Sometimes Things Don't Go As Planned...
Students and guidance counselors are reporting a range of technical problems as they use the new Common Application, and our phone lines are buzzing with panic as the Early Decision deadline approaches. While our colleagues at the Common Application are working as hard and as quickly as they can to resolve these issues in a timely manner, the clock is ticking. Let me offer some calming words.
To help ease everyone’s path across this first finish line, Tufts extended the ED1 deadline to Friday, November 8 to give students more time to negotiate the unexpected issues, to give the team at CA a chance to address the issues as they arise, and to give my team a chance to upload and process the materials in a smooth and timely manner. While students are encouraged to submit an ED1 application as soon as possible, all applications received by November 8 will be given full consideration. As always, high school transcripts, letters of recommendation and other supplementary materials may (and will) arrive after the deadline. On our end, we will do our best to release decisions (electronically) no later than Wednesday, December 18 (and sooner than that if we can).
In addition to the ED1 deadline extension, we have also added a second application option for the ED2 and Regular Decision rounds. Students may now submit either an on-line Common Application or an on-line Universal College Application. We expect that the Tufts version of the Universal College Application will be available later this week, and a link to it will be posted on our admission website as soon as it is available. Before anyone asks, let me be clear about a key point: we will evaluate each application type equally. Use whichever format offers you a reliable, efficient electronic pathway to submit your application this year.
Here’s one piece of friendly advice to seniors: this does not seem like a good year to procrastinate. If you haven’t already done so, begin your application now and check your interface with your vendor of choice. (In other words, make sure it works for you.) Better to discover any hiccups now than find yourself jammed on the eve of the deadline. While we have no reason to believe that would be the case, as I said, sometimes things don’t go as planned... As the Boy Scouts say, be prepared.
Good people are dedicating significant resources towards a speedy solution. I promise.