<p>I still don't really know if the dreaded Tufts syndrome really exists, but I'm still paranoid about whether or not I would be a victim of it in the RD round...
SAT: 2300 (720cr, 780m, 800w)
SAT2: 790 US, 780 IIc
GPA: ~98/100 uw
Rank: 1/180
ECs:
-tons of involvement with the trumpet... principal in regional youth symphony, section leader of concert band, all county, area all state, nyssma, jazz ensemble, paid performances, private lessons, etc
-piano
-peer leadership (a service organization) president
-yearbook editor
-nhs tutoring program coordinator</p>
<p>Awards:
-nat'l merit commendation, student of the year awards in bunch of subjects, bausch & lomb award from university of rochester, jazz ensemble awards</p>
<p>Recs and essays will be good (i hope)</p>
<p>I've visited the campus and everything and I really enjoyed it, but I'm still hesitant about applying ed II if deferred/rejected from princeton. I really liked boston and would love to go to school there, but it's so hard to determine whether or not I want to be locked in to tufts, although I know they're really sensitive about their admissions and stuff and ED helps you enormously. </p>
<p>So, am I good enough to fall prey to Tufts Sydrome if it exists? How can I show them how interested I am in them?<br>
thanks</p>
<p>Anything? I really like tufts, and after Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, which I will inevitably reject me, I would choose tufts, and I don't want to risk not getting in for stupid reasons like "He's not gonna attend if accepted, so let's reject him." I feel like the only way to prove to tufts you like them is to apply ED, which I don't want to do. I wash they weren't so sensitive...</p>
<p>I go to Tufts and worked in the admissions office. From the thousands of files I saw last year I really saw no evidence that "Tufts Syndrome" really still exists. I know it is conastantly referenced on these boards, but Tufts has become very competitve in recent years and the office is under the leadership of a new Dean. What evidence is there that Tufts still practices this? </p>
<p>Lots of kids with very high stats and great EC's are accepted. Looking back at the Class of 2009 decision thread bears this out. Some of the best admits are even offered some special type of award, I believe its called a "Neabaurer Award" (my spelling is probably way off) that gives them funds to travel or do a special project or something of the sort, im not exactly sure. But its intent is clearly to matriculate more of the really top notch applicants who may otherwise chose Yale, Princeton etc. I bet the vast majority of these admits do chose HYP etc. in the end, but the fact is that Tufts is trying to court these applicants and not waitlist or reject them, as rumor/ the past would have it . </p>
<p>Shocking tho it may be to some, your transcript, not writing love letters to Tufts, is the most important part of getting accepted. Convey interest through your interview, essay, maybe even a letter or a call, but I don't think what Tufts looks for in its applicants is terribly different than any other top school. In your case, Tufts is a match and I personally think you would be accepted ED or not. If you don't want to apply ED than don't do it, just put together the best RD application you can and I think everthing will work out.</p>
<p>really? thanks you so much kj. I just visited tufts and I fell in love with it, and I would choose it over any Ivy save HYP because of it's great location. I haven't seen the Tufts supplement yet, but do they specifically put an essay topic on it asking you to explan why you like tufts? Just curious, because I think I could put a lot of unique things on it if there is one...</p>
<p>My son had the same issues. His two favorite schools were Yale and Tufts. Like you, he had excellent stats, awards, ECs and so on, but worried that they were too little for Yale and too much for Tufts! So, he applied to Yale EA and when the expected rejection letter came he applied to Tufts ED round 2. He is now a very very happy Tufts sophomore, very involved in the instrumental music program, getting super grades, making fantastic friends, and so on. </p>
<p>So, you might want to consider applying EA to your first choice school and if rejected or deferred applying to Tufts ED round 2. This will only work if you really really really love Tufts too.</p>
<p>Regarding the supplement, no, the "Why Tufts" essay is on the Early Decision application only, but if you decide to apply regular decision, you can always write a cover letter which could include a "why Tufts" paragraph or two.</p>
<p>thanks jjsmom. If I apply online, is it still possiblee to write a cover letter? I actually plan on mailing the commonapp for most of them, but tufts is so ardent about it's applicants aplying online that I feel compelled to.</p>