Tufts University College and Guidance Counselor Information

Applying to Tufts

The Online application is Tufts preferred method of application.

The admissions process is a detailed and individualized one, designed to focus on the intellectual strengths of the applicant while understanding the richness and breadth of backgrounds. Close attention is paid to the secondary school record, standardized testing, recommendations, essays and any information providing insight into the work of the student. Assessing the potential for success involves considering not only the quality of academic preparation and a student’s zest for learning, but also qualities such as leadership and devotion to community service.

	All about Applying...
	Applying Online
	Requirements
	Early Decision
	Application Options
	Deadlines
	Notification
	Transfer of Credit & Advanced Standing
	International Students
	Transfer Information
	Download/Print Application PDFs

Requirements

The application review process includes the evaluation of the following items:

Academic Background

The following parts of the application are used by the admissions committee to gain a sense of an applicant's academic accomplishments and potential :

Course selection and rigor of courses selected by the student.

Grades since the first year of high school

Level of academic competition in the secondary school setting.

Standardized Test Results -

Students wishing to apply to Tufts have the following options for submission of standardized testing results:

Applying to:

Class of 2010

Class of 2011

College of Liberal Arts

(contemplating a major in the Sciences or Mathematics)

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests. We recommend the submission of Math Level 1 or II and a science test.

OPTION 2: (Old) SAT Reasoning Test and three SAT Subject Tests, one of which must be the SAT Writing Subject Test (no longer offered). We recommend the submission of Math Level 1 or II and a science test

OPTION 3: ACT with the Writing Section.

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests. We recommend the submission of Math Level 1 or II and a science test.

OPTION 2: ACT with the Writing Section.

College of Liberal Arts

(contemplating a major is the Social Sciences, Humanities, or Fine Arts)

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests of your choice.

OPTION 2: (Old) SAT Reasoning Test and three SAT Subject Tests, one of which must be the SAT Writing Subject Test (last offered in January 2005). The other two tests are your choice.

OPTION 3: ACT with the Writing Section.

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests of your choice.

OPTION 2: ACT with the Writing Section.

School of Engineering

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests. We recommend the submission of Math Level I or II and either Physics or Chemistry.

OPTION 2: (Old) SAT Reasoning Test and three SAT Subject Tests, one of which must be the SAT Writing Subject Test (no longer offered). We recommend the submission of Math Level I or II and either Physics or Chemistry.

OPTION 3: ACT with the Writing Section.

OPTION 1: (New) SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests. We recommend the submission of Math Level I or II and either Physics or Chemistry.

OPTION 3: ACT with the Writing Section.

Letters of Recommendation- Tufts requires one letter from a teacher in a junior or senior year major academic course (math, natural science, social science, English, or a foreign language) and one letter from a guidance counselor. Additional letters may be submitted if the student feels they can add new perspective to his/her application.

Personal Statement- Application to Tufts requires the submission of the personal statement found in the Common Application.

Short Answer Essays: (required of all applicants) - Students must prepare a 200-word response to each of the following short-answer essays.

“Education does not accomplish anything if it does not stretch your mind, if it does not force you to think about things in different ways, if it does not challenge you to examine some of your assumptions,” writes Provost Jamshed Bharucha in Tufts’ admissions viewbook. Describe the aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate program that prompt your application to the University’s Class of 2010.
Tell us about the environment in which you were raised—your family, home, neighborhood or town—and how it influenced the person you are today.

Second Essay (optional for all applicants): Students may choose to submit a second essay using one of the following prompts:

Option 1: At your retirement party in 2054 (or thereabouts) a colleague praises your accomplishments by quoting Nelson Mandela. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,” Mandela said. “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.” What are your passions and talents? When you retire in that far-off year, what do you hope your legacy will be? This question is inspired by Tufts’ commitment to “active citizenship.”

Option 2: Scholar James O. Freedman refers to libraries as “essential harbors on the voyage toward understanding ourselves.” What three books would you insist on including in your personal library? Why are these works important to you?

Option 3: In the past year, coverage of the war in Iraq and celebrity trials dominated television, print and electronic media news. As a result, many issues of local, national and global importance have been bumped from the front-page or from the headlines altogether. Select one story from 2005 that you feel was overlooked. Address this matter in an editorial for the December 31^st edition of the New York Times.

Option 4: People define themselves in many ways. Musical tastes and politics, a religious or ethnic identity illustrate a sense of self. Others reveal their personalities and beliefs by wearing a colored wristband or placing a bumper sticker on the car. The minutia that adorns a refrigerator or a locker offers insight into someone’s personality. Do you have a tattoo? Are you a vegetarian? Do you hate flip-flops? Who are you?

Photograph (optional for all applicants): The Admissions Committee also welcomes a photograph that captures the spirit of your personality and style.

Activities

The admissions committee looks for evidence of involvement and leadership and will evaluate the quality and extent of each activity. A student may stand out by demonstrating leadership skills, making meaningful contributions to the school or community, or showing a special talent in a particular area. In addition to evaluating an academic fit, the admissions committee will look for ways a student may contribute to the community as a whole.

Alumni Interview

Nearly every first-year applicant to the university will have the opportunity for a personal interview in his or her local area with a member of the Tufts Alumni Admissions Program (TAAP). Once the Supplemental Form of the application has been received by the admissions office, the student will be contacted by a member of the local alumni committee to schedule an interview. While not required, the alumni interview enables students to highlight their interests and achievements, and prospective students are encouraged to participate. All interviews for admission to Tufts are conducted by the local area alumni interviewers, thus allowing the applicant the opportunity to meet with women and men who have experienced Tufts. In those areas where a TAAP committee has not been established or where the volume of requests for interviews exceeds the capacity of the committee, candidates should be assured that this will not diminish the chance for admission.

Early Decision

The Early Decision Program is a binding option for students who have decided that Tufts is their first choice and that they will enroll if accepted. Early Decision deadlines allow the student to apply and be notified well in advance of the Regular Decision notification dates. The Early Decision Applicant Statement must be signed by the student, parent or guardian and guidance/college counselor, acknowledging that the student wishes to be considered under the Early Decision Program.

Application Options

For students who plan on applying to Tufts, please consider using our online application. It is quite simple to use and includes both the Supplementary Form and the Common Application. You can learn more about it by clicking "Tufts' On Line Application" below. Otherwise, you should submit the application materials by the Regular Decision deadlines. Seniors who have requested materials from Tufts will receive both the Common Application and Supplemental Form in the mail.

~ Tufts' OnLine Application (First Year Only)

~ Common Application OnLine (First Year Only)

PLEASE NOTE: Transfer students should utilize the Tufts Transfer Application available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

If the student has started an electronic application using the Embark service and has it saved, the student may access it at:

https://apply.embark.com/Ugrad/Tufts/Part1/45/

There is no preference given to applicants who use one service versus another. Simply, we prefer the submission of an electronic application as it reduces the chance that any of your material will get lost in the mail! Whether you are submitting your application online or in paper copy, please be sure everything is postmarked by the deadlines listed below.

For your convenience, we have printable versions of the Tufts application materials in pdf format.

Printable Application Instructions

Tufts Supplemental Form

Common Application

         Secondary School Report
         Teacher Evaluation
         MidYear School Report

Early Decision Form

Deadlines

Tufts requests that students adhere to the application deadlines and make every effort to submit the application as early as possible. (Earlier submission of the application will assist with the assignment of the alumni interview).

Early Decision I	November 15
Early Decision II	January 1
Regular Decision
Supplemental Form	January 1
Common App & Supporting Credentials	January 10
Transfer Admission
Spring	November 15
Fall	March 1
Financial Aid Deadlines

Notification

Early Decision I	December 15
Early Decision II	February 1
Regular Decision	April 1
Transfer Admission
Spring	Mid December
Fall	Mid June

Transfer of Credit/Advanced Standing

Early Decision I	December 15
Early Decision II	February 1
Regular Decision	April 1
Transfer Admission
Spring	Mid December
Fall	Mid June

Transfer of Credit/Advanced Standing

Students who clearly demonstrate the capacity for upper-level course work as determined by results of College Board Advanced Placement examinations, departmental examinations at Tufts, the International Baccalaureate examinations, or any other evidence favorably reviewed by the appropriate department, will ordinarily be granted credit and advanced standing at the discretion of the department concerned. For Advanced Placement tests, Tufts usually accepts a score of four or five for credit on most AP tests, and often times awards placement into a higher level course. It is important to check the guidelines issued by each department at Tufts concerning transfer of credit which can be found in the University Catalog.

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