Hi CC users!
I really love Tulane and although I live all the way in NY, nothing has deterred me from applying here.
Ethnicity: Black and White
Anticipated major: business
Grades: I have a 4.33 GPA (W) and a 3.83 (UW); 1190 SAT (560 english 630 math) I’ll be doing at least one more in the next 3 months; by the end of next yr I will have completed 6 APs b/w 2 school years: Lang, Euro, Bio, Psych, Gov/Polit, Literature
Extracurriculars: Nat’l honors society for 2 yrs now 3 total anticipated, Spanish honors society for 3 yrs, Mandarin honors society 1 yr, literary award winner (twice), volunteer work meeting/introducing/ and guiding tourists, awareness walks/fundraisers, 4th year of playing sports (I played 2 sports for 2 years straight and this coming year will be my 2nd year playing 3 sports 1 per season); former NYPD explorer, 5 year martial artist (taekwondo and jiu jitsu), work-experience with children- educating them at summer camps and through private babysitting; president of the investment club; anticipated president of a renewables club; president of the MUN club
3 years of high school-level foreign language ^
I have recommendations coming in from 2 teachers (AP english and my former 10th grade history teacher)
Try to get your SAT score up. Your extra-curricular activities look good. Remember it’s quality and your passion for those clubs, not quantity. For the most part they don’t care about National Honors Society because almost every applicant is a member. Tulane is very big on demonstrated interest. Your essays should reflect why Tulane is a good fit for you beyond the generic “because it’s a great school”.
Also, since you are multi-ethnic, I strongly suggest you apply to Tulane’s diversity fly-in program: https://admission.tulane.edu/student-life/diversity/multicultural-access-programs. This will show interest, and if they should select you it’s a great opportunity to learn details about Tulane that you can incorporate into your “Why Tulane?” essay.
For Tulane’s most recent admitted class, the SAT middle 50% was 1410-1510. 1190 is considerably below the 25th percentile for that group so you would do well to focus on increasing it if you can.
You are overall a strong applicant but unfortunately your SAT doesn’t match up with your other stuff. Some schools won’t care but I suspect Tulane will. You prob need to bring it up by 200 points. Try taking the ACT instead. But if you can’t get those scores up, then I would think about some schools who don’t want SAT scores. There are some good ones out there. But Tulane isn’t one of them.
Tulane mom here. Please read Mr. Shiffman’s blog. http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com. He provides tips on how to fill out the common application as well as tips of what to see and do in New Orleans. My son and I still read Mr. Shiffman’s blog. Mr. Shiffman’s tips and stories may help with the all important “Why Tulane” essay. Tulane wants students who love Tulane and are going to be active within the community. You don’t have to be the perfect applicant. Be genuine. Make sure the essays show who you are. Best of luck to you.