Tulane University 2025 Admission Statistics

Tulane University Admission Guide — Class of 2030 (Applying 2025‑26)

“At Tulane we admit future change‑makers who can balance intellectual rigor with a jazz‑band soul.” — Tulane admission counselor, April 2025

Why read this?

You’re a high‑school junior who will press submit in the 2025‑26 cycle.
Tulane’s hot‑off‑the‑press 2024‑25 Common Data Set reveals who got in, what they scored, and how much it costs to roll down St. Charles Avenue wearing beads. Rather than swim through spreadsheets, use this narrative cheat‑sheet—no tables, no fluff—to benchmark your profile, time every deadline, and craft an application that feels unmistakably Green Wave.

The Admission Landscape — Numbers in Plain English

• 32,600+ applications last cycle; ≈ 4,560 offers → overall admit rate ≈ 14 %.
• Early Decision edge. ED I (Nov 1) + ED II (Jan 15) combined delivered admit rates near 25 %—almost double Regular Decision.
• 1,840 freshmen said yes, driving a yield just over 40 %—Tulane uses demonstrated interest (visits, portal clicks) to fine‑tune that number.
• Wait‑list roulette. More than 4,000 landed on the WL; barely 5–10 % were invited to enroll. Treat WL as a hail‑Mary.
• Stickiness. First‑year retention 93 % and six‑year graduation 86 % prove students stay and finish in NOLA.

Academic Profile of the 2024‑25 Admitted Class

• Testing optional—but sky‑high if you send it.
  • SAT middle 50 %: 1,410 – 1,500.
  • ACT middle 50 %: 31 – 34.
  • Only 13 % submitted SAT and 28 % ACT; submit scores only if you’re ≥ 1,450/33.
• GPA expectations. Average unweighted GPA 3.70; about 53 % of enrollees were top‑10 % in class, 79 % top‑quarter.
• Course rigor reigns. Tulane flags curriculum strength, GPA, essay, and recommendations as very important. Senior year should feature AP/IB Calc, lab science, and at least one writing‑heavy elective.
• Context matters. First‑gen status, talent, character, geography, and—yes—demonstrated interest sit high in the rubric.

What Tulane Values (and How to Show It)

• Service sewn to scholarship. Essays that weave academics into community impact—think river‑delta research informing local flood policy—match Tulane’s public‑service identity.
• Intellectual curiosity with verve. Tulane loves applicants who chase quirky questions: jazz chord progressions in neural rhythms, or Creole cuisine through a microbiome lens.
• Leadership that scales. Quantify outcomes: “recovered 12 tons of Mardi Gras beads,” “coded an app adopted by 3 k food‑truck diners.”
• NOLA fit. Reference how you’ll plug into the city’s health‑equity clinics, art markets, or coastal‑restoration labs to prove you see campus and city as one ecosystem.
• Demonstrated interest. Attend a virtual Green Wave Session, interact in the applicant portal, email your regional counselor—Tulane tracks the breadcrumbs.

The Money Question

• Sticker price 2025‑26: tuition $64,372 · fees $4,306 · housing + meals $18,868 → ≈ $87,500.
• Need‑aware but generous. Tulane meets around 92 % of demonstrated need on average; typical need‑based package tops $60 k.
• Merit powerhouse. Presidential (full tuition), Deans’ (up to $32 k/year), and $20 k + Public Service Scholarships drive Tulane’s high merit profile—over 40 % of freshmen snag a merit grant.
• Applying for aid. Submit CSS Profile and FAFSA by February  15  2026 (or with your ED file) for full consideration.
• Run the Net Price Calculator before committing ED; Tulane is binding and merit awards don’t renegotiate.

Anticipated Timeline for Class of 2030

Spring  2025

• Load AP Calc, AP/IB science, advanced language, and a humanities elective.
• Decide on August SAT/ACT only if ≥ 1,450/33 looks reachable.

Summer  2025

• Draft the Common App essay and Tulane’s three 150‑word supplements (Why Tulane, community focus, optional fun prompt).
• Finish a signature project—research poster, nonprofit launch, or music‑tech mash‑up—and capture metrics.

Early Fall  2025

• Visit campus for PreviewTU or join a virtual coffee chat; log interest.
• November  1  2025 — ED I deadline (big merit plus early aid verdict).

Winter  2026

• December  15  2025 — ED  I decisions.
• January  15  2026 — ED II closing date; final tests due Jan  31.
• February  15  2026 — CSS/FAFSA priority for RD.

Spring  2026

• RD decisions roll April  1  2026.
• May  1  2026 — Enrollment deposit and housing app due.

Life on St. Charles Avenue

• 8 : 1 student‑faculty ratio; two‑thirds of classes under 20 students.
• Residential vibe. Two‑year housing requirement—wisteria‑covered Hebert to brand‑new River/Garden suites.
• Traditions. Crawfest, Bead Tree decorating, Wave Goodbye on Gibson Quad, and swing‑dancing on the LBC patio.
• New Orleans advantage. Walk to Audubon Park, streetcar to French Quarter, internships at Ochsner Health, and jazz sets in a musicology lab.
• Service pledge. TIDES seminars and the Center for Public Service bake civic engagement into core gen‑eds.

How to Decide If Tulane Fits

1. Do you crave rigorous academics fused with mandatory service?
2. Will a medium‑size private campus in a world‑class music city energize you?
3. Can you balance Mardi Gras temptation with 8 am labs?
4. Does Tulane’s mix of generous merit and need‑based aid make fiscal sense?

If you nodded “yes” at least three times, put Tulane high on your ED or RD list.

Quick‑Hit Checklist

• [ ] Maintain 3.7 + GPA with AP/IB rigor.
• [ ] Submit SAT ≥ 1,450 or ACT ≥ 33 only if above mid‑range.
• [ ] Finish a measurable impact project by September.
• [ ] Reference Crawfest, the Bead Tree, or a TIDES seminar in your supplement.
• [ ] Apply ED  I Nov  1 or ED  II Jan  15 2026 for best odds.
• [ ] File CSS Profile + FAFSA by Feb  15  2026.
• [ ] Open every email—Tulane tracks interest.

Final Word

Tulane fuses research heft with a New Orleans heartbeat, turning classrooms into community labs and lectures into second‑line parades. Admission is holistic but data‑driven: strong academics, a service‑anchored impact story, and essays that radiate intellectual playfulness and city‑savvy intent. Nail those, respect the timeline, and you’ll soon be rolling down McAlister in Carnival colors—Green Wave style.

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