Tulane is definitely one of my top choices, but I cannot attend it (or basically any private school) without a good amount of merit aid. I probably won’t be receiving much financial aid but my mom isn’t going to fund a $65,000 education for me so that leaves me really needing merit aid.
I have a 31 ACT (32 superscored and I’m taking it again), a 3.9 GPA (4.65 weighted), 8 APs and 3 Community College classes, pretty good ECs (pres or VP of 3 clubs; 2 internships; over 350 service hours). Also, I’ve talked to reps from Tulane, gone to events in my city and am visiting next month to show interest.
Basically, will applying SCEA help me to be able to get any merit aid from Tulane because I’m showing that Tulane is genuinely my top choice?
If you are that certain about Tulane, apply SCEA. It can only help, and you are in position for a good merit offer, it would appear. Especially if you happen to get a 32 or 33 without super scoring. With a 33, which I know is a stretch, you would even have the stats to perhaps get a full tuition award. But one step at a time. I would say apply SCEA and post here again when you get your new ACT score.
It’s a tight call, because I think it would only matter if you were on the edge between 2 award levels. I think it will make zero difference for acceptance, I would feel pretty confident about that as long as you made it clear your interest in Tulane is strong, regardless of EA vs. SCEA. I mean they offer SCEA for a reason, it can only help you send the best message. But it is reading tea leaves at our level to try to predict exactly what effect it would have. So you sat “at all”, then sure it must help a little. But it could be 1%. I just don’t know.