175 miles and only a three hour drive away. This was one of many statistics running through my head in the car traveling to visit Tufts for the first time. Throughout my process of choosing Tufts as my top choice school, my parents and guidance counselors reminded me constantly to visit campus as much as possible. Just like many prospective students reading this probably had to, I tried to immerse myself in all of the data about the school possible before visiting. It seemed a little bit as if I was preparing for a test. I wanted to tour the school prepared and knowing all of the statistics, so I forced myself before every car trip to print out every brochure about each school that I could and write down the size, location, and any other facts that stood out to me on the school’s website. In the car, pulling up to the Tufts campus, I was surrounded by many sheets of paper; a brochure for the Engineering school, a history packet due for homework, a printed out list of Tufts Majors and Minors, a freshly printed-out resume. I looked out the window to see what looked like to me buildings growing out of a grassy hill. I quickly stored the facts that I had been studying in the back of my mind and completely focused on hill, the quad, the buildings, the statue of Jumbo the elephant, and the view of Boston.
As important as it is to appreciate the statistics of a school, only through visiting campus will you be able to fully experience whether or not Tufts is the place that you want to be for the next four years. Every time I have visited the campus, I fall in love with the atmosphere more and more. The more times that you get to visit, it seems as if you are able to navigate the roads yourself. Even though I am not an expert of all the ins and outs of the campus, as I will be attending Tufts next year, there are few simple things to keep in mind while you are visiting. After you get to know the layout of the campus by going on the admissions tour, you feel more comfortable visiting and it becomes easier to immerse yourself into the actual atmosphere that the students offer. By exploring the campus yourself, you begin to feel like student there. Walking around Dewick, it isn’t hard to find someone to chat with over lunch. While it could be difficult at first as only a junior or senior in highschool to start up a conversation, Tufts students are truly a welcoming and humble bunch that love to get prospective students interested in Tufts. Also, there are several students working in admissions that are more than happy to answer questions you have about walking around campus. Disguised in a Jumbo’s sweatshirt purchased from the bookstore, it is easy to blend in with the students and observe everybody going about their day. Visiting campus for the first time can take your breath away, but I believe that it is important to visit as many times as possible. Multiple visits allow you to talk to as many students as possible about their experience, and find out if your first impressions of the school last through several visits and experiences. Although it is understandably difficult to make many visits if you are very far away from Medford, it is important to always make the most of all of your visits and to take advantage of any opportunities possible, whether it be a self-guided tour, lunch with a student, or a chat with a professor. Overall, visiting campus can allow you to truly picture yourself in the place that you want to be.