<p>I have 2340 SATs, a 95 GPA, got 5s on 4 AP exams and am taking 4 APs, Multivariable Calculus, and Differential Equations this year and have good community service and a bunch of extracurriculars. I got deferred from Tulane. I did apply the last possible night, but then again, it was early action. Tulane accepts about 50 kids from my school of about 300 kids per graduating class. My friend said that he thinks it's possible that they deferred me because they knew I wasn't going to end up going there (and I definitely didn't plan on it; Tulane was a safety for me), but that doesn't quite make sense to me. Would a school defer for that reason? If not, why was I deferred?</p>
<p>I don’t think a college can technically deny an applicant for being overqualified, especially ED when there are still plenty of spaces left. How were your essays and recommendations? Also, just wondering, with stats like yours, why would you even have applied to Tulane ED? Since you applied the last possible night, make sure you didn’t miss the deadline (if you live West of New Orleans you might have because of the time difference.) It doesn’t really matter why you got rejected, just that you’ll undoubtedly end up somewhere just as great if not even better.</p>
<p>“I don’t think a college can technically deny an applicant for being overqualified, especially ED when there are still plenty of spaces left.”</p>
<p>Sure they can…</p>
<p>“Also, just wondering, with stats like yours, why would you even have applied to Tulane ED?”</p>
<p>She didn’t apply ED, she applied EA, and the above provides a likely reason the OP was deferred, possibly in the name of yield management: they want to admit students EA that they think are likely to attend.</p>
<p>Thanks, guys. Essay and recs are probably pretty good. Does applying last minute look bad? Because I planned to do that with a bunch of other applications. And I’m a guy, by the way.</p>
<p>@ Snowdog: What I meant was that I’m sure colleges DO turn away overqualified applicants, but they’d never tell you that. Hence the “technically.” </p>
<p>I suppose if your admission wouldn’t have been binding then it’s more than likely that you were simply turned away because there were many other applicants that Tulane considered far more likely than you to actually attend. </p>
<p>I don’t think applying last minute looks bad, and your stats are good. Honestly, don’t take it personally. If anything, it’s a compliment. Try looking at more selective schools that will take you seriously.</p>
<p>Just a note: This isn’t in any way meant to badmouth Tualane. I think it’s an amazing school; I’m applying there myself. If you were really set on attending, I suppose you could try appealing the decision. It’s worth a shot.</p>
<p>I’m going to give them a call and see what they have to say about it. I would only go if I got a nice scholarship, but if I did then it would definitely be on the table. </p>
<p>What a relief. I thought for a minute I wouldn’t be able to get in to any of my favorite schools.</p>
<p>Tufts Syndrome. This just happened to a friend of mine with stats right up with yours, so you’re not alone. They doubt that you’ll attend considering your great stats and the fact that their EA app is so easy and nonbinding. Don’t let it get to you - your application sounds strong and I’m sure you’ll get in many other places.</p>
<p>I don’t think that your applying the last possible minute looked bad, or even made a difference. I think that two things can happen if you are clearly overqualified for a school with aggressive marketing tactics like Tulane:</p>
<p>a) Get deferred/rejected because they go “psh, I don’t think (s)he is really considering our school” and it would affect their yield numbers.</p>
<p>b) Get accepted and offered a ton of aid, in the hopes that it sways your decision.</p>
<p>Did you demonstrate any interest before applying?</p>
<p>I agree with Waverly that a school like Tulane would consider how much love you’re giving them, especially when they’re offering free applications. However, I would offer my own experience of being accepted to Case Western (ostensibly both have aggressive campaigns) on their free application, with a $25,000/year scholarship and did not show interest. But these are different schools, and maybe Tulane leans more towards skeptically turning away applicants than wooing them with money.</p>
<p>Applying late can be detrimental to certain schools – and specifically Tulane may be one.</p>
<p>Last year, when D was applying it ‘seemed’ like the standards got tougher both for admissions and for scholarships, as time went by. Almost as if they had a certain number of acceptances they could make and a certain number of scholarships they could offer. They made (and offered) them till they ran out.</p>
<p>I never really scrubbed the data, but that’s certainly what it seemed like. Other schools have this reputation too. For example, our GCs told us to get in apps to the flagship state school early for the same reason.</p>
<p>Tru dat^^^^^^^^…first logical post I have seen re: the late deferrals for Tulane…</p>
<p>Fallen Chemist may know better, but I do think that a few of the high stats deferrals from last year were eventually accepted w merit money later on…and they showed the love after the deferral…</p>