low GPA and test scores- should I even bother EDII?????

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
1

Tufts is my first choice, but I have terrible GPA and test scores… should I even bother to apply ED 2 ?? Right now I am also considering ED 2 NYU and Wesleyan, but I just don’t like them as much as Tufts.

Male/ Asian with Venezuelan citizenship (born in Venezuela) and permanent U.S. citizenship.
Attend competitive New England boarding school
GPA: 3.5 weighted (school only has weighted, should be higher after mid-Jan)
School does not have class ranks.
ACT: 27 (sad, just couldn’t get my science up)

Intended major: international relations

Course load: considered rigorous at my school
Junior course load: AP Lit, AP USH, AP Stats, Honors Chemistry, French II, Precalc
Senior: AP Gov, Honors English, Business ethics(elective), French III, honors Calc

Transcript: upward trend, mainly B+ and A-. Have a C+ for honors chemistry junior year (can Tufts deny because of this?? I hate chem… TT )

EC: Varsity Football, Varsity Track and Field, Class Representative, International Student President, dorm proctor, Model UN(Co-Founder and President), Community Service(since 7th grade, special olympics, soup kitchen, etc.), Math Club, Piano (12 years), Jazz Band, Organized charity basketball events, Quiz Team, Chinese Club, Political Action Club.

Summer: 5-week International relations program at Georgetown University, have an excellent recommendation from the professor

Work: Internship at law office in NYC (past 2 summers), Chinese tutor

Essays: counselor said they are very good, i wrote about by background.
Recs: “Great” recommendations from counselor and English teacher, they both know me very well. Other recommendations: Excellent from my employer and Georgetown program professor.

Financial Aid: yes

Hooks: first generation, my background??? (I was born and lived in Venezuela for 5 years, lived in Beijing, China for 9 years. I began attending boarding schools in CT when I was 14. I also lived in Florida for 2 years, and now I live in NY. I wrote about my experience moving around all the time in my essays. I think I have a unique background, but don’t know if this will help.)

Please please please give me honest feedbacks. I love Tufts, but really don’t know if I should apply ED II because of my grades and test scores…

Thank you very much and good luck everyone!!!

2

EDII can’t hurt and it doesn’t seem like you have much of a shot at RD, so if Tufts is really where you want to be then ED might help, but only slightly. You’d need some amazing essays. Also: the SAT doesn’t have science. Did you consider taking that instead? (I assume it’s too late, but I could be wrong.)

3

It looks like you may be light on the rigor of your classes. Did you take Physics? It doesn’t look like you have a science in your senior year, only 3 years of a language, and only 5 classes senior year. That may hold you back.

4

Thank for the feedback. I took biology freshman year and honors physics sophomore year.

5

What were your scores on the AP exams for the APs you took as a junior?

6

all 3’s