Tufts Blogs

Juniors, I know it probably feels like just yesterday you were starting high school, and college felt like a long way away. Now you are about to be seniors applying to college and graduate from high school. How fast time flies! Don’t panic. I was once in your shoes. 

When I was a junior in high school, I felt completely lost on what to do or where to start. I was a first-generation college student and my parents were unable to support me with the college search process. Everything was new and unfamiliar to me. I truly had no clue what my future would hold. But I made it through and so can you! 

Here is my guide on how to prepare for the college search process as a first-generation student:

1. Seek resources and support:
Do you want to go to college? If yes, envision it, set that as your goal. I didn’t know how, but I knew college was where I wanted to go. 

I made an appointment with my school counselor to start having a conversation about college. I was also part of TRIO Upward Bound, and they played a big role in helping me navigate the college process. If your school partners with any community-based organizations, such as Bottom Line, Summer Search, Minds Matter, etc, connect with them. Schedule an appointment with your school counselor early on, since they will also be writing a letter of recommendation for you. Utilize the resources available to you. 

2. Do research and build a balanced college list.

There are thousands of colleges in the U.S. alone, so familiarize yourself with different college types. 

Start broadly with location. Do you want to stay local or do you want to live somewhere completely new? What kind of campus do you want: a campus in a city, small town, or maybe somewhere rural? What size school do you want: small, medium, or large? What do you want to study? 

Tufts is a school that offers a balance. We have a classic residential campus in Medford, MA about five miles from Boston. We are a medium-sized, tier-one research university with a liberal arts curriculum. 

Consider what support systems you would like to have and if they are available at the colleges you’re researching. Tufts has the FIRST Resource Center to specifically support first-generation students and low-income students. They provide mentorship and host workshops throughout the year to help address any challenges as you transition to college and adjust. Tufts has multiple Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion (DSDI) Centers, along with the StAAR Center for academic support and tutoring, and a Career Center for professional development, internships, and career exploration. It is important to feel supported at the college you choose. 

Be realistic but don’t let the sticker price of colleges deter you from applying to schools you are interested in. Schools with high cost of attendance can offer very generous financial aid packages.

Tufts proudly meets 100% demonstrated financial need, regardless of citizenship. You can learn more about the financial aid policy and use the net price calculator tools to receive an estimation of your aid package. 

3. Review the materials needed for your colleges.

Now that you have a list, look at what each college requires. Many colleges have shifted to a test-optional application process, but some still require standardized testing. Tufts is a test-optional school, which you can read more about on our website. 

Start making a list of activities you are a part of in school. The activities section is a place to put everything you are involved in, outside of the classroom. For this section, you can list school activities such as clubs or sports, leadership roles, work experience if you have any part-time or summer jobs, volunteer/community service, personal passion projects, college pre-college programs, research, internships, job shadowing, or any competitions you’ve participated in. Being a part of a community-based organization can also be included in the activities section. You can also list any family responsibilities, such as translating for family members, caring for younger siblings, etc. The activity section helps us paint a clearer picture of who you are in your community and what your interests are beyond your grades and test scores.  

Deadline dates:
Think about how and when you want to apply for college. As a first generation student, the QuestBridge application may be an option to consider for highly selective institutions. Tufts is a QuestBridge partner school, and the deadline to apply is late September. We also accept the Common Application and the Coalition Application via Scoir, with no preferences for any form of application.

Colleges can also have multiple rounds to apply through, such as early decision, early action, and regular decision deadlines. Keeping track of which admission round to apply by is crucial to not leaving everything until the last minute. 

Consider Bridge Programs:
Some colleges offer summer bridge programs to help with the transition to college. I did a summer bridge program, and met some of my closest friends from the program. I also learned what study routine worked for me before the actual semester started. Familiarizing myself with campus resources before the semester started, also helped me feel more comfortable using the resources throughout the school year. 

Tufts offers two optional bridge programs, Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) and Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts (BLAST) that you can learn more about.

4. Final Advice.

Being a first generation student is something worth celebrating in your application! Be authentic in your story and remember you are not alone.