Tufts Blogs

When I first wrote my 200 to 250 words answer to this question for my college application, it was a very different story. I had never visited Tufts, only hearing about it from a friend the semester before. He dragged me along after letting me know that Tufts was coming to my high school for an information session. After a quick presentation and a short Q&A, I had made a first impression of the school that I would end up attending, but it was not as if I had made my decision here and there. I was still overwhelmed by the number of schools I could apply to, and to me, Tufts was just another one to look at.

A few months later, on a whim, I decided to apply to this school I did not know much about, doing the necessary research to find aspects which inspired me to write that Why Tufts essay. As you can probably see, I had never truly imagined myself at Tufts by the time I applied, so unlike some other people, it’s impossible for me to say that I had always dreamed of going there.

However, I would say that the application itself helped me form an opinion on the school. The application wasn’t the same as some other universities. The questions seemed more fun, more personal. I wrote my essays in one afternoon because I legitimately enjoyed writing them. Unlike the applications of some other universities, I felt confident that I was able to show myself through my application. I didn’t think about what I wanted to portray or what I thought the admissions officers wanted to see, but rather what I wanted to share…and as you can guess, it ended up working.

As I was unable to make the necessary trip over the Atlantic to attend Jumbo Days, I believe it is this feeling that I clung onto as I was deciding between different schools. Yes, Tufts is a top school with a great department in what I wanted to study (International Relations), but I deep down felt that having been chosen for who I truly am was an even more motivating factor.

This feeling of acceptance, which led to my decision to come here, has ultimately been justified. I have had the ability to do what I want in terms of classes and extracurricular activities over my freshman year. More importantly, I have been able to find for myself a group of friends that I feel comfortable and happy with, without having the need to change my personality or the way I act.

Choosing where to spend the next four years of your life might seem like an extremely daunting task. However, once you really look at where you see the community that matches your own personality the most, it seems like a more natural choice. Even though I had never stepped foot on campus by the time I chose Tufts, I already felt like I knew where I was going.