Tufts University accepted 10% of applicants to the undergraduate Class of 2028, the admissions office announced shortly after spring break. This year’s acceptance rate rose just half a percent above the record low acceptance rate set last year, just 9.5%.
Dean of Admissions JT Duck commented on Tufts’ attitude toward acceptance rates.
“We do not focus on what the admit rate of the class will be - rather, we focus on recruiting an outstanding pool of candidates, and then admitting and enrolling a class from that pool that best aligns with the mission of the University,” Duck wrote in an email to the Daily. “Part of that process includes working toward specific enrollment goals by undergraduate school and program.”
This admissions cycle saw over 34,400 applications, which marks a 1% increase over the number of applications seen last year.
This year represents Tufts’ fourth of a six-year test-optional pilot. Despite this and around half of all applicants opting to submit test scores, 60% of accepted students included scores with their applications. These statistics are consistent with the past three years of test optional admissions.
“We understand that applicants have different access to test preparation, and even to test sites close to home, and that test scores do not always reflect an applicant’s academic potential,” Duck wrote. “Our test optional pilot gives us the opportunity to enroll several cohorts of students, not all of whom submitted scores with their application, and then look at relevant data to determine what role testing should play in the future of our undergraduate admission process.”
Women make up 56% of accepted students, with men 41% and 3% students who identify as nonbinary, genderqueer or prefer not to specify a gender identity. Women also comprise 50% of the class entering the School of Engineering, which is down from last year’s 52% and the year prior’s 55%.
55% of the class currently attend public high schools or public charter schools, while 92% of students ranked among their high school peers are within the top 10% of their graduating classes.
Admissions accepted more than 150 QuestBridge-affiliated students to the Class of 2028, including 30 students through the QuestBridge National Match process. Having ranked their preference of partnered universities, these 30 students were chosen by Tufts to attend with a full-ride scholarship offered through the program. Accepted students represent 90 different college-access organizations that support low-income students. 11% of accepted students will be first-generation.
The Class of 2028 comes from all 50 states, including 80 students from Tufts’ host communities. Additionally, Tufts accepted over 400 international students representing 100 foreign countries.
Over 800 applicants applied to Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life’s Civic Semester program which will take place in Urubamba, Peru and Chiang Mai, Thailand. While offers of admission have now been made, 24 students are expected to enroll in this program ahead of this fall semester.
In the first admissions cycle since the Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, Admissions staff did not have access to applicants’ race and ethnicity information. Duck wrote that the Office of Admissions will not know the racial makeup of the Class of 2028 until the last student is admitted off the waitlist this summer.
Admitted students will have the opportunity to attend Jumbo Days on April 5, 12 and 26.
“Throughout the month of April, we will host virtual and on-campus events featuring faculty and staff from various university departments. These events will also provide you with an opportunity to get to know current Jumbos and some of your future classmates,” an accepted student webpage reads. “Our in-person admitted student open houses will include opportunities to attend mock classes, eat in a dining hall, hear from campus administrators, and interact with current students.”
Accepted students have until May 1 to accept their offer of admission.
