Medford/Somerville, Mass. – Last week, over 14,000 applicants to Tufts received their admissions decisions in the mail, marking the close of one of the most competitive years in Tufts’ history.

   According to David Cuttino, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, only 23 percent of the applicants to Tufts were accepted, resulting in the smallest group of admitted students in at least the last 30 years. He reported that the accepted students represent an extremely talented and diverse group – on average, the students are in the top 7 percent of their classes and over 40 percent of the group had an SAT math or verbal score greater than 700.

   A small group of 18 accepted students were on campus to compete for the prestigious Balfour Scholarship. Created in 1990, the Balfour Program recognizes outstanding African-American students who demonstrate academic strength and strong leadership potential. The applicants spent several days interviewing with faculty, attending classes and participating on panel discussions. Currently there are 36 Balfour Scholars at Tufts.

Online: http://www.tufts.edu/communications/printable/041000TuftsCompletesMostCompetitiveYear