Tufts University
Private research university in Medford, MA, just outside Boston, known for pairing a small liberal-arts feel with research-university resources. Founded in 1852, Tufts built one of the country's oldest and most respected undergraduate International Relations programs, drawing on the reputation of its graduate Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. The School of Engineering and School of Arts and Sciences admit jointly, and a partnership with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts lets students combine a BFA with a traditional degree. Starting with the fall 2026 entering class, US students from families earning under $150,000 attend tuition-free under the new Tufts Tuition Pact.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education. Figures reflect the most recently published class — always confirm current-cycle numbers on Tufts's official admissions site before applying.
📊 What SAT/ACT Scores Do Admitted Students Have?
The middle 50% of Tufts's admitted students scored within these ranges:
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (25th–75th percentile of admitted students). Get your own personalized chance estimate →
🎲 Will You Get Into Tufts?
This estimate compares the test score you enter against Tufts's real published middle-50% band (1470–1560 SAT, 33–35 ACT) and its 10.5% acceptance rate to produce a Safety, Target, or Reach label. It intentionally does not use GPA — no institution publishes real per-school GPA distribution data, so we don't invent one.
A SAT score of 1520 falls within Tufts's middle-50% range of 1470–1560 (SAT 1470–1560), making Tufts a target school.
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📝 Required Supplements
- Common App or Coalition (via Scoir)
- Two Tufts Short Answer Questions
- School Report
- Teacher Evaluation (core academic subject)
Optional but recommended:
- Second teacher recommendation
- Visual Art Portfolio (SMFA BFA applicants only)
✍️ What Should Your Tufts Essay Focus On?
- The 75-150 word "how you engaged with Tufts" question wants specific proof: a class you sat in on, a professor's paper you read, a conversation with a current student
- Match your second short answer to the actual school you're applying to — the Arts & Sciences prompt about a favorite assignment differs from the Engineering prompt about a project
- Don't recycle a generic "why I love learning" essay across every school you're applying to — the second prompt is deliberately school-specific
- Stay tightly within the word count — Tufts' readers see a lot of essays, and short, specific writing stands out more than padding
🎯 What Is Tufts Looking For in Applicants?
- Demonstrated interest specific enough to answer the required short-answer question about how you engaged with Tufts, not a generic response
- Fit with the school you're actually applying to, since Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and the SMFA-affiliated BFA program each ask a different second short answer
- Intellectual seriousness suited to a university whose International Relations program grew out of the graduate Fletcher School's reputation
- Comfort with a small, tight-knit undergraduate population of roughly 7,100 students, smaller than most peer research universities
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