Tulane University does not play around when it comes to Early Decision applicants. Just ask The New York Times, which recently published the aptly-titled “An Early-Decision Student Backed Out of Tulane. Tulane Punished the High School,” which relates the story of a girl who pulled out of her binding Early Decision agreement at the last minute (presumably to attend a more selective school than Tulane). What did Tulane admissions officers do in response? Blacklisted every Early Decision applicant from the girl’s high school from applying for the following year.

It might seem harsh but it’s not out of the norm, and this news should be received as a cautionary tale for any prospective applicants applying Early Decision to Tulane (or elsewhere). Early Action applicants might be off the hook, since it is a non-binding commitment. But taking a look at Early admissions rounds in Tulane’s past, as we’re about to do below, will give you a sense of what you can expect from the Class of 2030 cycle once the data finally arrives and why Tulane is so protective of its precious Early Decision slots!

A Look Back on the Tulane University Class of 2028

Unfortunately, Tulane has yet to release any Early admissions data, Early Decision, Early Action, or otherwise, for us to chow down on for the Classes of 2030 or 2029. However, just two years ago, 1,946 students applied in the Early Decision round to the Class of 2028. Tulane admitted 1,156 of these applicants for an Early Decision acceptance rate of 59.4%, the lowest Early Decision admissions rate in the last three years (for which we have usable data, that is!), but still pales in comparison to the incredibly cutthroat rates seen at comparable elite institutions (in which a number in the low to mid teens is much more commonplace than something as high as over 50%).

While Early Action data isn’t available for that year, the prior year’s data for admission to the Class of 2027 indicates that Early Action is the overwhelmingly more popular option for Tulane’s Early applicants. All told, 15,541 students applied to join the Class of 2027 through Early Action, and only 2,614, or 16.82%, were admitted. Hey — if Early Action candidates are accepted at a lower rate than Early Decision candidates because they haven’t made a binding commitment to attend (and thus have not Demonstrated Interest to the same extent), it’s no wonder that Tulane admissions officers are so cagey about their precious few Early Decision slots!

Tulane University Early Action and Early Decision Admissions Statistics Over the Last Decade

Three years ago, Tulane admitted 69.20% of Early Decision applicants to the Class of 2027. For the Class of 2026, Tulane admitted 67.89%, and for the Class of 2025, Tulane admitted 31.38%. These Early Decision acceptance rates were historically high for the university, indicating the increasing premium placed on committed Early Decision applicants.

Below is a breakdown of Tulane’s Early Action and Early Decision admissions statistics over the last 10 years, excluding the Classes of 2030 and 2029:

Tulane University Class Year	Early Decision Applications Received	Early Decision Acceptances	Early Decision Acceptance Rate	Early Action Applications Received	Early Action Acceptances	Early Action Acceptance Rate
Class of 2030	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published
Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published
Class of 2028	1,946	1,156	59.40%	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published
Class of 2027	1,724	1,193	69.20%	15,541	2,614	16.82%
Class of 2026	1,853	1,258	67.89%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2025	3,853	1,209	31.38%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2024	3,976	922	23.19%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2023	2,163	720	33.29%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2022	1,659	535	32.25%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2021	1,394	501	35.94%	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published

Breakdown of the Tulane Class of 2030 ED/EA Applicants

Do we know much of anything about the most recently admitted Early Round cohort at Tulane University? Nope, not a stitch of data! And what about for the Class of 2029? Surely there’s something out there, right?

Sure, we know from the 2029 Profile, encompassing all enrolled first-year students, that 6% of the class is international and 10% identifies as LGBTQ+, but as far as admissions statistics go, we’re left in the dark. Except, we suppose, that one admitted Early Decision student broke her binding agreement.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance Moving Forward for Deferred or Rejected Tulane Applicants

If you’re a student who applied Early Action or Early Decision to Tulane and were deferred or rejected for admission, the fight is not over — it’s only just begun!

Reach out to us today to set up a complimentary consultation so you can learn about what the next steps are. For deferred candidates, we offer a PostMortem application review and assistance in crafting a powerful Letter of Continued Interest. For rejected candidates, we provide a PostMortem application review.

And while we do offer assistance with Regular Decision applications, it’s important you don’t get ahead of yourself. We first need to dissect the Early application on Ivy Coach’s operating table to figure out what went wrong before Ivy Coach’s team of former elite college admissions officers helps you pivot to a new, highly competitive strategy.