Will I be good enough for Tufts?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m currently a junior with a low GPA of 3.65. By the end of this year it will go up since I’m taking three AP’s this year. Currently, I’m taking AP European History, AP Writing, AP French, Physics I, ELA 11, and regular Pre-Calc. Next year I will be taking AP Economics, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus AB, Biology II, US History, and English Literature. Do these courses seem challenging enough?

I go to a very competitive school and all of our normal classes are considered honors classes, however that doesn’t factor into out GPA. I’m getting ready to take my SAT subject tests and I am aiming for a 750 or more in Math 1 and 2. My SAT score is a 1450 and I got a perfect score on my essay. I’m planning on retaking the SAT early next year and hopefully get it up to 1500-1550.

I take part in many extracurriculars outside and in school. I have more than 5 leadership positions. Do you think so far I have a chance of getting into Tufts?

Also, I know that there’s an optional interview. Would anyone recommend it and how much of an influence does it have towards their opinions towards you?

Thanks!

2

Are you applying ED or RD? It makes a SIGNIFICANT difference. Your scores, while good, aren’t exceptional for Tufts and your GPA is a bit on the lower end. If you’re an URM it increases your chances significantly. I’m going to assume that you’re applying to Arts and Sciences, but if you’re applying to engineering then you need to get a higher SAT math score (average math score for engineering is hovering around a 750 or 760).

Honestly though, Tufts looks for far more than just what your grades and scores are. I know some of the admissions officers and I think that Tufts is the kind of the school that seriously considers what kind of a match you are for the school. Once your scores are above a minimum threshold, probably around the high 98th or 99th percentile mark, your essays and subjective qualities matter way more.

FWIW, if Tufts is your first choice and your family can afford whatever is estimated by their financial aid calculator, I think it’s worthwhile to apply early decision. Tufts is significantly harder to get into regular decision (~20% higher acceptance rate ED) and they take about half of their incoming class from early decision applicants.

3

Your header is probably just a turn of phrase, but please stop for a minute and re-think your question.

First of all (and don’t roll your eyes): acceptance to any college is not a referendum on how “good” you, @ch240139, are. It’s not even just how good a candidate you are: there are many, many, many people who won’t get into Tufts who are completely qualified applicants.

Tufts does an interesting exercise at it’s road show, using anonymized profiles of real candidates from the previous admissions cycle. In the exercise they are down to the last place in the class, and it’s down to about 6 candidates. The audience is given facts about the applicants and then asked to vote who they would accept. The first round is stats: GPA / test scores, and there was a clear winner and runner up. The next rounds go through LoR, essays, ECs and interview. Over the sections the balance of votes starts to shift from the early front runners to some dark horses. At the end they tell you which one was admitted (and also the 2 who were waitlisted). What was striking was that (even if you didn’t completely agree) the decisions made sense. Obviously, this is a prepared exercise, to show applicants & parents the kind of process the AdComm works through, but it was also clear that they do look at the student as a whole and in the context of Tufts.

If there’s an interview, take it: they rarely make much of a difference, but it shows interest and it gives you a chance to learn more.

Avoid score-keeping in your application: 5 leadership positions isn’t an end itself. What matters is what they are, what they mean to you and what they show about you. One leadership position can be more powerful a statement about you than 10- if it’s substantive and fits into your overall story of you.

And: be sure that you know why you want Tufts: what are the pieces that make you feel as if that is just the right place for you? Do what you can to be sure that your idea of Tufts and the reality of Tufts match. I know a surprising number of students who thought that it would be ideal for them, but felt differently after spending time there. That’s not to be negative about Tufts (I also know students who are very happy there), just that it is more of a ‘fit’ school than some people realize. Spend the summer looking for other colleges (of varying degree of selectivity) that have the features you are looking for, so that you have good choices in the spring.

And know that whatever happens in the admissions process, it is not a judgement on whether you are good enough.