A tiny person in a Jumbo-sized environment's Review
Review of Tufts University
Do you feel you’re learning a lot?
Despite the fact that I am enrolled in mostly introductory courses, where the general class size is unavoidably larger, everyone--the professors and TAs--are nevertheless incredibly accessible. Next semester, however, when I am beyond the introductory courses, the average class size will only be about 15 people. Office hours are always there, no matter what your schedule looks like, and there are free private tutoring sessions, as well as drop-in and lecture-sized tutoring sessions. There's a class for everyone and all of the professors know what they are talking about.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
Tufts is in the perfect location: far enough from the hustle and bustle of Boston, but close enough that it's only a short ride on the subway away. While there may be a few sketchy neighborhoods in Boston, Medford (where Tufts is) is safe, quiet, and mostly residential. And unlike Harvard, where there are hundreds of tourists filing through the campus and Harvard Square all through the year, we Jumbos get our campus, as well as an entire square (Davis Square), mostly to ourselves. There's a smorgasbord of clubs and teams--everything from Muy Thai Boxing to Hip Hop for Social Change to Quidditch to a very dedicated Ultimate Frisbee following.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Tufts is definitely a school that comes at a high price and isn't exactly known for having the greatest financial aid package. But so far, coming here and making the financial sacrifice has been worth every penny and every inch of the 2600-mile move across the country. The dorms are nice, the campus is clean, the food is amazing, and the education is top-notch.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Applying to this fierce university means that you have to be willing to put in a lot of time and effort into your work. Tufts students definitely know how to have fun, but we are also always on top of our studies. In terms of Tufts' application, be creative and be yourself. It sounds so cliché, but there are no two Tufts students alike; we're a very eclectic bunch. For example, I submitted a large cardboard cut-out of a paper clip and used its attributes to indirectly describe my own personal qualities. Sounds silly, but it worked! So play your quirkiness to your advantage.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students who are into a racially diverse campus would love it here; there are international students on every floor of every dorm, with several languages being spoken in a single hall. Tufts students have to understand the meaning of hard work; most of us live in the library because we study so much (but that doesn't mean we don't have a ton of fun on the weekends!). Most Tufts students are very caught up on the latest news--national, continental, or international--, whether it's politics, music, sports, technology, business, or finance. Everywhere you go there will always be students reading The New York Times or Business Week.
Despite the fact that I am enrolled in mostly introductory courses, where the general class size is unavoidably larger, everyone--the professors and TAs--are nevertheless incredibly accessible. Next semester, however, when I am beyond the introductory courses, the average class size will only be about 15 people. Office hours are always there, no matter what your schedule looks like, and there are free private tutoring sessions, as well as drop-in and lecture-sized tutoring sessions. There's a class for everyone and all of the professors know what they are talking about.
Tufts is in the perfect location: far enough from the hustle and bustle of Boston, but close enough that it's only a short ride on the subway away. While there may be a few sketchy neighborhoods in Boston, Medford (where Tufts is) is safe, quiet, and mostly residential. And unlike Harvard, where there are hundreds of tourists filing through the campus and Harvard Square all through the year, we Jumbos get our campus, as well as an entire square (Davis Square), mostly to ourselves. There's a smorgasbord of clubs and teams--everything from Muy Thai Boxing to Hip Hop for Social Change to Quidditch to a very dedicated Ultimate Frisbee following.
Tufts is definitely a school that comes at a high price and isn't exactly known for having the greatest financial aid package. But so far, coming here and making the financial sacrifice has been worth every penny and every inch of the 2600-mile move across the country. The dorms are nice, the campus is clean, the food is amazing, and the education is top-notch.
Applying to this fierce university means that you have to be willing to put in a lot of time and effort into your work. Tufts students definitely know how to have fun, but we are also always on top of our studies. In terms of Tufts' application, be creative and be yourself. It sounds so cliché, but there are no two Tufts students alike; we're a very eclectic bunch. For example, I submitted a large cardboard cut-out of a paper clip and used its attributes to indirectly describe my own personal qualities. Sounds silly, but it worked! So play your quirkiness to your advantage.
Students who are into a racially diverse campus would love it here; there are international students on every floor of every dorm, with several languages being spoken in a single hall. Tufts students have to understand the meaning of hard work; most of us live in the library because we study so much (but that doesn't mean we don't have a ton of fun on the weekends!). Most Tufts students are very caught up on the latest news--national, continental, or international--, whether it's politics, music, sports, technology, business, or finance. Everywhere you go there will always be students reading The New York Times or Business Week.