Tulane University of Louisiana
The committee actually agreed on more than it disagreed. Everyone saw the same compelling thread: a student deeply embedded in New Orleans costume culture who genuinely designs and builds garments, from Mardi Gras krewe work to a 25‑piece sustainable collection. Where the room split was on how far that creative authenticity should carry an applicant whose GPA and SAT sit below Tulane’s usual range. The major reviewer believed the portfolio shows real design commitment, while the academic and skeptic voices worried that the academic signals are simply too weak without stronger external design recognition. In the end, the file lands in the middle tier: interesting and distinctive, but still risky in Tulane’s academic pool. The most productive next step is strengthening either side of the equation — higher testing or stronger external validation of the fashion work — so the application becomes harder to pass over.