Three Students Share their Path to Tufts
A joy of being an admissions officer is sharing so much of Tufts with so many different students. We never know which part of our community will resonate…
"Why Tufts?" Redux
THEN:
"What separates Tufts, from other similar institutions is the sense of community within the campus, evidenced b yPresident Monaco sledding the snowy terrain alongside students. It is the partnership between the MFA and Tufts, the hundreds of on campus performances, and the myriad of student organizations such as Major:Undecided and Bare Bodkin that would give me the opportunity to further explore my own creativity. It is the ability to tailor my core curriculum to my major, my interests and to what will sharpen my academic journey."
NOW:
Among the first things I noticed about my Why Tufts essay is that weird “b yPresident Monaco” typo, which is entirely unacceptable in retrospect.
Looking past trivial grammatical mishaps, rereading an essay which was partially responsible for me being in the place where I am today, typing the words I am now typing, is a fascinating exercise. A glimpse into my mindset from over two years ago, I can track what I have and haven’t done based off of what I said I might have. First things first, I have only once ventured close enough to uphill during the aftermath (or onslaught) of a snowstorm to sled down Prez Lawn. I’m a downhill son through and through, and a storm only further intensifies my hermitic qualities. Plus, watching the snowfall from my bedroom window overlooking the Boston skyline, drinking Earl Grey tea with almond milk and honey, reading a book I wish was for leisure, beats soaking my entire body barreling down a snow-trenched hill (even if President Monaco is there). Still, the one time I did, it was fun, albeit cold.
Extracurricularly, I have undoubtedly taken advantage of all that Tufts has to offer, as I envisioned myself doing while just a senior in high school. While I haven’t joined any sketch comedy groups, joining the BlackOut Step Team has been central to my time at Tufts, offering me a space to unwind at practice and brunches and hangouts, as well as unleash at on-campus performances. Every other Wednesday (my “free” day), I convince friends to accompany me to the Museum of Fine Arts, utilizing the SMFA shuttles to take us to the Fenway campus. From Monet, to Murakami, to Klimt, the MFA offers a lot for the low low price of $FREE.99, and my mom taught me right in taking advantage of all that life, or, Tufts, has to offer me.
And there is a seemingly never ending list of opportunities which Tufts has allowed me to take advantage of, ones I could never even imagine while writing my Why Tufts essay, two years ago in my high school library. If I were to write a Why Tufts essay again, as someone who has been at Tufts for two years, it is the last sentence of my original which would make up the core of why I would choose this school all over again. And that essay would go like this:
"It is conducting independent research on Angola through the 10-week Summer Scholars program. If not that, then it is taking the same proposal for independent research and applying to the brand new Laidlaw Scholars Fellowship, which I just interviewed for, that would allow me to spend a whole summer in my mother’s homeland. If not that, then there is always the Gill Fellowship. The possibilities are, seemingly, endless."
