I didn’t submit my CSS profile and got my acceptance within 5 days, so I guess it’s not necessary.
@anxiousenior1 I think the issue wouldn’t be about acceptance, but rather acceptance with need-based aid. However, I agree with you that it’s not necessary.
Just found out Tulane will be giving me 30k a year in merit-based aid if I go!
The Premier Award! Congrats, @anxioussenior1
Thank you! @fallenchemist Honestly made this stressful week that much more bearable.
Accepted into tulane but sadly recieved absolutely no merit aid. Stats are 2050 and gpa of 3.6 (unweighted) with 7 APs. Lots of demonstrated interest and what I thought was a strong essay (long and detailed). This might not be a fair comparison but I got basically half the tuition of SMU in merit aid (medium essays and hardly any demonstrated interest although that doesnt have much weight in the decision process). I even applied two weeks before the EA deadline (test scores werent sent till much later bc of the college board was incredibly backed up and delayed which is most likely why I didnt hear back until december) So I was surprised that I didnt even receieve any merit aid from Tulane especially since I have higher stats than most kids that apply and get into that school from my high school. Probably wont be able to consider it very much since I got so much merit from SMU 
is it possible that tulane gives out majority of aid to the first round of students they accept but students with the same stats but applied later get absolutely nothing.
No, if you dig up posts from past years you will see people that applied RD still got generous merit offers, and as far as applying later in the EA process you can see posts from this year of people that applied at the deadline and still got top merit.
@fallenchemist Thanks so much for addressing this q of whether merit aid depends on EA vs. RD. Son’s 1st choice is Tulane (34 ACT/3.9 GPA/6 APs) and we hope that means he has a solid shot at the 32k award. But his 2nd choice, Princeton, says they’ll meet 100% of demonstrated need which according to our COA calculations will come out higher than 32k. Since Princeton will be harder to get into, he’d like to increase his chances by applying to their Single Choice EA, which is non-binding (so thankfully leaving Tulane still on the table) but prohibits EA application at any other private school (taking Tulane EA out of consideration). So my question is, will Tulane merit aid be negatively affected if he applies RD rather than EA?
Yes and no, and this might provide you with an “out” that will allow you to apply to Tulane EA while still applying to Princeton SCEA. Tulane requires that in order to apply for the full tuition scholarships (DHS, PTA) you have to apply at least EA. This should represent an exception to the Princeton restrictions. No school has the right to ask you to forfeit eligibility for scholarships. I think Tulane even used to have that exception when they had SCEA. With his stats, especially if that GPA is UW, he would have an excellent chance at either of those full tuition awards, and even at one of the full ride Stamps awards. Now to be clear, this is just my opinion regarding an exception to the SCEA restrictions. I think colleges sometimes overreach in the rules they try and lay down. It is a bit like a college saying that you have to attend ED no matter what, if you are accepted. They rarely lay out the affordability exception. To me this is similar, but you have to decide if you are comfortable with this.
The no part is that applying RD would not directly affect his chances at the 32K partial merit award, but it might affect their perception of his true interest in Tulane and therefore increase the chances that they think he is applying to Tulane as a back-up to schools like Princeton. That puts his entire acceptance at more risk. Now since he would hear from Princeton around Dec 15, he could overcome that issue by simply being honest (assuming he doesn’t get in) and telling Tulane exactly what his strategy was and that Tulane always was the first choice, and certainly is now. It might sound a little convenient, so he would have to be convincing, which I am sure he could be. But I still think it is moot, because I would go ahead and apply to Tulane EA and do both the full tuition applications, which will show interest.
If you are not comfortable with that, which is fine since it is an individual choice of who is being/would be being unethical, then plan B is the idea to wait to apply to Tulane until after he hears from Princeton. If he gets in, the application is no longer needed. If he doesn’t, he can use the explanation to Tulane I suggested and I think his chances would be very good. He just wouldn’t be able to get the full tuition, which I think he would have excellent chances for, but certainly not guaranteed like Princeton does. Of course even with a 32K award he could still be eligible for more need based aid, and that might be grants rather than loans. But again, that is not guaranteed like Princeton does.
@futurechem Not fallenchemist, but I can say his merit award won’t be hurt, although Tulane does like early applications for admissions (especially SCEA) because of interest shown.
ETA: @fallenchemist I believe Tulane’s allowance for EA applications with scholarship deadlines only applied to in-state publics. No privates or out-of-state publics could be applied to, no exceptions.
Did they eliminate the SCEA program for fall 2016?
Yes, SCEA has been discarded in favor of ED. As far as the in-state publics, that pretty much makes my point for me. How can it be OK to allow that exception but forbid others that are otherwise identical? I have to disagree with Tulane on that, although it is moot since they no longer have SCEA. But it is exactly the kind of exception I meant. They had the right idea, they just didn’t take it far enough. @usualhopeful
Thanks for the quick reply @fallenchemist, you’ve laid it out very clearly. Given that your Option A is the ideal all the way around, son is planning to call Princeton and ask them if they make exceptions to SCEA when scholarships at other schools require EA, and then I guess we’ll try to read b/w the lines of their probably open-ended answer. Either way, though, much relieved at your opinion on the Tulane scholarships, although of course not counting on anything until the envelope actually arrives next year!
I think that is a wise path. If Princeton says no, I would still be in vehement disagreement with that position unless they are willing to promise him admission, which of course they won’t. They hold all the power there. What would they say if they turn your son down? “Ooops, sorry he can no longer afford his other top choice either.” I think it is too easy to say, “Well, he didn’t have to apply to Princeton SCEA”. So in other words, options for the less than wealthy should be even further limited by restrictions placed on something like SCEA, which is non-binding anyway? Sorry to those who disagree, but I am totally failing to see the logic, ethics, or fairness in those restrictions.