<p>I applied to Tulane University as my reach school and sent the app a week before early action. A couple of days ago my application said that all of my materials was in. When I checked this morning it read, "The committee on admission has decided to defer final review of your application until our regular review period.
We will try to get you a decision as soon as possible, but the latest you will receive an update is April 1. A letter with additional information will be mailed to your home shortly." Can someone please tell me what this means. Thanks</p>
<p>It means that in the first round, Early Action, they didn’t feel they could give you a slot in that more competitive round. Therefore, your application will be evaluated against the larger, regular decision pool. Once all those apps are read, then they decide whether or not to give you admission. Good news is that for your reach school, you’re still in the running! (Better than being rejected, right?)</p>
<p>Bad news (and you probably are prepared for this) is that you don’t have a YES/NO from them and therefore, need to finish all your other applications.</p>
<p>And sometimes they defer you because they saw an upswing in your school grades, and want to see your first semester grades to confirm this. Although this is not as good as an acceptance, it is a good sign for a reach school. It means they do not see you as reaching.</p>
<p>It also means that you should update Tulane with any additional honors, awards or other significant events after the date you submitted your original application.</p>
<p>My friend applied here with a 3.5 and 3 APs. and a 1260/1800 or so and was deferred also.</p>
<p>Let’s just say I have a lower SAT than that haha</p>
<p>Has anyone you know actually been denied at tulane early action or does everyone that apply EA and not make it get deferred to RA?</p>
<p>Yes, my friend also got an e-mail like that and don’t worry what will come will come!</p>
<p>sallega: interesting question…re: all EA’s deferred…fallenchemist, any ideas? I actually need to know for a junior I am advising for next year…</p>
<p>Rodney: I’m starting to think this because I dont feel that I am a very strong candidate for this school but I made it clear how much I wanted to attend so I have no idea. I’ve gotten into some decent schools like loyola new orleans, saint Louis university ect but I feel that my stats were really far away from Tulane’s</p>
<p>sallega: one of the reasons I also find your question interesting (and why I want to know the answer) is because it occured to me that even in past years, I have never known anyone to actually get a rejection letter from Tulane, even in the RD round…it’s either a defer (from EA) or a waitlist (from RD)…almost similar to the ole UMich approach to both…</p>
<p>Yea I’m sure they just keep people around just in case they have the room</p>
<p>Well, you may not happen to know anyone that got denied, but actually about 72% of the students that applied last year did indeed get denied. Tulane’s wait list last year wasn’t THAT big.</p>
<p>To answer the main question, Tulane is deferring a very large group this year, many with stellar stats. I think the reason is, for those of you that don’t read the Tulane threads, because they are taking a smaller class this year. Usually Tulane wants 1400-1500 freshmen. Last year they ended up with 1630. They also had the highest freshman retention rate in history, 91%. All of this adds up to a space crunch, since they require living on campus your first two years. Hence the unusual moves this year to try and manage the size of the incoming class. They want no more than 1400. So I wouldn’t count on Tulane at this stage if your stats are borderline anyway, but you never know. You are already in the RD pool, so you can only wait and see anyway. Certainly having a good first semester this year will help you.</p>
<p>As far as next year, let’s assume Tulane is successful in keeping the class size at 1400. Let’s also assume similar retention rates. If that holds, I would think Tulane will ease up a little on deferring so many, but I don’t think they will go back to their old ways. Unless they can get more housing somehow (and obviously nothing can happen along those lines that fast), they won’t want a repeat of the 1630 size class. Tulane has gotten very popular, and they are trying their best, I am sure, to keep control of things. It doesn’t do any good to get into a school and decide to go there but have nowhere to sleep. But if the junior rodney is advising really likes Tulane, he should go for it. For now the app is still free and I see no downside to applying no matter what approach Tulane is taking.</p>
<p>actually, fallen, the junior I am advising is trying to figure out if they should apply SCEA (which I am advising against) or just EA…</p>
<p>right now Tulane is one of his top choices but given no ED, there is really no way to convey that (other than applying REALLY EARLY) which he will (based on this year)…btw, stats are high…but not super high…</p>
<p>I would still like to see some SCEA stats and acceptance rates from this year and last before next year…</p>
<p>So would I, but I don’t think they are sharing those.</p>
<p>Well, you know the general routine, and that is probably best in his case if Tulane is a top choice or top 3 at least. I would apply SCEA, go to all Tulane local events, and go visit in New Orleans, even this spring as a junior. If the SCEA crimps his desire to apply EA to other schools (understandable), then for sure EA. Between that and a well researched personal statement about why Tulane stands out for him, hopefully he will have the success he desires. Oh, and as you say getting the app in as early as possible, whether SCEA or EA. I think you have it nailed.</p>