I hope everyone is having a nice spring so far. We are preparing to release the last round of our admission decisions on Friday, March 8th at 4 PM Central Time. You may have heard us say that we reduced the number of ED and ED II acceptances this year to make room for more students. I’m happy to share that we are admitting about 50% more students in this round compared to last year!
We are very excited about this group of accepted students and can’t wait until May 1st to see the full class! For context, here is some information about the admitted student cohort from all rounds.
- We received over 30,000 completed applications this year, and our admission rate was around 13%
- Academically, our admitted cohort has an average GPA of 3.8, average SAT of 1490, and an average ACT of 33
- The majority of the admitted cohort applied Test Optional
- 14% are first-generation college students (up from 10% last year)
- 13% are from Louisiana
- 16% are international students (either foreign nationals or US citizens attending high school abroad)
We also like to keep track of fun facts from students resumes. In this accepted cohort, we have a member of the US Women’s Ski Team, a national FIRST LEGO champion, a competitive barbecue Pitmaster, a ventriloquist, and a national bodybuilding champion!
Since we unfortunately cannot admit every strong or interested student, a good number of students will also be placed on the waitlist. Based on my email inbox, I know many of you have questions, so we’re putting all the answers in one place.
What is a waitlist? A waitlist is a group of students who have been flagged as being admissible, but institutions aren’t sure if they have space in the class for them. Every year, enrollment managers do their best to try to project the size of their incoming class, but it is never a precise process. As deposits come in as the May 1 deadline approaches, Deans across the country are monitoring their yield and figuring out how many seats they have open. Waitlists are a necessary part of the admission process, but we acknowledge that it can be a frustrating decision to receive.
Who is on the waitlist? About 4,000 students were offered a space on our wait list. We expect that at least half of those 4,000 will see their interest in Tulane wane quickly and significantly as they rightfully get excited about other options. By May 1, we predict fewer than 2,000 will be holding a space on our waitlist and of course, it is premature to predict how many will be admitted.
Is the waitlist ranked? No, it is not
Will you go to the waitlist this year? That all depends on one factor: space in the freshman class. We have a finite number of spaces in the class, and we simply can’t admit everyone who is academically qualified and interested in Tulane. As we get closer to May 1st, we compare our deposit numbers to previous years and predict how large the class is going to end up. If we are seeing that our numbers are a bit lower than we would like, at that point we can admit a few students off the waitlist. If the numbers are up, it is less likely that we will be able to admit anyone from the list.
What has happened in previous years? Some years, we admit a group of students off the waitlist, others not. In recent years, the number of students we’ve been able to admit has ranged from 0-50.
If I am admitted from the waitlist, will there be aid available? Yes, students admitted off the waitlist are eligible for merit-based scholarships and need-based aid. Merit scholarships are evaluated with your application by the Admission Office, while you can apply for need-based aid through the Financial Aid Office with the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
What can I do to strengthen my case? For the most part, the ball is in our court. There is no need to send in additional documentation at this point. Maybe just ONE email to your admission counselor if you’ve already been in touch. Be sure to reply to every one of those emails we send out asking if you would like to remain on the list.
When will I know? We will release decisions by July 1 at the latest. It comes down to numbers and available space, and we won’t exactly what our situation looks like until after May 1.
So… doesn’t that mean I need to have a backup plan, in case I am not admitted from the waitlist? Yes. You will have to deposit somewhere else by May 1st.
I know this can be a frustrating and stressful time, so I hope this helps answer some of your questions. Best of luck as May 1 approaches!
