Just what you want to do...chance another applicant.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
1

<p>Hey guys - I'm a rising senior from MA who is very interested in Tufts. Since beginning of sophomore year, Tufts has been my first choice school. I have visited approx. 15 different colleges over the past year and a half, and the only 3 schools that I really felt at home at were Tufts, Vassar, and Wesleyan. However, I feel that because I am interested in pursuing International Studies of some sort (I'm leaning towards Int'l Business, but I'm not sure at this point), and Tufts is the only school of those 3 with a designated International Relations major as well as a Business major (I'm hoping to double-up to keep my options open later), it is my best bet as far as post-graduation. I am strongly considering ED to Tufts, and I will most likely go down that path.
The problem is, my academic stats are a notch lower than most of my competition in applying. My unweighted GPA is a little higher than 3.6, and my weighted is about a 4.2. The reason for this is because my Freshman year they were 3.4 UW/3.7 W, and then in the past two years I consistently had a 3.7/4.35. I know, not amazing. To add to that, my ACT is a 30, and my SAT (only taken once) is a 1930 (650 M, 650 CR, 630 W). I'm taking the SAT again in the fall at least once, and I know I can get around a 720 for math because that's what I have been getting on practice tests and on the PSAT - I'm not really sure what happened on the test day, but I'm hoping it won't happen again.</p>

<p>There, the cat's out of the bag. That's the sub-par part of my application.
- I took AP US History last year, and got the class award, as well as a 5 on the AP exam.
- I speak fluent German, have been going to German School on Saturdays for the past 12 years, and am working there this coming year. I took the AP exam and Subject test my sophomore year, got a 5 on AP, 750 on SATII.
^ Both AP scores were sent to Tufts (as a gamble!) at the same time as I received them - Both times, I filled out the optional "send your score to one school" section before I took the test.
- I have been in the German National Honors Society since Sophomore year
- I played lead trumpet in Honors Wind and Jazz Ensembles at my school until this coming year, when I am doing Honors Concert Choir instead.
- I'm in a cappella ('Bubs hopeful!)
- I've been doing theater 1+ season each year since 9th grade (been in 5 plays/musicals in High School)
- Mock Trial team member since 10th grade
- Volleyball since 10th grade</p>

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<p>I am very social and outgoing, and one of my skills is communicating with people, so I'm hoping I can make a good impression in my future interview. Combining that with 2 very good recs (one from my APUSH teacher who gave me the award), my strong extra-curricular activities, my international angle (bi-lingual + dual citizenship; community service), my AP-full schedule (I will have 6 AP tests completed when all is said and done), and my strong interest in Tufts, do I have a shot?</p>

<p>THANK YOU IF YOU'VE COME THIS FAR! WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS</p>

2

<p>Tufts doesn’t have a business major, and my impression is that most of the campus really want to go into anything like that. The stereotype of Tufts is that it is filled with do-gooder kids who want to join Doctors Without Borders, the State Department, or a NGO of some sort.</p>

3

<p><<<the stereotype=“” of=“” tufts=“” is=“” that=“” it=“” filled=“” with=“” do-gooder=“” kids=“” who=“” want=“” to=“” join=“” doctors=“” without=“” borders,=“”>>></the></p>

<p>^^^funny, 'dat’s my kid. :-)</p>

4

<p>If Tufts is your first choice (and it would be mine of the 3 excellent schools you’ve listed, especially given your interests), you should definitely apply ED. As noted above, though, Tufts doesn’t really have a business major.
The upward trend in your GPA will reduce any potential negative impact from your less than stellar freshman year. Your curriculum looks challenging. Your ECs are diverse and interesting. So it’s down to the test scores that are potentially damaging, and 50+ points more on the M and CRCould be huge for you, so good luck on the next re-test.</p>

5

<p>@TuftsStudent, I am a bit confused about the point of your post. First of all, my bad as far as the business major goes, I had been looking at Fletcher’s business programs by mistake, which is obviously a grad school. But what I don’t understand is whether you are discouraging me from applying because the stereotype of Tufts students is that they are not interested in a business background? I would think you would welcome diversity at your school, or at least not bow down to stereotypes. And I actually did want to be a diplomat up to about a month ago, but even though I love to travel and meet people from around the world, I don’t think that the lifestyle of being somewhere different every week would suit me.
@WCASParent, thank you for your helpful reply!</p>

6

<p>You might also look at the emtepreneurial offerings from the Gordon Institute.</p>

7

<p>Tufts definitely has a business component. But it’s more entrepreneurial. There are the Young Entrepreneurs of Tufts. And the Tufts Financial Group (who were featured in Businessweek back in 2008). Finance has its own niche and top firms are starting to recruit at Tufts in that area.</p>

8

<p>^Most diplomats move every two or three years, not every week.</p>