Dean's Honor Scholarship 2016-2017

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tulane University
1

Hi all,

So I recently submitted my EA app to Tulane, and I feel pretty good about getting in. I’ve visited twice and am absolutely in love. I also feel pretty good about potentially getting some merit aid, but I know I will need a substantial amount more to be able to afford Tulane. I’m applying for the DHS, Paul Tulane, and Community Service Fellowship, but I’ve read on older threads that people who get the DHS generally have a 2250+ SAT. I’m a pretty creative person and am confident that I can make a solid project, but I’m afraid that my stats may hinder my chances. I’m not here to do a “chance me thread,” but I just want to start a discussion about the DHS so I can get a better understand of who gets the DHS and why.

My stats:
1440 new SAT (720 RW + 720 M)
3.96 UW/4.66 W GPA
9 APs – 4 tests so far (three 5s and one 4)
175+ hours community service
Good leadership and ECs

Personally, I think my stats are good. I’m not here to whine about how I didn’t get a 1600 on the SAT. I would just like to hear from other people who have received or have applied for the DHS in the past. Thanks! :slight_smile:

2

@thefloridavegan, historically, DHS and PTA have gone to students who receive one of the top two merit awards. I believe that this year, the top amount is $32K. Of course, anyone can apply, but this has been the trend.

3

Here is some info from one of Fallen Chemist’s (RIP) posts from a couple of weeks ago:

Typical scholarship recipients rank in the top 5 percent of the class, have a rigorous academic program with honors and advanced placement courses, and have an outstanding record of extracurricular activities and score near the top of the range in a college admission test.
Just so you know, it used to say "…and scores of 2250+ on the SAT or 33+ on the ACT. " I think they changed it in anticipation of the SAT changes, but that 2250 would now be 1500.

4

With DHS while academics are considered the project is definitely most important aspect of the scholarship. Really the more creative you can be with the project the better!

5

So FloridaVegan, did you get it? I hope so! I’m on here looking for info on Tulane as my daughter is deciding between Tulane and one other school.

I’ve read a few other threads on the DHS, so I’ll just put her experience here in case it helps another student or family next year. She DID get the scholarship! We were totally and completely blown away and thrilled of course.

Her application included a stellar letter of rec. I’d say this is vital.

Unlike some applicants, she did not stress over the application. She didn’t plan it for months, it took her a weekend. And unlike many of the videos you see on YouTube (which are AWESOME by the way), her submission was less ‘flashy’ I would say. She is a STEM kid and she built a device to visualize sound waves. She submitted a few fairly ordinary pictures of the actual device so you could see how it was made. Additionally, she submitted a short video of the device working (no fancy editing at all, just a plain video). And then she submitted a very brief essay describing the device. I will say, the essay was creative though. It was cleverly written and humorous. She did spend and entire weekend building the device in her grandpa’s workshop, but other than that, she didn’t spend a huge amount of time. My daughter is a very hands-on, super creative type. The device she built is something she might have done just for fun anyway. So I would say that is KEY. Showcase what you LOVE and do not get intimidated by all the fancy videos you see on YouTube as examples. Not everyone has that skill. My daughter doesn’t. :slight_smile:

She submitted the application and then she waited. Interestingly, she actually got ‘deferred’ on her admission application just two weeks after she submitted for the DHS, so we thought the chances of the DHS were out the window. We basically moved on, as she had a few others colleges she was actively pursuing. Then in mid-Feb she got an email telling her an update to her application portal was available. She received admission and was granted a very generous scholarship (I think it was called the Presidential Scholarship). We wondered about the DHS, but didn’t inquire. Literally 2 days later she got another email advising her to check her portal again and when she did we about fainted!!! She got the DHS! It was so unexpected since she had been deferred. I suspect we will never know why she was deferred (and to be quite honest I was surprised because her stats and credentials were spot on with Tulane’s average states, and even in several cases exceeded them).

Anyway, we were totally unaware of the tradition of the portfolios being mailed and when the packet arrived on our door step I thought it was something I ordered. Ha ha! I love Amazon. Anyway, when I looked at, I saw the sender and my daughter opened it immediately. What a fun surprise! She has received many very nice scholarships, but none have come with such a personal touch. The letter was written specifically to her. It referenced the device she built and how it reflected her passion for STEM, and it specifically referenced some of the activities and her community service (it specifically mentioned the name of her activities), so the letter was truly written for HER. We were very impressed.

My daughter is looking for a smaller private university with high academic standards. She is an athlete and an outdoorsy person so she refused to look at any of those ‘fancy’ school in the NE. In other words…nowhere cold. She is still in the process of making her final decision between Tulane and one other very similar university. I think she is leaning Tulane. We will see.

This is long, but I hope it helps anyone else applying. :slight_smile:

6

DD is a Tulane Sophomore now, home for spring break, and we were just recalling how excited she was to get the DHS a couple years ago. She was accepted at a “higher” ranked school, but with the DHS, Tulane shot to number 1 on her list. She has been very happy at Tulane over the last two years, and is confident she made the right call in enrolling at Tulane. My thought at the time, and I still believe this, is that the difference between Tulane’s ranking and “higher” ranked schools is basically meaningless, so go where you want to based on other factors besides rank, and cost is certainly one of those factors. Tulane is in a great town, has good programs, and DD has really gotten to personally know some great professors. With the DHS, she’ll have money left over from our savings to attend grad school, if that is what she wants. Next year she’s off to France for the year to study at Tulane’s program in France that it runs with Duke, Emory and Cornell. She has zero regrets and is so happy she didn’t pick the bigger, more expensive, higher ranked school (UVA).

7

For the past year my daughter has had her heart set on a small private university that is close to home (VERY well respected, especially in engineering). She has spent the past year going hard after their top scholarship (attending every event, function, overnight visit - you name it, she’s done it. She invested hours and hours into that school). We all have loved the idea of her going there. And we were fairly confident that she would get the scholarship she wanted. The Tulane app was simply insurance (way back at the early decision deadline). At the last minute, she decided to do the DHS app as well, Then in February she got the DHS and all of the sudden Tulane went WAY up on the list.

But her other school (if she got the scholarship she was after) was even better (a full ride). We quickly booked a trip to Tulane ‘just in case’ and she loved it. She found a dorm she loved (and maybe even a roommate). She even got a schedule. She left a happy girl. But the answer on her original first choice was still pending at that time. Well, a week after getting back from Tulane, she found out she did NOT get the scholarship she had worked so hard for. This is changes everything. She still has a very nice offer from them, but it’s not a full ride, and Tulane’s offer is actually financially better. Plus Tulane is ranked higher anyway. Sooooo…that is the dilemma. Two switch or not to switch? I think she’s switching. The other school is still putting together some final ‘offers’ that sweeten the deal in lieu of the big scholarship going to someone else.

It almost seems meant to be since she got the DHS and did not get the one she thought she wanted. I love hearing that your kid is at Tulane and loves it. Thanks for sharing your experience. Very helpful! I’ve read a few bad experiences at Tulane, but that is to be expected anywhere. The bottom line is, it is very well ranked, they are offering her one heck of a scholarship, they offer the degree program she wants, she loved the campus and the people, she felt like she would do well there. It’s just taking us a bit to readjust our thoughts since everything was focused on the other university for so long. Best of luck to your DD in France!

8

“Subscribed”. Thanks for the valuable info folks