<p>@raincat - my d has not yet officially received the “bad news” email. My sense is that they have a lot to send out so it may take the rest of the week.</p>
<p>Thanks Wordy. That’s what I was thinking too, although I also thought it would be more of a mass email rather than piecemeal. In the end it doesn’t really matter when the email comes, does it :)</p>
<p>I have also received neither a package nor an email/letter for the DHS. I was actually deferred EA (likely because I only put a paragraph for “why tulane”… oops), but emailed my admissions counselor and expressed a lot of interest, and she said I would still be eligible for the DHS (2340 SAT, 4.0 UW GPA). </p>
<p>Has anyone heard of a deferred student being offered a DHS before? I understand if the pool is too competitive and I am not awarded one, I am just hoping that my application wasn’t just ignored entirely as I hadn’t been accepted! Have all packages been sent out already, or should I hold out some hope? I’m on the west coast BTW</p>
<p>Actually I remember last year one of the students that got deferred from the EA pool said they won a DHS. So assuming they were being truthful, then it is very possible. I do know that before they started requiring people that were applying for the DHS (and now the PTA) to be EA/SCEA applicants, there were cases of RD applicants that found out they won the DHS before they had received their RD acceptance! Of course that can no longer happen, but since the requirement is only that you applied EA/SCEA, you should still have had as good a chance as anyone, at least on that basis.</p>
<p>As you say, just so darned competitive. I would be very surprised if all the packages were not already sent, but there has been no official statement from Tulane that I know of.</p>
<p>@a2017applicant - my daughter was in a similar boat - 2300 SAT 4.36 weighted GPA - wrote the Why Tulane essay - and she was deferred EA. We now think the fact she didn’t attend an open house event or anything like that may have suggested she wasn’t interested. The truth is she is very interested, but we had a trip planned in January so we were content to wait until then to learn more about the school. In retrospect we now realize that she likely should have done more, but she attends a large public high school that hasn’t sent many students to Tulane- we just had no idea how the whole process worked. I feel particularly foolish for not better understanding the importance of demonstrated interest - since I am actually a professor (somewhere else) myself. But ironically, professors are pretty ignorant about the admissions/business side of college!</p>
<p>Anyhow - what is relevant to your question is we also specifically asked about whether her DHS would be reviewed given her status and was told it would be. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, although we haven’t received formal notice, it is pretty clear her submission was not chosen. Now just waiting to see if she will eventually be made an offer of admission and if there will be any merit options left if she is lucky enough to be admitted.</p>
<p>@Fallenchemist
What I’ve heard about Tulane has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m every bit as excited to attend as I was about winning the PT award. The reason I feel guilty, I think, was that I think some of those who didn’t win put more effort into it than I did. I wrote my essays on the deadline and faxed them in, not really expecting to have a chance at winning. </p>
<p>The one thing I don’t like about being about 99% sure I’m going to Tulane is having it end the completely unrealistic and self-indulgent fantasies of going to Germany for college (not study abroad - full time). I knew from the start that it was unrealistic, but part of my heart could only cling to the idea of speaking German a good 90% of the time, because hearing German spoken around me is what makes me the most happy. But I also wanted to have the American college experience, and Tulane has made me an offer I can’t refuse; I would only fully commit myself to going to Deutschland if I didn’t have the opportunity to attend a school in the States that I love, and that opportunity now stands before me. </p>
<p>So, it’s a weird feeling - it’s this simultaneous sense of happiness and gratitude and loss. It was like a love triangle between me, America, and Germany, and Tulane has brought me to a choice, a parting of the ways, and it’s like embracing one love while bidding the other farewell. It’s bittersweet, mourning the loss of one imaginary future and watching another rise before me in glory just as brilliant. </p>
<p>Regardless, I can hardly wait for college.</p>
<p>Very poetic! Certainly it is easy to understand the emotion of having to make these kinds of choices. At least you can study abroad your junior year, as I am sure you will want to do. Many students only do a semester these days, but I think there are still quite a few that take the whole year. My D did in China. With all the AP credits you are no doubt coming in with, you shouldn’t have any issues with completing your degree on time.</p>
<p>When I asked the question, I didn’t know (or didn’t remember) that the choice was between Tulane and Germany. I just figured you were still waiting to hear from other USA universities. Now that you mention it, I think you did once say you had a dream of going to a German university. Well, many people say studying in New Orleans is like going to school in another country for a lot of the students. LOL. Glad to have you in the Tulane family.</p>
<p>cruxclaire, I am definitely in the same boat as you. I truly didn’t expect to win the scholarship, for a lot of people have stats equal to or better than mine who applied (2310 SAT, 4.137 W). I’m white and female so I can’t say I’m a demographic they’re trying to fill but I think demonstrated interest (I went to an information session and emailed my local correspondant a lot) and the essays did it. In my acceptance letter they commented on my dedication to dancing and singing and on my commitment to sustainability, both big factors of life in New Orleans and specifically at Tulane. I guess they felt that I embodied the ideals of the school or something. Still, it seems like a lot of people here deserve the scholarship just as much as I do or more so, so I, too, am curious about what ultimately finalized their decisions…</p>
<p>Wordy64, I don’t think you should feel bad about not showing interest – I didn’t visit, attend any local info sessions or communicate in any way with Tulane admissions, and I was accepted.</p>
<p>I did, however, spend a lot of time on Tulane’s website reading up on all of the programs, research, study abroad options, etc. I also only wrote a brief one paragraph essay for Why Tulane – not realizing at the time that a lot of weight would be given to the essay, given that it was optional – in fact, I thought I was doing the admissions personnel a favor by keeping it short and sweet! My essay was very specific, however, as to what appealed to me about Tulane, and definitely could not have fit any other school.</p>
<p>As for what distinguished recipients of the Paul Tulane Award, I believe it must have come down to the essays, as that was the only new piece of information admissions had to base their choices on. If they were trying to improve diversity, attract the tippy-top students or affect the student demographic, they could have simply based their decisions on the applications alone.</p>
<p>At any rate, good luck to your daughter, and hopefully she’ll receive a generous merit award.</p>
<p>Re demonstrated interest: D has not visited yet. And she did not meet any visiting college rep from Tulane or had any contact or e-mail communications. But she wrote a careful and detailed response for the optional “Why Tulane” essay: personalized and specific reasons for her interest in Tulane. Looking back now I think this essay played an important part in conveying her “demonstrated interest” and got her the EA admission with the $27000 scholarship. So campus visit is not the only way or the best way to show interest. </p>
<p>Her Paul Tulane essays are creative and unique (more like “unusual”) but they were not as polished as she wanted (mainly due to the time pressure in Nov/Dec). So there were some regrets after they were sent and we had no idea if she could win the award or not. When the big UPS package came it was a very happy moment.</p>
<p>D’s stats: SAT I 2300+, ACT 35, 3 SAT II, 750-790, 4.66 GPA, 12 APs, etc. Lots of EC and community services, etc</p>
<p>I went back and reread Wordy’s post and do feel surprised that her D was EA deferred (since she did write the optional essay). Those are certainly very good stats. The college admission process seems to get more unpredictable. </p>
<p>Good luck to Wordy’s daughter.</p>
<p>I also think the fact that my D applied EA instead of SCEA probably caused an under estimation of her demonstrated interest. So many lessons learned - I will be a pro by the time my S applies :)</p>
<p>Anyhow, this week brought some acceptances, additional scholarship opportunities and interview requests so we are moving forward while we keep fingers crossed and wait to hear from Tulane! </p>
<p>Thanks Jule 620 and congrats on your daughter’s accomplishments! I am sure she has a lot of wonderful options to choose from.</p>
<p>I’ve certainly heard that New Orleans is unlike anywhere else in the States, Fallenchemist! 
</p>
<p>I looked at Tulane’s study abroad programs, and they have one in Berlin at two schools I saw while I was there that have great campuses. I loovvee Berlin, so that certainly makes me happy. I’m planning on doing a double major with German and possibly Political Economy (I had originally wanted Economics, but Tulane’s Political Economy program looks fantastic), so I wasn’t sure if credits would be an issue since study abroad apparently gives elective credits, but I’m okay with having a rigorous courseload freshman and sophomore year if it gives me that sort of opportunity junior year. I think I can probably pass out of at least a couple of the required German classes - I took the German AP exam junior year and got a 5, so with whatever I’ve learned this year, I could probably place into the more advanced courses. </p>
<p>As far as other schools in the US go, I got into Georgetown, which is awesome, but I think I would have to be completely insane to choose what will presumably be full tuition all four years there instead of the scholarship at Tulane. I also have a full tuition scholarship at Fordham Rose Hill, but I visited the campus and I thought it was too restrictive/Catholic - no opposite sex overnight guests in dorms, no birth control on campus, etc. It made me uncomfortable because I’ve grown up with a strong Catholic influence in my life that I think has impacted me in a negative way (as a small child, I always would wind up with awful cases of “Catholic guilt” after Mass or whenever I would make the smallest mistake). The two main things I like about Fordham are its location (proximity to Manhattan) and its nearness to some of my relatives (my mom grew up in New York). I’m just not that crazy about the school in general.</p>
<p>Sounds very exciting for sure. Trust me, you won’t have any problems with having enough credits or fulfilling the distribution requirements, even if you take the entire year in Germany. You will be close to a sophomore going in this fall, credits-wise. And top students like you often take 18-20 hours a semester instead of the usual 15, so after 4 semesters of that it is like an additional semester’s worth of credit accumulated. We were a bit surprised when my D got a letter at home the summer after her 2nd year that said “Dear Graduating Senior”, but of course since that is all generated by the number of credits in the computer, we should not have been surprised. But it was moot, since she was going to Beijing for the year.</p>
<p>I am not surprised you love Berlin. I have been there a few times and it is a great city these days, especially for young people. You will definitely place out of the beginning German classes, it will just be a matter of whether you start with 3rd semester German (probably) or 4th semester.</p>
<p>Sounds like your “road map” for the next four years is shaping up very nicely. And you are right, the Political Economy major is a really interesting one, and also fairly popular. It’s a strong program at Tulane.</p>
<p>Oh, and btw guilt is a universal phenomenon, definitely no monopoly for the Catholics. LOL.</p>
<p>Wordy, a huge congratulations to your daughter on her acceptance and the great scholarship! She has great stats, she deserved it. I can’t message because I don’t have 15 posts, but no, my DS never got the email. I’m not surprised as his scores are not stratospheric like those who won. But being in that middle group that won’t get need-based aid but still can’t afford Tulane, we were still hoping. I wish you, and everyone else who ends up at Tulane next fall, the very best!</p>
<p>Thanks raincat and best of luck to your son. I am sure he will end up at a great school!</p>
<p>Wordy, so happy for you and your D. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Hello. I was wondering if anyone knew if the PTA and the DHS were considered together. As in, will the acceptance of one automatically remove you from the acceptance pool of the other? Or are they separate evaluations? Would it be possible to win both? Not that it should matter since the award amount is the same, but I was just curious. Thanks!</p>
<p>hellothere - See my answer on the other thread.</p>
<p>The DHS stuff showed up on our doorstep yesterday! We’re way out west, so it may have taken longer than for most others… I’m thrilled. I’ll be headed out to New Orleans to visit sometime in the near future. Still waiting to hear back on a few more schools, but this is an awesome opportunity. I was completely taken aback, I definitely didn’t expect to get it.
I don’t know if anyone else is still waiting to hear, but I wish you the best of luck!</p>