Tulane

tulane.md

Metric	Value	Source
Location	New Orleans, LA	—
Type	Private, elite	—
Acceptance rate (overall)	14.0%	Tulane Admissions (Class of 2028)
Acceptance rate (ED)	59.4%	Ivy Coach (Class of 2028)
Acceptance rate (EA)	16.8%	Ivy Coach (Class of 2028)
Early round types	ED I, ED II, EA	Tulane Admissions
Total applicants	32,609	Tulane Admissions
Class size (enrolled)	~1,875	5-year average; Tulane Admissions
Yield rate	40.3%	Class of 2028
SAT middle 50%	1430-1500	Tulane Class of 2029 profile
ACT middle 50%	32-34	Tulane Class of 2029 profile
Avg GPA (unweighted)	3.67	Tulane Class of 2029 profile
Top 10% of class	64%	US News / multiple sources
Testing policy	Test-optional	Tulane Admissions

Demographics (Undergraduate)

White: 70.6%, Hispanic: 8.3%, International: 5.6%, Asian: 5.4%, Black: 5.0%, Multiracial: 4.0%
Women: 61%
Source: College Factual (2024-25)

Income	Net Price
$0-30,000	$23,968
$30,001-48,000	$24,632
$48,001-75,000	$26,168
$75,001-110,000	$34,240
Over $110,000	$44,795
Source: College Factual / IPEDS

Tulane has an enormous ED advantage: 59.4% ED acceptance rate vs 14% overall (4.2x multiplier).
Offers three early rounds: ED I (Nov 1), ED II (Jan), and EA.
EA acceptance rate (16.8%) is only slightly above overall rate.
Significantly less generous financial aid than peers -- net cost above $23K even for lowest income bracket.
61% women skew is notable; one of the more gender-imbalanced elite privates.

Tulane is the poster child for aggressive enrollment management via Early Decision. ~63% of the freshman class is admitted through ED, and the ED acceptance rate (59.4%) dwarfs the overall rate (14%). In one recent year, Tulane admitted only ~106 students through Regular Decision.
Demonstrated interest is critical. Tulane is widely cited as practicing "Tufts syndrome" — strong RD applicants who appear to be using Tulane as a backup may be waitlisted or rejected. Campus visits, info session attendance, and a detailed "Why Tulane" essay are essential.
The three early rounds (EDI, EDII, EA) create a complex admissions funnel. EA (16.8% rate) is only slightly above overall rate and provides minimal advantage over RD. The real advantage is exclusively in ED.
Controversy: Tulane banned students from four high schools (including Colorado Academy) from applying ED after a student withdrew from an ED commitment. This "collective punishment" approach drew national media scrutiny and criticism from Inside Higher Ed and the Tulane Hullabaloo.

New Orleans location is the #1 draw. Students love the food, music, culture, and nightlife. Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and the French Quarter provide a unique college experience unavailable elsewhere.
61% women skew creates a notable gender imbalance. Forum users frequently discuss the "dating scene" implications.
Very white (70.6%) and wealthy student body. The school is often described as attracting "Northeastern kids who want a fun Southern school." Socioeconomic diversity is limited.
Greek life is significant but New Orleans nightlife is the bigger social driver. Party school reputation is real but students insist academics (especially public health and tropical medicine) are strong.

Significantly less generous than peers — net cost above $23K even for the lowest income bracket. Tulane is widely described as a school for families who can pay.
Full-ride scholarships exist but are extremely limited. The Paul Tulane Award is the premier merit scholarship.
Tulane has stated it is "reducing early decision acceptances to increase regular decision acceptances" to accommodate lower-income applicants, but forum users are skeptical this represents real change.

ED multiplier of 4.2x (59.4% vs 14%) is among the highest of any school — simulation must heavily weight ED for Tulane. RD acceptance is near-impossible (~2.5% estimated).
Demonstrated interest should be modeled as a significant admissions factor. Non-ED applicants without demonstrated interest face steep odds.
High net cost across all brackets means yield is driven by wealth/willingness to pay, not aid generosity. Model low yield for price-sensitive archetypes.