Tufts Univeristy is a private research institution located a hop, skip, and a jump away from Boston. They used to be a small liberal arts school, but decided to start offering PhD’s in the 70s, and now have approximately 7k undergrads and 7k grad students. They’re huge into STEM, with top-notch undergrad and grad programs in chemistry, biology, and biomedical engineering. They also do a lot of crossover programs with the New England Conservatory of Music, MIT, and Harvard. Tufts is part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), and competes in D3 sports with Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Wesleyan, and Williams. Unlike many of their NESCAC cohorts, Tufts isn’t an overwhelmingly athletic school, but it is one of the top athletic programs in D3 sports. Also, their mascot is an elephant named Jumbo. We found this disturbing information about Jumbo’s lore:
“Their mascot is Jumbo, which is one of two college mascots to appear in Webster's Dictionary with the other being the Billiken of St. Louis University. The mascot comes from P. T. Barnum's circus, as Barnum was one of the original trustees of Tufts College. According to legend, Jumbo the Elephant heroically jumped in front of a train, sacrificing himself to save a younger elephant from dying. Jumbo's stuffed skin was donated to the school and was displayed until a 1975 fire destroyed the body, except for the tail, which had been removed for conservation work. Now, a statue of the elephant is a prominent landmark on the quad, near Barnum Hall, the Biology building. Some of Jumbo's ashes were recovered in a peanut butter jar that has remained in the athletics director's office where students continue to rub it for good luck.”
Uhhhhh anyways…
If you're considering Tufts as a potential destination for your college career and are a talented athlete, you might be tempted to rely on your athletic achievements to give your application a sweet, sweet edge. Tbh, it probably won’t make much of a difference.
It’s important to keep in mind that Tufts is a D3 school, where the teams have smaller budgets, shorter seasons, and no athletic scholarships. Nonetheless, D3 schools can still have strong athletic programs, and being a student-athlete could make a difference in your admissions decision if you have the talent and meet all the other admission requirements.
Tufts offers a wide range of varsity sports, from sailing to golf, with each sport having its own unique set of guidelines and regulations for recruiting. It's essential to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations that apply to your sport, including restrictions on initiating contact and when communication can begin during your high school years. You'll also need to register with the NCAA Clearing House and seek guidance from the governing body of your sport. By doing so, you'll have a better chance of navigating the recruiting process successfully.
Keep in mind that going through the recruitment process doesn't necessarily mean that you'll become a Jumbo and get to rub the weird peanut butter jar of his ashes. If you don't meet the admission requirements on your own without a sport, you’re not getting in, period. While a coach's recommendation may be helpful, Tufts is a highly selective school that prioritizes the student part of student-athlete. You'll need to have strong academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and other qualities that Tufts values to be admitted. NESCAC prides itself on the academic rigor of its schools and how liberal artsy they all are.
“All NESCAC member colleges enroll students who will enhance and enjoy the intellectual, social, and extracurricular communities our campuses provide. We seek students who are interested in the wide range of rigorous intellectual experiences offered, and value the role that extra-curricular activities, such as music, debate, theater, political action, and athletics, play on campus.”
If you’re not a well-rounded-liberal-arts-type student, then playing sports for a liberal arts school is probably not going to be your jam. So let’s talk about the things you need to have in order to (successfully) get recruited to Tufts.
Grades
We don’t know for sure the average GPA of accepted students, but we do know that 91% of the admitted students for the Class of 2027 will graduate in the top 10% of their class. We also know that Tufts reported a 9.5% acceptance rate for this cycle. If we were gamblers, we’d bet money that you need as close to a 4.0 as humanly possible to get in. The estimators online give a range of 3.91-4.04, but we preferred unweighted. Make sure you’re getting all As in the hardest classes your school offers.
Scores
Tufts has yet to release the Class of 2027 profile, but for the Class of 2026 the mid 50 for the SAT was 720-770 verbal and 750-790 math. The mid 50 for the ACT was 33-35. Just like we assumed, you need near-perfect scores. If Tufts follows trend, those numbers only got more competitive this cycle. Tufts is test-optional, but 60% of admitted students submitted test scores. If you want the most competitive application, perfect scores are a must-have.
Extracurriculars
To make it to Tufts, you'll need more than just hella good grades and test scores. Along with your athletic achievements, you gotta have a compelling list of extracurricular activities. If you only have sports on your resume, it's unlikely that you'll meet Tufts' standards. Sorry! We talk all the time about how it's important to find your niche and demonstrate your passion for it. For example, if you're interested in becoming a scientist, you could do things like participate in research programs, attend scientific conferences, or take relevant courses outside of school. Use your extracurriculars as proof of interest in your intended major.
A Stellar Essay
Your Common App essay has to be off-the-charts amazing. We're all about essays that tell personal stories, giving the admissions committee a glimpse into your life and values. We also prefer the build-your-own essay prompt, because you get to tell stories about things like cooking eggs, your daily commute, buying a hedgehog, or trying a hot dog. Just steer clear of the cliche topics like writing about your grandma (she's amazing, we know, but they’ve heard it before) and for the love of Jumbo, please don't write about your sport in any capacity.
Plus, you need to have a solid supplement.
Athletic Talent
It's important to be honest with yourself about whether you have what it takes to compete at the college level, and if the answer is no, don't be discouraged. Instead, redirect your energy toward other pursuits, especially ones that will help you build out your extracurricular profile.
Tufts is a highly selective, academically rigorous, and top-notch college that won’t just let you in because you’re amazing at lacrosse. If you genuinely believe that you have what it takes to meet both the academic and athletic demands of the school, then go for it.
If you need help strategizing for college admissions, navigating the process, or writing your essays, reach out to us today.