Tufts University is a private research university located just outside of Boston in Medford, MA. While it’s a research institution, they’re also known for their stellar liberal arts programs and some of the most popular majors include computer science, international relations, and economics.
Tufts has an overall acceptance rate of 10%, but a combined ED and ED2 acceptance rate of over 40%. We think applying ED2 to Tufts, especially if you’re interested and it’s a top choice for you, is a total no-brainer. Leaving it up to RD chance is definitely not your smartest strategic choice – so let’s talk about why ED2 is smart and how to do your Tufts ED2 application.
Why You Should Apply ED2
We get it – committing to another binding decision after a deferral or while still holding out hope for a Regular Decision acceptance elsewhere can feel like a big gamble. That hesitation is totally valid. But if we’re thinking purely in terms of strategy, passing on ED2 could be a missed opportunity.
Colleges like Tufts care deeply about their yield rate, or the number of admitted students who enroll. Applying through ED1 or ED2 sends a clear message, and Tufts wants to admit students who are excited to be there.
So if your current college list is stacked with super selective schools, and you’re searching for a move that could meaningfully improve your odds, ED2 at Tufts is worth considering – especially if your profile aligns well with their values and strengths.
If you’re dealing with a deferral or rejection from your Early Decision school, we can help. Whether you need a deferral letter, a college list for Regular Decision, polishing your Common App essay, an Early Decision 2 application, or even a complete rehaul for this next round, we have you covered. Reach out to us ASAP. Everything will be okay.
The Supplement
Tufts asks all applicants to answer two questions, but you’ll choose one out of three options. Let’s get into it.
Applicants to the School of Arts & Sciences or the School of Engineering: Please respond to one of the following three prompts in 200-250 words:
It’s cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity and why?
We always love this type of prompt, because it allows you to talk about academic interests or engaging hobbies you have outside of your stated major. Since Tufts asks a Why Tufts question below, it’s important that you choose a topic outside of your stated academic interests.
The best way to showcase how you’ve been excited intellectually by something is to tell a story of a time you were absolutely engrossed in the activity. Maybe it’s showcasing a time you were fixing a car, went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole on the pursuit of knowledge, or how a trip to a museum sparked a new obsession for you.
How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?
This question is tailored for minority students to talk about their diverse backgrounds in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. If you don’t have that kind of background, we recommend skipping this prompt and choosing one of the other two. In order to best show your environment/community/home, we recommend telling a story that you think best represents your experiences. We also recommend avoiding anything too traumatic – mostly because you don’t need to write about these things to get into college, but also because they’re often better suited for the additional information section of the Common App. We find that stories about food or shared family traditions work really well here.
Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.
This question is a classic community prompt, and we recommend only sticking with one specific example. With one example, you can tell a really strong story – and that’s how we advise tackling this prompt. You can talk about the more formal communities you’re a part of, or you can think about “little C” communities; think of your friends, family, neighbors, etc. The story should be focused on collaboration or inclusivity, but feel free to get creative with your interpretation there. Are you and your sister working on baking a pie together? Did you and your friends become the unofficial welcome committee for new kids at school? Bring us into the moment with you and show us your community – don’t just tell us.
In addition, we will ask all applicants to complete this sentence in 250 words or less: “I am applying to Tufts because…”
The classic Why essay! And we have just the way to write it.
Start with ending the first sentence. Some students don’t do this, but it’s part of the instructions. Then, you want to get into your origin story – or why you want to study what you want to study. End by declaring your major.
After that, you’ll want to pick specific classes and professors at Tufts that relate to your major and to your origin story. Talk about why these classes are interesting to you, not just that they are interesting – and connect it back to skills you want to build or how it’ll help with your long-term goals.
Next, bring in some extracurriculars. Since this question is about Tufts in general, and not just academics, you can choose an academic and non academic extracurricular. Just like with the classes and professors, make sure to explain why you like these things and want to pursue them and connect them to your goals.
Submit and Wait
Tufts’ ED2 deadline is January 5th, and you should hear back around mid-February. Try to send in your app earlier rather than later, since we’ve heard horror stories of last-minute crashes.
You’ve done the hard work, and now you just have to wait. We know it’s no fun, but you’ve got this!
Deferred or rejected and need help with an ED2 app? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us ASAP.