Stark Differences Between Tufts and High School
At Tufts there is a prevailing sense of freedom, a freedom which was lacking in my high school.
To begin, you will likely not have classes from 8am…
In lieu of Thanksgiving festivities, I would like to share the Tufts spinoff of Black Friday shopping, and that we get to enjoy two weeks of shopping instead of just one day of the year. The only difference is Tufts students are not shopping for retail items, but classes for next semester.
Shopping can easily be compared to picking classes because it is very exciting to browse all the wonderful classes offered here, and then to configure a customized schedule. We have two weeks to make a schedule and get approval from our advisor, allowing for plenty of time to play around with different combinations of classes, coordinate with friends, and receive suggestions and advice from upperclassmen on courses.
Underclassmen, especially freshman, might encounter some obstacles when going through this process like popular, smaller courses filling up because upperclassmen pick first. Although this is hard to avoid, I have created a list of highly recommended introductory classes that are very useful and have plenty of spots for all students. As the first semester of my sophomore year comes to a close, here are my top 3 introductory level classes:
Intro to Computer Science (COMP 11): Regardless of whether you are planning to pursue a computer science degree or not, everyone should make room in their shopping cart to take this class. Not only do you learn invaluable programming skills, you can go from zero coding knowledge to designing and programming a game of 2048 from scratch. And this is all in one semester too! It may seem daunting at first, but the professors create a curriculum that is conducive for students from all backgrounds to succeed and have fun in the process! Additionally, the professors will go out of their way to transform this huge lecture auditorium into an intimate, interactive learning environment. A prominent example is that they learn all 300 kids' names by the middle of the semester, which is a testament to the personalized experience in COMP 11.
Intro to Engineering (EN 1): First, let me just preface again that you do not have to be an engineer to take one of these classes. I took "EN1: How to Make Stuff" freshman fall because I wanted to switch into the engineering school (I was enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences). Disclaimer: I decided to not go through the internal transfer process from Arts and Sciences to Engineering, but this engineering class has been my favorite class at Tufts so far. In How to Make Stuff, it might be pretty vague what this class entails, but we truly did learn how to make “stuff,” and this “stuff” includes 3D printing, laser cutting, and making electric circuit boards. For our final project, we made a 9-hole playable mini golf course and opened it up to the public for a limited time offer. Although not a lot of people were able to get hole-in-ones, it was very rewarding to apply all the technical skills we acquired throughout the semester to produce something everyone can appreciate.
Intro to Cognitive and Brain Science (Psych 0009): My favorite part of Cognitive and Brain Science is how you can relate the concepts to everyday life and gain a unique perspective on the way people think and interact with each other. In essence, it is understanding the cognitive mechanisms in the brain, and how those components influence our decision making. For instance, exercise releases neurotransmitters in our brain that put us in a happy mood. Basically, you’ll be able to make scientific explanations regarding human behavior, which is intellectually stimulating and pretty eye opening. Also, a bonus to this class is the professor brings in guest speakers who present an area of their expertise or research. My favorite presentation was learning about a professor who is studying how multi-tasking impacts performance, but that is just one of many intriguing topics!
I hope my personal experiences in these classes is helpful for prospective jumbos and speaks to the individualized and multifaceted curriculum at Tufts. Happy shopping season!
At Tufts there is a prevailing sense of freedom, a freedom which was lacking in my high school.
To begin, you will likely not have classes from 8am…
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