Tulane EA 2023

[superfreaked]

My daughter:

Decision: Accepted, Honors College as well as Distinguished Scholar ($30k).

Objective:
SAT: 1510
ACT: 33
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): First in class
Senior Year Course Load: A few AP, and equiv, very small school in small district
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NMSF

Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Varsity Dance, NHS, Band, Choir, Theatre
Counselor Rec: I’m guessing very strong, but I have no idea.
Why Tulane question: Answered (good answer, IMO)

State (if domestic applicant): Oregon
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female

Here’s hoping she gets one of the full-ride merit scholarships or some additional scholarships so she can go to her dream school!

[minstrel01]

My daughter:

Decision: Accepted; 30k merit aid, invited for honors
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown):
ACT (breakdown): 36 Composite (single sitting)
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0/Weighted 5.23
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 11/710
AP (place score in parenthesis): more than 10 AP courses…
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): DECA president, global finalist
Volunteer/Community service: Interact
Jobs/Summer Activities: NASA scholar
Counselor Rec:
Why Tulane question:

State (if domestic applicant): TX
Country (if international applicant):
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket:
Hooks: None

Reflection
Strengths: High scores and grades
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where do you expect you will attend and why?

General Comments: Maybe should have completed the Paul Tulane award application.

[ag423ivy]

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1460
ACT (breakdown): Did not take
SAT II: USH 710, did not submit my 610 lit
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.5 (89.82)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): We don’t do ranks.
AP (place score in parenthesis): Only submitted my 5 on AP English Language, but took around 9
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP Macroeconomics, AP Psychology, AP Literature, Forensics, Criminal Procedure/Civil LAw (We have majors in my school)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Mayoral NYC Community Service Award

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): I have a lot. In school only, I’m on the volleyball team last 3 years
Volunteer/Community service: Worked at a nonprofit, did an internship at the State SC, worked for an assemblyman, volunteered at an immigration center, built a house post-Sandy. Over 300+ hours of volunteer hours. Volunteered in Florida twice during competition season as well.
Jobs/Summer Activities: Volunteered and interned at non-profit legal firm for two years, interned at the State Supreme Court last summer, went national for volleyball competitions (Maccabi, a Jewish thing)
Counselor Rec: No idea, we have a lot of students, so probably generic.
Why Tulane question: Honestly, it was okay. It was around 200 words, and I didn’t get it checked or develop much. I discussed which professors and classes I would take, how homely the college is, and how the alumni network is global and will advance my law career.

State (if domestic applicant): NY
Country (if international applicant): USA
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 200+
Hooks: None that I’m aware of.

Reflection
Strengths: Personal statement. I’m a good writer, and I spent a lot of time editing my personal essay so I would feel comfortable submitting this essay. I do a lot of internships and outside work to make up for my mediocre grades, and explained why my freshman year grades were trash.
Weaknesses: Grades, probably counselor rec.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Rejected from Tufts ED and Boston College EA. Accepted into UAlbany so far, waiting for other schools and doing RD.
Where do you expect you will attend and why? No idea!

Honestly, I used to stalk College Confidential before I got my decisions, but I realized that it doesn’t correctly showcase any college body’s population. Colleges take all types of grades with all types of extracurriculars. I am sure that people were denied even though they had better grades and test scores than me, and people were accepted with lower stats than mine. All in all, don’t let this site psyche you out. Shoot your shot. If a school doesn’t take you, you weren’t meant for them. It’s going to be fine regardless.

[newyorkcity2018]

Accepted!
20k founders award

Sat: 1450 - 750 math, 700 english
GPA: 3.9

Extracurriculars: varsity volleyball captain, varsity basketball, and varsity softball captain, yearbook editor, member of school newspaper
Community service: Go Project tutoring, community service club in my high school
Jobs: waitressing job over the summer

State: New York
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female

Reflection:
Strengths: SAT score, common app essay, large variety in extracurriculars, interest
Weaknesses: no clear career path
Why: strong academic record and interest in the school

[nerdficus]

Decision: Accepted! 19k a year!
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1390 ( Only the mandatory school testing day ), 700E/690M
ACT (breakdown): 33 - Single Sitting (35R/33M/35E/30S)
SAT II: N/A
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.29
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 40/668
AP (place score in parenthesis):
World (4)
Human Geo (4)
USH (4)
USG (4)
Lang (4)
Lit (4)
Psych (5)

IB (place score in parenthesis):
IB Math (3)

Senior Year Course Load
IB Theory of Knowledge 2
IB HL Contemp. History 2
IB HL Spanish 6
IB HL English Lit 4
IB HL Psych 2
IB SL Chemistry 3
AP Calculus AB

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
National Hispanic Merit Finalist
Some regional and State debate awards for informative speaking and student congress ( in South Florida, which is SUPER competitive in debate)

Subjective:
Major: I/O Psychology and History. I also want to get a teaching certification if I can.
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Girl Choir of South Florida - Chorister & Assistant Conductor
● IB Club - Vice President & Tutor of AP World History
● Speech & Debate - Informative Coach & Secretary
● Battle of the Books - Secretary
● Spanish Honor Society - Historian
● Key Club - Member
● Gay-Straight Alliance - President
● Environmental Club - Treasurer
● Science Honor Society - Treasurer
● Mu Alpha Theta - Member
● Student Government Association - Class Representative
I also take care of my little siblings and cousins (8 in total) a lot after school. They are my first obligation so I often have to drop whatever I’m doing to help out with them.

Volunteer/Community service: I conduct at choir, which is a non-profit. I audition the girls and teach them the music that we eventually sing at concerts. I also teach at an after-school debate camp during breaks to help kids with their public speaking skills. Once a month I also go to my grandmother’s church and cook and serve food to the elderly and homeless members while my grandmother gives a service (sometimes I translate).
Jobs/Summer Activities: Choir Tours (Domestic and Intl.), Volunteer Work, Caring for my siblings, I recently took a class to get my real estate license when I turn 18, and I worked at Urban Outfitters for a time (mostly to pay for that real estate class).
Counselor Rec: Standard, but most likely above average because he knows all the IB students (all 55 of us) very personally.
Other Recs: G L O W I N G. My choir director of 9 years sent one in, along with my philosophy teacher who’s known me since middle school, my history teacher who is an amazing writer, and my Spanish teacher who has EXTREME favoritism for her Spanish-speaking students.
Why Tulane question: I tried to take the advice of my school counselor to not beg them for admittance, but I ended up begging to go because it was “my dream school”.

State (if domestic applicant): Florida
Country (if international applicant):
Ethnicity: Hispanic, Jewish, NE Asian (Mongolia)
Gender: Female/Genderfluid
Income Bracket: <40k
Hooks: First Gen, Underrepresented minority, Low-Income school, Queer, Gender-Nonconforming, Mentally-Ill (Schizo-affective)

Reflection
Strengths: EC’s, Test Scores, Recs, basically all the subjective things.
Weaknesses: My GPA, Class Rank, I feel like I could have written better essays and supplementals, personally.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I have some solid hooks and a strong ACT score. My EC’s a good, and IB seems to help a lot with them understanding all my low grades in classes.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted to USF, U of Vermont and Rutgers, Rejected from Brown, waiting on Penn State and some schools in Boston and NY.
Where do you expect you will attend and why?
Unless I get into Wellesley or Barnard, or (God forbid) something happens to my family, I’m most likely going to Tulane.
General Comments:
With seeing all the people who were deferred who seem so amazing, I was shocked to find out that I was admitted with ANY merit at all.

[graceg217]

Accepted! $24k founder’s scholarship and honors program

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): n/a
ACT: 32 composite
GPA: 3.9 UW//5.075 W
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): n/a but likely top 15%
AP (place score in parenthesis)
Human Geo (5)
Comp Gov. (5)
Language&Comp (4)
APUSH (5)
Senior Year Course Load
4 APs and 2 honors

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Art Honor Society (President)
Cross Country
Cheerleading
NHS
officer of italian honor society and english honor society
Volunteer/Community service:
feeding south florida
school campus store
many others
Jobs/Summer Activities:
sales rep for vector marketing
concession stand cashier
photographer at santa set
Counselor Rec: yes
Why Tulane question: very strong

State (if domestic applicant): Florida
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female

[justinpsmith]

Decision: Accepted with Founders Award (22k a year merit aid)

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1500 (700R&W, 800M)
ACT (breakdown): Did not take
SAT II: US History 700
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.78
Weighted GPA (out of 5.0): 4.52
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): No class rank. Very competitive school where 17% of students have above a 4.51 weighted GPA, so I am in the top 17%.
AP (place score in parenthesis): Will have taken 8 AP’s by the time I graduate. I forgot to send or self-report my AP scores, however.
IB (place score in parenthesis): Will have taken 2 IB’s by the time I graduate. I have not taken any IB exams yet, will take one in May,
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc BC, Honors Modern World, Arabic 1, AP Comparative Government, IB English 12, Intro to Business at local community college, Foundations of Communications at same community college.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar with Distinction

Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Three-sport Varsity athlete. Head Counselor (volunteer position) at youth sports camp that I’ve volunteered at since 6th grade. Founder and president of the juggling club at my school.
Jobs/Summer Activities: Multiple service trips; one was to a refugee camp on the Myanmar/Thailand border. I’m a lifeguard in the summer.
Counselor Rec: Probably pretty generic as I go to a large school and don’t really know my counselor that well.
Teacher recs: Two from teachers I had last year that genuinely like me and want me to succeed. One is the math teacher that I had in grades 9, 10, and 11 and the other is my IB English teacher, an outstanding writer.

Why Tulane question: Very strong. Talked about how I’ve wanted to go to Tulane since I was a kid all the way up to details about my visit this fall. Also talked about how my interests of business and public health are interconnected, including programs that I would be interested in at Tulane. 799 words.

State (if domestic applicant): MD
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 200+
Hooks: None that I’m aware of.

Reflection
Strengths: SAT, Why Tulane essay, rigor of course-load
Weaknesses: Probably my counselor rec. I forgot to send or self-report my AP scores.
Why you think you were accepted: Probably my SAT or Why Tulane essay.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/deferred/rejected: Rejected from Cornell ED, deferred from Michigan EA. This is the first school in which I’ve been accepted.
Where do you expect you will attend and why? No idea. My top schools are Vanderbilt (ED II) and Virginia (RD with legacy).

[elodyCOH]

Decision: Accepted, 22K Founders Award

Objective: Biomedical Engineering
SAT I (breakdown): N/A
ACT (breakdown): 34C, 30M, 36R, 35E, 35S,
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.7
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 11%
AP (place score in parenthesis) Eng Lang Comp (4), Bio (4) Calc BC (3) AP Euro (3) AP USH (3) AP World (3), AP Chem (3)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Gov, AP Physics C, AP Stats, AP Lit, AP Psych, AP Microeconomics, PLTW Human Body Systems
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): N/A

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Varsity Wrestler 4 years, Poetry Club
Volunteer/Community service: Church Volunteer events
Jobs/Summer Activities: Weekend & summer job at Tree Nursery
Counselor Rec: Very Strong
Why Tulane question: Wrote a paragraph, a little bit quirky response because that is his personality

State (if domestic applicant): IL
Country (if international applicant):
Ethnicity: W
Gender: M
Income Bracket: Upper Middle
Hooks: First Generation College Student

Reflection
Strengths: Passionate about biomedical interests, had a strong alumni interview, good recommendation from counselor
Weaknesses: ECs are somewhat weak, but work schedule and having 0 hour classes prevented club/activity participation - Counselor would have explained that
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: First candidate from school to apply to Tulane, good interest, Tulane was the only highly ranked college applied to
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: University of Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, University of Nebraska
Where do you expect you will attend and why? Hopefully Tulane if all works out with finances, if not, it’s a tough choice.

General Comments: Didn’t really expect to get in, but was delighted.

[jw1172019]

Accepted w/ 27k merit annually and invitation to honors program
SAT I (breakdown): 1490C (730 M, 760 ERW)
ACT (breakdown): 32 but didnt send
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0079
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): school doesnt rank
AP (place score in parenthesis): APUSH (4), AP Macro Econ (4), AP Lang (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP Statistics, AP Lit, APES, AP Psych, honors spanish IV, Calc I
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar, bronze on national spanish exam

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): varsity field hockey (captain), varsity ice hockey, indoor track, outdoor track, Women in business club (co-founder, co-president), community service club (co-founder, co-president), model congress (secretary), volunteer field hockey coach, year round tournament field hockey team, National honors society, sales associate at jewelry company

Volunteer/Community service: Service trips through my church to Houston, Detroit, and Kentucky; created a mural in the school where I volunteer

Summer Activities: Work 3 jobs every summer (day camp counselor, front desk attendant at a swim club, and sales associate at a jewelry company), completed a week-long business leadership program last summer

Teacher Rec #1: from math teacher who I had for PreCalc and now APStat, probably good but couldnt read it
Teacher Rec #2: from english teacher, had my brother so she knows my family well and liked me
Counselor Rec: have a good relationship w/ her, had b
Additional Rec: good one from the director of the school where I created a mural
Interview: did one with a regional alumni, went really well and it turned out that her daughter played sports against me so we had a lot to talk about
Why Tulane essay: Wrote about how when I toured it was practically a monsoon (made lots of roll wave jokes with that) but I still loved it and my tour guide was still very engaging despite the terrible weather, and then wrote about the Altman program which is really specific to what I want to study and unique to tulane.

Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: Business (marketing possibly with minor in Spanish)
State (if domestic applicant): PA
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: top 1%
Hooks: good extracurriculars, a lot of demonstrated interest (went to Tulane meeting at my school junior and senior year)

Reflection

Strengths: extracurriculars, recommendation letters, essays, grades, a lot of community service
Weaknesses: test scores, rigor of coursework (didn’t take any APs till my junior year), a lot of people applied from my school
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Lots of community service and demonstrated interest
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted Smeal PSU, U. of South Carolina (w/ merit), SMU (w/ merit), deferred Notre Dame
Where do you expect you will attend and why? Im not positive, probably tulane unless i get into one of my reaches (still waiting on UNC, UVA, UT Austin, W&M, and ND)
General Comments: Demonstrated interest and extracurriculars can get you a long way. People with higher stats than me from my school were deferred (these ppl hadnt toured or interviewed). also essays really matter, i think being specific in my why tulane helped a lot.

[ufalumn1997]

Son as deferred.
SAT: 1450
GPA 4.0/4.63
Rank 5/380
AICE diploma earned
Senior Year: AICE/AP/Dual Enrollment

We are from Florida.

Why deferred: probably no special showing of interest and they thought it unlikely he would attend.

Did interview: entire interview the interviewer shared that she really wanted to go to another school, but Tulane gave her a scholarship. She shared that she had been offered a scholarship at preferred school but had already accepted Tulane’s offer. So, she was stuck there. Proceeded to tell my son all about the other school…lasted all of 10 minutes. Weirdest thing for my son!

Son was given a free application to Tulane. With merit, Tulane was on the table. However, I don’t think they missed the mark with the interest piece.

[disneydatknee]

Accepted with 30k Merit Scholarship & Honors College
ACT: 33
GPA: 3.95 UW 4.31 W
Rank: 54/857 (yeah my class is huge)
AP/IB/DE: 14
White/Hispanic
I have three leadership positions in clubs and a lot of extracurriculars and two part-time jobs.

My “why tulane” essay was only 250 words and kinda lousy and I did not put a ton of effort into the application. I visited Tulane after I submitted the app and slapped myself afterward for not trying on the app, but I got in! I did go to the information session held in Atlanta a couple of months back, so I showed interest.

I really put a ton of effort into my DHS application afterward though. Tulane is still unaffordable for me with the scholarship, so I hope DHS comes through.

[flowergirl1]

Decision: Accepted with scholarship money + offer for honors college
1480 SAT, 4.19 GPA, ranking 2/125
Unique personal statement, pretty average “Why Tulane” essay
School type: public American HS in Japan
EC: Yokosuka symphony orchestra, nationals for violin+journalism,started an astronomy club, leadership positions
-however, I ended up choosing Northwestern University as I got in Early Decision

[libhill19]

Decision: Deferred

Objective:
SAT : 1400 (710 on english, 690 on math)
ACT: did not report
weighted GPA : 100.369 (about 4.1 or so)
Rank : 18/289 (6.2%)
AP
APUSH (5)
English Composition (5)
Physics 1 (3)
took precal with UT and got an A so thats around an AP

Senior Year Course Load
Anatomy & Physiology
Community college Government and Econ bc my school doesnt have the AP
AP Lit
PALs
BC Calc
Athletics

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 2nd in region in congressional debate/ state competitor and missed finals by 1 pt jr. year, AP Scholar Award, A Honor Roll Award 9th-12th, 5th place in discus in district 9th-10th, 3rd place in region in congressional debate/ state competitor in sr year

Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Speech and Debate Club (VP), Track and Field (Senior Captain), Spirit Club (co-founder/VP), NHS (senior secretary)
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hrs of community service through NHS, organized food drive w/ 275 lbs donated to a local food pantry and organized a blanket drive for a childs advocacy center w/ 60+ blankets donated
Jobs/Summer Activities: worked at a corporate/ family retreat facility 9th-10th, lifegaurded my jr year, currently a tutor for college prep math, and training for an aquatics manager for the city for the summer
Counselor Rec: i assume good my counselor knows me personally and well
Why Tulane question: answered and took a comedic route while still giving legit reasons

State: Texas
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
Income Bracket: $50,000

Reflection
Strengths: essay is well done and unique
Weaknesses: maybe test scores? my school doesnt offer many more APs than what i took
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: i honestly have no clue ive tried to understand the admissions process but like idk what they go off, i’ve showed alot of intereset in tulane from taking the interview, touring, and going to info sessions in austin but my app might have just been average
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: so far accepted from SMU w 100,000 distiguished scholar, deferred from Georgetown

[mexusa]

Accepted for Biomedical Engineering with $15k merit
ACT 33, SAT 2: Physics 720, Math 2 720, Chemistry 780, Biology 780
3 APs (took tests even though school does not offer) Calc 4, APUSH 5, Bio 4
Female, Hispanic, Dual citizen, TN
Very competitive, top ranked BS
Summer engineering and science camps, some competitive, lots of laboratory experience
Volunteer work: tutoring ESL
Recs: strong, one from a Biomedical Engineering doctoral candidate
Income: upper middle
Accepted: Saint Louis University (VP scholarship $23 and awaiting Medical Scholars info), UTK (immediate Engineering admission, did not apply for any money as instate), UMemphis (immediate Engineering admission, full ride), Purdue University (awaiting FA/Merit info). Rejected/deferred: Georgia Tech

Where will you attend? Favorite is Tulane, but just got a notice that husband’s company is being sold and all are being laid off. Will petition for more merit money (need $20 more) as we probably do not qualify under FA.

DO YOU THINK WE WILL GET MORE MONEY?

[Napafolie]

@mexusa - Did you just receive a decision on your portal/via mail or did you find out in December? Thanks

[Dadofthreeboys]

So my son, who was deferred a month ago, just got accepted with $19K in merit aid.

SAT: 1510 superscore
GPA 3.8/4.3

Quite surprised as we weren’t expecting to hear anything for a couple of months.

[Napafolie]

Congratulations to your son Dadofthreeboys! What a great January surprise :-).

If you have a second, can you note whether the news arrived via an update to the portal or via snail mail? Thank you!

[Dadofthreeboys]

Acceptance came via portal. He got an email telling him to check.

[mexusa]

Daughter found out in December telling her to check portal

[RaleighNCdad]

Son
Accepted!
22k founders award

Sat: 1430 ACT 32
GPA: 3.83/4.4
15 IB AP classes

Extracurriculars: 3rd degree black belt tkd, piano, soccer

State: North Carolina
Ethnicity: white