Tufts Application

[KodaBear]

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This might be a silly question, but does anyone have any insight into how Tufts looks at your application? Are they one of those schools that throws away an app b/c of gpa/gre without looking at the whole thing? Or do they look at the applicant as a whole? Does anyone know what parts of the application are most important to them? I know some vet schools have a percentage breakdown on their websites but I couldn't find one for Tufts. Just wondering if anyone knew from attending an info session, etc.

 

[Minnerbelle]

This might be a silly question, but does anyone have any insight into how Tufts looks at your application? Are they one of those schools that throws away an app b/c of gpa/gre without looking at the whole thing? Or do they look at the applicant as a whole? Does anyone know what parts of the application are most important to them? I know some vet schools have a percentage breakdown on their websites but I couldn't find one for Tufts. Just wondering if anyone knew from attending an info session, etc.

Your academics is by far the most important thing to them per their admission staff.

I posted before, so you might want to search for that, but it was something like your GRE + GPA combined = 70% of their criteria. But it doesn't necessarily mean GRE = 35% and GPA = 35%. If your GPA was really good and your GRE wasn't as hot, then they will weigh your GPA higher.

If you're in New England, I would highly suggest that you make an appointment for a file review with them. You can go on a tour there and have a one on one chat with their admission staff. You bring your resume, transcript, along with course descriptions, and PS if you want, and they'll be frank with you about your chances. The most helpful part of it is that they'll give you advice on how to best highlight your strengths on your apps. This would also be a great time to ask about your weaknesses and how you should address them. Just ask, and they're more than happy to talk about exactly how their admissions works. If you're far away, I'm sure you could at least schedule a phone appointment with them.

 

[KodaBear]

Thanks so much!

 

[RunTheWorld]

Wow I didn't even know they would meet up with you before you apply. That's really cool! Tufts admissions was always very friendly and helpful unlike a few other schools I dealt with, so definitely don't be afraid to contact them and ask any "stupid" questions (I asked plenty last year haha!).

 

[Minnerbelle]

Wow I didn't even know they would meet up with you before you apply. That's really cool! Tufts admissions was always very friendly and helpful unlike a few other schools I dealt with, so definitely don't be afraid to contact them and ask any "stupid" questions (I asked plenty last year haha!).

Yes! it's a great service so I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's applying to Tufts. They actually will remember you even from just an email or two. I emailed them a couple of questions about residency and such before my file review. The secretary recognized my name as soon as I went in, and commented about how she remembered me from my email. Every time I called for a question after that, whoever answered the phone recognized me every time.

 

[Bisbee]

For the organic chemistry requirement at Tufts, it says we need two semesters with lab. Does that mean that we need only one semester of lab and two semesters of lecture, or must it be two semesters of lecture as well as two semesters of lab? I could just email the admissions office, but if any past applicant already knows....thanks!

 

[jtom]

Their admissions staff is very nice, I have sent a few emails to them and always very nice quick and details replies.

 

[russellang]

Your academics is by far the most important thing to them per their admission staff.

I posted before, so you might want to search for that, but it was something like your GRE + GPA combined = 70% of their criteria. But it doesn't necessarily mean GRE = 35% and GPA = 35%. If your GPA was really good and your GRE wasn't as hot, then they will weigh your GPA higher.

.

I had no idea that tufts counted GPA/GRE that much. My gpa is 3.7 (3.59 for the incoming class on their site) but my gre is well below their average at 1160. I was going to apply OOS hoping my diverse experiences (2500 hours mixed animal technician, USDA) would seperate me but if it just makes up about a third of the decision maybe I should rethink applying to tufts.

 

[Bisbee]

Minnerbelle-I looked on the Tufts website but have been unable to find anything about the percentages given for academics or anything. Did you read about the 70% somewhere, or was this a verbal statement from an admissions person? It does, indeed, seem as though their GRE and GPA averages are pretty high, so I'm sure you're right. I just wish I could see the breakdown somewhere.

 

[GellaBella]

For the organic chemistry requirement at Tufts, it says we need two semesters with lab. Does that mean that we need only one semester of lab and two semesters of lecture, or must it be two semesters of lecture as well as two semesters of lab? I could just email the admissions office, but if any past applicant already knows....thanks!

I had two semesters of lecture + 2 semesters of lab. That was how my school offered it, and that is how I read their requirement, BUT it is always best to get it (in writing via email!) from the adcoms themselves to be sure.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Minnerbelle-I looked on the Tufts website but have been unable to find anything about the percentages given for academics or anything. Did you read about the 70% somewhere, or was this a verbal statement from an admissions person? It does, indeed, seem as though their GRE and GPA averages are pretty high, so I'm sure you're right. I just wish I could see the breakdown somewhere.

This was verbally explained to me by the admissions staff when I went in for my pre-application file review. That was the very first thing they said to me. They also explained in detail how the whole admissions shebang happens, how many people actually look at your application, all the way to how they choose the particular interviewers you will get. I would look at the original post I had about that file review, because I took notes and posted based on that. The post on this thread was just from recollection (but I'm pretty sure it's right).They may have changed things over the last couple of years so you should probably ask to make sure before you despair. If anything, schedule a review yourself! It's really helpful, and they'll probably let you do it over the phone too.

They were really awesome about going through every aspect of my application and letting me know where I was good, and where I might possibly need work. They also gave me very good pointers about what they looked for in a PS, and helped me come up with some ideas. My grades, transcripts, gre scores, and experiences were all scrutinized and frankly assessed. To corroborate the 70% deal, I was told that since I was IS it shouldn't be a problem, but that my GRE verbal score might've been a tad bit on the low side had I been applying OOS... That stood out to me because I had a 590, which was in the 85th percentile 😱. I wanted to be like... well... esp having grown up in a family where my parents don't really speak English, where none of my 3 siblings (who are prob smarter in many ways than I am) can score above a 450... I thought I did a damn good job!

But seriously, don't be shy about contacting the Tufts admissions people. They are by far the nicest of all admission people in the world. Even if you call a couple of times, they'll remember you, and it's really sweet that they try to make a connection with all of their applicants.

 

[jmo1012]

For the organic chemistry requirement at Tufts, it says we need two semesters with lab. Does that mean that we need only one semester of lab and two semesters of lecture, or must it be two semesters of lecture as well as two semesters of lab? I could just email the admissions office, but if any past applicant already knows....thanks!

in the aavmc stuff, i'm seeing that they published students needing 8 credits worth which is usually 2 lectures and 2 labs.

http://www.aavmc.org/data/files/vmcas/descriptors/tufts 2012 posted.pdf

http://www.aavmc.org/Additional-Pages/Documents-and-Forms.aspx (pre-req comparison chart)

 

[NStarz]

I only took 1 semester of lab and they said it was fine (however, my credits equal 8...two semesters of lecture at 3 credits each and one semester of lab at 2 credits).

I would also like to corroborate what Minnerbelle said about the 70% academics--that is what I was told at my pre-app file review last week as well.

 

[Bisbee]

Okay, I will go ahead and email the supernice admissions people to get the official word. Thanks everyone!

 

[jmo1012]

I only took 1 semester of lab and they said it was fine (however, my credits equal 8...two semesters of lecture at 3 credits each and one semester of lab at 2 credits).

I would also like to corroborate what Minnerbelle said about the 70% academics--that is what I was told at my pre-app file review last week as well.

its nice to hear that some schools actually give the deserved amount of credits to a lab!

 

[Bisbee]

NStarz-Yes...that's how my organic courses were...two lecture courses worth 3 credits each and then a 2-credit lab course. Did you by any chance go to Cornell, too? Anyway, I've email Tufts Admissions and will probably hear back from them tomorrow stating what you've already stated here. Thanks.

 

[NStarz]

NStarz-Yes...that's how my organic courses were...two lecture courses worth 3 credits each and then a 2-credit lab course. Did you by any chance go to Cornell, too? Anyway, I've email Tufts Admissions and will probably hear back from them tomorrow stating what you've already stated here. Thanks.

I am actually not applying to Cornell because they would not accept my organic chem courses without the second semester of lab.

 

[Bisbee]

Oh, I meant did you do your undergrad at Cornell. That is where I went and had the same type of organic courses that you took. The Cornell vet school is accepting this same sequence (2 three-credit lectures and 1 two-credit lab) from Cornell undergrads. You may want to contact their admissions office again and find out why the discrepency...maybe they will see the err of their ways and allow your sequence since it's the same one they accept from Cornell undergrads. Can't hurt.

 

[PetPony]

in the aavmc stuff, i'm seeing that they published students needing 8 credits worth which is usually 2 lectures and 2 labs.

http://www.aavmc.org/data/files/vmcas/descriptors/tufts 2012 posted.pdf

http://www.aavmc.org/Additional-Pages/Documents-and-Forms.aspx (pre-req comparison chart)

Thank you so much for that chart! I've been looking for it since I saw it the first time but could not remember where.. 🙂

 

[Bisbee]

Hi! I'm working on the Tufts application and it seems like I can list only three people for the LOR's. Is this correct? I have four people I've asked for letters. How do I handle this? Also, the veterinary, animal and bio-medical experience is all together with only six slots. Do I leave out the bulk of my experience or what? I don't feel like I can add everything to the application that I want to. I've put in a couple of emails to the admissions people with no response over the last several days and don't want to be too much of a pest. If anyone has insight on the application, please let me know; I'd appreciate it. Thanks so much.

 

[orca2011]

Hi! I'm working on the Tufts application and it seems like I can list only three people for the LOR's. Is this correct? I have four people I've asked for letters. How do I handle this? Also, the veterinary, animal and bio-medical experience is all together with only six slots. Do I leave out the bulk of my experience or what? I don't feel like I can add everything to the application that I want to. I've put in a couple of emails to the admissions people with no response over the last several days and don't want to be too much of a pest. If anyone has insight on the application, please let me know; I'd appreciate it. Thanks so much.

I applied last year, and I think I ended up having 4 letters sent because I had accidentally put my boss as a professor (although she does teach a class, but never taught me since she teaches biology for ed majors). I called them up and I think they told me just to fill out a form to have my other professor fill out and mail to them along with a letter. I think it might have even gotten there late because it came from England but they didn't seem to care. In regards to experience, I would put the ones you have the most hours for, value the most, and are related to what you would like to do in the future. I also recommend calling them instead of emailing. Everyone I've talked to in the admissions office is really friendly and they'll answer your questions more quickly.


In regards to the general discussion of the topic, I agree that they look at GPA/GRE and experience the most. I was told those were the two weaker areas of my application. My grades/GRE scores aren't horrible but they weren't amazing enough to make up for the little experience I had. I'm working on both now so maybe it will work out this year.

 

[Bisbee]

Orca-Thanks. I finally got an email back from admissions this afternoon, and they said basically what you said about the 4th letter...just to have them do the paper letter by mail rather than electronic. As far as the experiences, they said to use the "Additional Information" section for anything there wasn't room for in the experiences section. I wish you luck in your application this year. I'm banking on my good grades and GRE's to help me get an interview. Being out of state for me is going to be hard, though, I know. I am applying to a few places, but Tufts is my favorite. Fingers crossed for us!

 

[orca2011]

Orca-Thanks. I finally got an email back from admissions this afternoon, and they said basically what you said about the 4th letter...just to have them do the paper letter by mail rather than electronic. As far as the experiences, they said to use the "Additional Information" section for anything there wasn't room for in the experiences section. I wish you luck in your application this year. I'm banking on my good grades and GRE's to help me get an interview. Being out of state for me is going to be hard, though, I know. I am applying to a few places, but Tufts is my favorite. Fingers crossed for us!

I always forget about that section for some reason...I was out of state too, so don't sell yourself too short, it can happen! Best of luck!