Finding Your Way to Tufts
A joy of being an admissions officer is sharing so much of Tufts with so many different students. I never know which part of our community will resonate…
Three Students Share their Path to Tufts
A joy of being an admissions officer is sharing so much of Tufts with so many different students. We never know which part of our community will resonate with the students that we talk with – it could be the electric racing team or the fact that we have Sundae Sundays in our dining hall (yes…we do have a FULL ice cream buffet on Sundays) or the Division for Student Diversity and Inclusion, or the Hype! Mime Troupe, or Tuftonia’s Day or…well…any other number of things!
The Tufts community is an incredibly diverse one, but there are some common threads that pull us together: our kindness, collaboration, commitment to civic engagement, and intellectual curiosity.
To give you an idea of the many reasons why students gravitate toward Tufts, I asked 3 students from 3 states how they found their way here.
Ruby's Path to Tufts
As a college applicant, my “dream school” changed daily. I was so excited at the newness of it all: new classes, new people, new places, and new freedom. Tufts was one of many schools I applied to in January, and I was lucky that when decisions came rolling in, I had options. I knew I wanted a smaller school, but not too small. I knew I wanted to be near a city and have a real campus experience. I wanted academic rigor, and the ability to try new things, join clubs, and explore the world. These “criteria” narrowed the field, but still left some options that at times felt difficult to distinguish.
Ultimately, I chose Tufts because of the people. Many schools can claim they have the same intellect, artistry, and athletics as Tufts. What made Tufts unique was that people cared first and foremost about kindness, collaboration, and community. On an admitted student call, a professor described her students something like this: “My students are brilliant scholars. But what I enjoy most about teaching at Tufts is how the students treat each other: with kindness.” I knew I wanted to be in a place where competition did not distract from the academic environment, and where students and faculty alike are committed to building and serving their community. I am happy to say that the Tufts culture is exactly what I hoped for.
Maddie's Path to Tufts
My college search was a whirlwind of spreadsheets, documents of carefully annotated notes about schools, and playlists of student vlogs. Through all of that, Tufts was number one on my list. My mom graduated with her Master’s in Education, and my Aunt Kara studied Environmental Engineering. When I visited the Tufts campus and the nearby city of Boston with my family, I felt like I found a community I could call home for the next four years…maybe for even more than that. I started forming my own conceptions of Tufts while joyfully attending a School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) Pre-College Studio Art Program in July, 2018. I was inspired to keep creating art throughout high school and I was increasingly intrigued about the intersections of art and science. I explored the chemistry of art conservation, animated a video about water’s molecular geometry, and painted huge annual murals for my Mom’s eighth grade science classroom (I did mural #9 this summer while home in Virginia!).
As an applicant, my “Why Tufts?” was focused on wanting to continue combining art and academia in college. I applied thinking I wanted to study International Relations. But, my vision shifted to pursuing a Chemistry major after I was accepted. Ultimately, I discovered that wasn’t for me either, but I maintained an interest in observing scientists and untangling the political & social production of knowledge across world history. In my second year I sought out the Sociology and STS (Science, Technology, & Society studies) departments. I’ve continued on to incorporate gender/sexuality studies and history by pursuing independent research and a minor in Medieval Studies. Through the diversity and rigor of Tufts’ courses I’ve pieced together an educational journey of richly overlapping subjects. Tufts is a place I sensed would allow me to forage for what really sparked my curiosity. My experiences have been varied: exciting, unexpected, enlightening, and comfortingly close to the positive impressions I had of Tufts as a spectator and a prospective student. Today, as a Junior, I still consider one of Tufts’ greatest strengths to be the interdisciplinary programming that allows students to interweave their academic passions and carve a unique path to their niche.
Shannon's path to Tufts
When I first toured Tufts, my tour guide summarized the Tufts community in a way that really stood out to me: "everyone makes you feel stupid in a good way". To this day, I feel like this perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Tufts. The people I have met here inspire me every single day and challenge me to be the best version of myself. Jumbos are very accomplished in so many different fields: from engineering and computer science, to visual and performing arts, and everything in between. While every Jumbo has something they are passionate about, they are also intellectually curious and encouraged to explore all their interests, whatever they might be! You can be a chemical engineer who loves to dance on stage, a biology major fascinated by world religions, or an English major interested in how technology shapes our lives (like me!). Whatever it is that makes you love to learn, you'll find it on the hill!
