Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Duke is 2.3× more selective than Tufts

    Acceptance rate
  2. 2

    Duke's yield is 10 pts higher than Tufts's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    Duke's SAT midpoint is 45 points higher than Tufts's

    SAT midpoint

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.

The funnel

Acceptance rate
Duke4.7%
Tufts11%
Applicants
Duke61.9K
Tufts33.4K
Admitted
Duke2.9K
Tufts3.6K
Yield rate
Duke59%
Tufts49%

Quad's selectivity

  • DukeUltra selective
  • TuftsHighly selective

Men and women

Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.

Women admitted
Duke5.7%
Tufts12%
Men admitted
Duke5.7%
Tufts11%

Test scores

SAT total,

Duke
1510–1570
Tufts
1460–1520

Axis runs 1400–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

Duke
34–35
Tufts
33–35

Axis runs 29–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
Duke48%
Tufts42%
Submitted ACT
Duke27%
Tufts16%

Test policy

  • DukeTest-optional
  • TuftsTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Duke

    GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required.

  • Tufts

    The high school record and a college-prep program are required; GPA and class rank are considered.

What they look at

FactorDukeTufts
High school GPA RequiredConsidered
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank Not consideredConsidered
College-prep program RequiredRequired
Recommendations RequiredRequired
Essay RequiredRequired
Legacy status ConsideredConsidered
Work experience ConsideredConsidered
Demonstration of competencies Not consideredConsidered
English proficiency test Not consideredRequired
Other tests Not consideredNot considered
All admissions numbers in the table

Sources:Duke University (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;Tufts University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Tufts University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Tufts University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why