The Ivy Scholars guide to Tulane University’s culture, admissions, and other essential information for prospective students and their families.
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Mascot: Riptide the Pelican
Type: Private Research Institution
Population: 11,700 (6,800 undergrads)
Year Founded: 1834
4 Year Graduation Rate: 73%
Gender Distribution: 60% female, 40% male
Acceptance Rate: 17%
Residency: 17% in state, 78% out of state, 5% international
Location Type: Urban
Schedule System: Semesters
Student/Faculty Ratio: 8:1
Average Class Size: 21
Demographics: 70% Caucasian, 11% other, 8% Black, 7% Hispanic, 4% Asian
US News Rankings:
Independent Rankings:
Application Deadlines:
Notification Dates:
Acceptance Rates:
Average Applicant Pool: 43,000
Average Number of Applicants Accepted: 7,300
Average Number Enrolled: 6,770
Application Systems: Common App
Average GPA: 3.56 unweighted
SAT Scores: 25th percentile – 1350, 75th percentile – 1490
ACT Scores: 25th percentile – 30, 75th percentile – 33
*Test mandatory. Writing sections required.
Demonstrated Interest:
Tulane does consider demonstrated interest.
Recommendation Letter Policies:
Does not require teacher recommendations (only a counselor recommendation), but they are willing to review additional recommendations you submit.
Pre-health policy: Letters of Recommendation
Tulane Essay Prompts:
Special Notes:
Transfers:
Admissions Criteria:
The factors Tulane considers most important are: course rigor, class rank, test scores, and GPA.
Factors which are considered are: essay, recommendations, character, extracurriculars, legacy status, first generation status, interview, talent, demonstrated interest, work experience, and volunteering.
Recruited athletes are given an admissions boost at Tulane, though they are still expected to meet academic minimums.
What is Tulane Looking For?
The Dean of Admissions for Tulane wrote this blog post on this very topic. What are they looking for? Students who are self-aware, both of themselves and the world they come from. This means they want students who are conscious of their own advantages, biases, and preconceived notions, even if they still impact them. Students who are willing to go outside their comfort zone, both socially and academically. Students who are authentic, rather than those who merely say what the school wants to hear. (A perhaps ironic inclusion on this list).
They want students who have bonded with others, and in doing so shown empathy. While bonds with peers are typical, displaying bonds with different generations are more exceptional. Finally, they want students who are willing to admit they don’t know everything or have all the answers, but are curious enough and intrinsically motivated enough to seek them. They do not want students who are externally motivated, seeking to learn or explore merely as a means to an end.
The dean does caution that this should not be taken as gospel, and by striving to fulfill these, the student automatically violates them; inauthentically and cynically acting in order to boost admissions chances. These are general guidelines of what officers like to see shining through or reflected in students essays, activities, and letters of recommendation.
The school is looking to increase diversity on campus, especially economic diversity. They enjoy hearing about students who have worked, even if the work is not what is generally considered impressive or glamorous. The school also has an initiative to increase racial diversity on campus, through recruiting and retention efforts.
Tulane has a strong commitment to research, especially interdisciplinary research. If this is something you have been involved with, or would like to pursue at the school, you should definitely reference such in your application.
Tulane Strategy
The “optional” Why Us essay is the best way to boost your chances of admission. The dean of admissions describes the reasons for this in a blog post. To sum them up: students are applying to increasing numbers of schools, and schools are getting ever more applicants. Tulane wants to hear specifically what draws you to their school, what connections you have with it, and how you will make use of the opportunities and resources offered there. If you can replace the school name with another, it’s a poor essay. Likewise, if the school is more about the student than the school it does not fulfill its purpose. The point is to explain why the student and the school are a good fit.
Tulane does consider demonstrated interest, and this is an easy way to boost your chances of admission. It won’t be enough to admit you if other areas of your application are too lacking, but it can prove a tiebreaker. The optional essay discussed above is one of the best ways to demonstrate interest, as is applying Early Decision. The ED admissions rate is far higher, so if Tulane is your first choice, you should definitely apply ED.
Tulane does allow interviews, and these are a good opportunity to give admissions officers another perspective of you. You should sign up for an interview if possible, even though they are not a required part of the admissions process, and it is possible to get admitted without one.
Schools:
Core Requirements:
Courses of Study:
AP Credit Policies:
Honors Programs:
Research Availability:
Study Abroad:
Business Options:
Pre-Med Options:
Pre-Law Options:
Computer Science Options:
Additional Specialty Programs:
Programs for High Schoolers:
School Motto: Not for one’s self, but for one’s own.
Mission and Values:
Tulane’s Residential College System:
All freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, unless they reside in adjacent neighborhoods in New Orleans. Juniors and seniors are not guaranteed places in on-campus housing, due to a lack of rooms and an increasingly large student body. There are both traditional dorms, and Residential Learning Communities available for students to live in.
Housing Statistics:
Campus & Surrounding Area:
Transportation:
Traditions:
Student-Run Organizations:
Sports:
Greek Life:
Nightlife:
Yearly Cost of Attendance:
Scholarships:
All financial aid is divided into a few forms: Need-based aid, merit aid, student employment, and loans being pre-eminent among them. All admitted freshman applicants are automatically considered for partial Merit Scholarships. Admitted freshmen must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for need-based scholarships. For merit aid:
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