Want more information about our new GRE admissions policy? We've gathered some FAQs here for you. Still have questions? Send an email our admissions office nutritionadmissions@tufts.edu. Ready to apply? Start your application now!
- Is the GRE required?
- The GRE is optional for all degree programs. Applicants to the Ph.D. program are strongly encouraged to submit GRE scores as they can be helpful in the Admissions Committee’s assessment of readiness for doctoral study.
- How are GRE scores used in the application review process?
- The GRE is used together with prior educational record to determine academic readiness for the program. The GRE is rarely the sole determinant of an admissions decision. Given our programs have significant quantitative requirements, the GRE quantitative score is of particular interest to admissions committees.
- The application may show evidence of mathematics preparation in many ways: a college mathematics course such as calculus or intermediate statistics, an advanced placement test from high school, or a GRE score. Otherwise qualified applicants who do not have these may be offered admission conditional on successful completion of a suitable math course elsewhere prior to matriculation at the Friedman School.
- How do I know if it would be advisable for me to submit scores?
- If your academic background has inconsistencies or notable weaknesses, a solid GRE score can be a way to show aptitude and readiness for the demands of the programs. All of our master’s degree programs include quantitatively focused course requirements, and a major academic assessment of the applicant focuses on readiness for that coursework. Students who have few, if any, quantitatively focused courses at the college level, or who have not performed well in those courses, are advised to prepare for the quantitative section of the test and submit scores.
- Will not submitting scores negatively impact my application?
- Applicants with strong academic records in demanding programs of study who have completed coursework in Statistics, Economic, or other quantitatively focused coursework with grades of B or better are unlikely to need GRE scores to demonstrate academic readiness. Applicants who have inconsistent undergraduate records and/or have not taken quantitatively focused coursework or not performed well in it may have their academic preparation questioned by admissions committees.
- What are considered good GPA and GRE scores?
- Average undergraduate GPA of entering masters students is 3.6. This results from a wide range of values. Admissions committees generally are not focusing on cumulative GPA, but instead are considering perceived difficulty of program/coursework, trends in the applicant’s academic history, and performance in coursework most relevant to the program they are applying to. Academically focused recommendation letters are also considered.
Average GRE scores of incoming masters students are 158 on the verbal section and 157 on the quantitative section. These are also averages resulting from a fairly wide range of values. GRE scores are not looked at in isolation, but are considered together with prior academic history.
There are no minimum GPA or GRE score requirements.
The Friedman School also welcomes applications from those who may not have outstanding undergraduate records but who have acquired significant professionally relevant experience.
- Average undergraduate GPA of entering masters students is 3.6. This results from a wide range of values. Admissions committees generally are not focusing on cumulative GPA, but instead are considering perceived difficulty of program/coursework, trends in the applicant’s academic history, and performance in coursework most relevant to the program they are applying to. Academically focused recommendation letters are also considered.