Showing excitement for Tufts
Summer 2016. A younger Will is trudging up the Tufts hill on a sweaty July day to tour a school he knew nothing about. After sitting through the information session and tour, my months of college searching clicked. This was the place for me! I remember feverishly reading Jumbo Magazine and diving into the blogs because I couldn’t get enough. I was excited!
One of my favorite things about Tufts is its school spirit. I felt it on my tour eight years ago and I feel it today as I write this blog. From our unique traditions like painting our cannon or pumpkining, to the incredible performances by our dance, a cappella, and theatre groups, to our powerhouse athletic programs where we are ranked #3 in the nation across all Division 3 schools, there is a lot to be excited for as a Tufts student!
Within our application process, we are looking for students who are most excited to be Jumbos. Tufts wants to invest in students that invest and engage with Tufts. Students who want to be on our campus will be the same ones who won’t just take full advantage of being in the Tufts community, but will contribute to it as well.
But Will, what if I can’t travel to campus? I hear you. We happen to have numerous other ways for you to engage with Tufts from far away, all of which can be great resources to figure out if Tufts is the right fit for you. Check out Fall for Tufts, a collection of virtual open houses including mock classes, application advice, and conversations with center leaders on campus. Join a virtual information session. We have blogs from current admissions staff and students. My personal favorite? JUMBO Magazine. I still have my copies from 2016 (you can think of me as a collector).
After doing your research, we will ask you to tell us what you found. As a part of your application, we require a short-answer essay that asks why you are applying to Tufts. I wrote a piece on this essay specifically because it's so important to your application. This is your opportunity to say why you want to be a student on our campus.
An effective “Why Tufts?” essay will remember to Be Specific, Be Connected, and Be Excited. What does that mean? Be Specific. Tufts has so many unique programs, majors, clubs, and history (The word Jumbo originates from our mascot!). It is a missed opportunity to not be specific in your essay. Be Connected. Beyond just a list of the classes and labs that look cool, we hope to learn when and where you became interested in Tufts. Maybe that's when you accidentally got off on the Tufts/Medford Green Line stop. Maybe that's when you read this blog and said: “I like this Will guy. He is helpful.” Whatever that point is, write about it! Be Excited. Leave some space to show emotion in this piece. This essay should have some passion! Tell us how it would feel being on campus, about how excited you are to join us. Write from the heart; it really sticks out.
I hope this blog can help give you a clearer path on how to discover and show your excitement through the application process!