Tufts Blogs

Fall fly-in programs can be very meaningful experiences for high school seniors because they provide you with an opportunity to experience life on campus before submitting your college applications. At Tufts, we offer two programs known as the Voices of Tufts Diversity Experiences. Our program on October 18-19, 2018 is designed for students interested in studying engineering and our October 25-26, 2018 program is for students interested in studying across the liberal arts and sciences. During the swift but jam-packed 28-hour program, prospective students get to see different organizations, interact with current Tufts students and attend mock classes with some of our beloved professors on campus.

I, myself, came to Voices my senior year and it was what made Tufts skyrocket to the top of my college list. Aside from the great programming that Admissions had put together, it was the Tufts students that really made my experience meaningful. I distinctly remember having a spontaneous late night music session that all started because I mentioned that a goal of mine was to learn to play guitar. I met one of my really good friends at Voices and when we arrived on campus the following fall we joined the group that we had fan-girled over at the Voices Super Show.  As a low-income student of color, I wasn’t sure how my identities would be supported at a predominantly white institution (PWI). I questioned whether diversity went beyond what was advertised on college websites and brochures. The Voices program showed me how I would be supported at Tufts by connecting me with resources, faculty and staff, and current students. I got to see the ways that students who shared my identities thrived on this campus! That aspect of the fly-in was very important to me because (while I didn’t realize it at the time) knowing how I would be embraced by the Tufts community highly influenced my college decision. While I could have gathered facts and lists of resources by sifting through the website, visiting the campus gave me a genuine sense of how Tufts supports students of color, first-gen students, and low-income students.

Fly-in programs in general allow you to truly envision yourself on the campus and get a feel for the type of environment you would be in for the next four years, but DIVERSITY fly-in programs allow you to begin to build that community with your fellow fly-in participants and give more insight into the various identities found on campus more explicitly. They allow you to ask questions of current students and faculty while learning about the resources available for advising, study abroad, student leadership and more! You get to see firsthand whether a school is the right fit for you. Who knows, maybe you’ll leave campus wanting to apply Early Decision and be that much more excited to write those “Why [INSERT NAME HERE] University?” essays.

Voices made me feel at home at Tufts. It's crazy to think that I was only here for 28 hours and I could say such a bold statement! So take a chance and apply to fly-in programs because they might help you see if a school is right for you!

Photo credit: Sean MacEntee via Flickr