More than 22,700 students seek to be members of the Class of 2023
Tufts continues to see strong interest in its undergraduate degree programs with a record 22,725 students applying to the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering for the Class of 2023. Applications jumped 5.7 percent over last year, itself a record year, according to figures released by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Karen Richardson, dean of undergraduate admissions and enrollment management, said applications reflect keen interest in what Tufts offers academically, as well as its collaborative, inclusive culture. Key draws, she said, are a first-rate curriculum well-rounded in the arts and humanities, sciences, engineering, and interdisciplinary studies.
“Applicants are also attracted to the residential feel of the campus with smaller classes, opportunities for research and self-discovery, and the ability to take part in various activities outside of the classroom,” she said. “Our admissions officers often hear how Tufts offers the right balance of rigor and exploration that students are looking for as they advance their education.”
A strong number of early decision applicants indicates Tufts place as a “first-choice” school, Richardson said. Combined early decision applications—for first deadline in early November and second of January 1—totaled 2,480, up from 2,262 last year.
International students comprise 17 percent of the pool, the same percentage as last year. The most represented countries outside the United States are China, India, South Korea, and Turkey. Student interest, however, continues to come from all corners of the globe, including this year from Azerbaijan, Malawi, and the Republic of Kosovo.
All fifty states are represented, with most applications coming from Massachusetts, California, and New York.
In keeping with the upward trajectory, both undergraduate schools set new records. The School of Engineering attracted 4,355 applications, up from 4,062 last year, and the School of Arts and Sciences received 17,757, an increase over last year’s 16,949 applications.
Within the School of Arts and Sciences, applications to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts (SMFA) reflect awareness of the university’s expanded opportunities in the arts. Students interested in the B.F.A. program totaled 327, up from 271 last year. Applications for the combined degree B.A./B.F.A program also rose, from 219 to 285 applications.
Richardson said the admissions office staff is now busy reviewing applications for the Class of 2023. Acceptance decisions for students who applied during the second round of early decision will be released in mid-February. Students who applied regular decision will learn how they fared by April 1.
Laura Ferguson can be reached at laura.ferguson@tufts.edu.
