Renaissance literature. I have also been taking Mandarin Chinese since freshman year and will continue to do so in the future. I am a varsity athlete, though not a recruitable one. I perform in three music ensembles at my school and I perform in either supporting or leading roles in two plays per year. I play four instruments and love jazz music, so I’ve always wanted to spend time in New Orleans. I took an honors biotechnology course this year and did several presentations on the way energy companies utilize living organisms in the clean-up of oil spills. I’m very interested in energy economics, and Tulane offers an Energy specialization for undergraduates at the business school. From what I’ve seen, Tulane has a wonderful campus in an exciting city with rich culture. Could I get in to the business school at Tulane? If not, what are my chances of acceptance into the School of Liberal Arts?
You chances of getting into the business school at Tulane are identical to your chances of getting into the School of Liberal Arts. And, for that matter, the School of Science and Engineering, the School of Public Health, and the School of Architecture. Because Tulane doesn’t divide up its admissions. Every student is accepted in Newcomb-Tulane College, which contains all 5 Schools. That is why it is so easy to change majors at Tulane, as well as double or even triple major. And with your interests in energy and ecology, Tulane would be the ideal school to not only double major in business and biology with appropriate specializations in each, but to make those two things work together to your advantage. Because Tulane is also a leader in supporting cross-disciplinary research. So if you wanted to work on a senior thesis that involved say, the business rationale for supporting research in developing oil digesting bacteria or enzymes, that could probably be done. And I just made that up with little background in the field and 5 minutes thought. I can only imagine what you could come up with in a couple of years of getting to know both fields and the professors that could work with you. Not to mention potential commercialization possibilities, which Tulane is also fostering quite strongly.
So yes, I think with your credentials you could get accepted, although another shot at the SAT and nudging it closer to 1400 would help with both admissions and merit scholarship money. After that, it is just a matter of how ambitious you are, but your areas of interest fit Tulane beautifully, and Tulane’s structure would seem to be ideal for you. Your “Why Tulane” essay is practically writing itself!
Thanks so much! I’ll probably take another crack at the SAT next fall, but it’s certainly interesting that Tulane doesn’t divide up its admissions.
Yes, they are fairly unique among research universities that way. The business school is very popular, but rather than start to restrict admissions, they are expanding the physical space as we speak to accommodate the increase. Certainly their energy program, along with finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship are highly thought of, along with several very unique and highly regarded specialty programs. @hearroroym
@hearroroym Have you considered taking the ACT instead of the SAT. You might find that you score higher on that.
I did take the ACT. I only got a 29 (34 English, 24 Math). I was not fond of the science section and much preferred my experience with the SAT.