Tufts Blogs

Now that we are well into the swing of the fall semester, let us be the first to say congratulations! We know how much work all of you have put into getting this far in your college search process, and the long hours of studying, standardized test-prepping, college-visiting, and extracurricular activity-going efforts do not go unnoticed. But...it’s not time to relax just yet. November is just around the corner, and it may be an opportunity for you to get one step closer to attending your first choice institution next year. 

At Tufts, we offer two Early Decision (ED) application timelines: one coming right up on November 4, 2024 (ED 1) and the second on January 6, 2025 (ED 2). Students who are admitted through an Early Decision round are committed to enrolling at Tufts, so it’s a great option for those of you who feel like Tufts is where you’re meant to be. We think there are many great reasons for Tufts to be your top choice, but you may still be deciding if applying ED is right for you. Here are a couple things to consider when making this decision:

1. “I have explored Tufts and feel like I belong there. I connected with the collaborative and inclusive community and the rigorous academic offerings.” If these statements resonate with you, you may have had some opportunities to connect with us during your college search process, whether that be visiting campus, connecting with us at a high school visit or college fair, or attending some of our virtual events. Hopefully, these experiences have helped you imagine yourself not just succeeding in the Tufts classroom but also finding a real home in the Tufts community. Your life outside of the classroom will be just as valuable as your time in it, so you want to be sure that Tufts feels like a great fit for you both socially and academically. 
2. “My reason for applying ED isn’t to be strategic, but rather because Tufts really is my number one choice!” We take Early Decision very seriously at Tufts, and we hope that you will be making an intentional choice to apply ED because you truly love Tufts. When we evaluate your application, we will recognize and respect the commitment you have made to Tufts, and we want you to know that we are being as thoughtful as possible in this process. 

If you don’t feel like the two statements above completely resonate with you but you’re still interested in applying, we have some good news: Regular Decision (RD) applications are also due on January 6, 2025, and you can apply RD to Tufts without making a binding commitment, so it’s a great way to still have Tufts as an option in your decision-making process. 

At the end of the day, we know that making this decision isn’t easy, which is why we offer multiple application rounds to choose from. We hope that having this agency in your application journey will give you more confidence if you do decide to apply to Tufts, whatever that round may be in. 

We wish you the absolute best of luck with your decision, and we look forward to reading your application soon!