<p>I’m currently deciding between Tufts and American University (if you couldn’t tell from the title). I was admitted into the honors program at AU and received a great scholarship (about half total costs). I received no money from Tufts (no merit scholarships given and only loans and work study for part of the cost). I’ve visited both schools for overnights and liked Tufts quite a bit better in terms of campus, feel, and students. How do the two schools compare in IR? How do the rest of the academics (GE etc.) compare, considering the honors program at AU? Taking into account the money, any suggestions on where I should go? Thanks so much for the help.</p>
<p>AU is ranked higher for IR, and has a program that is much, much larger, with more courses, more faculty, more specializations, more languages, more internships. Tufts would be ranked significantly higher in the liberal arts, and, especially, in the sciences.</p>
<p>You didn’t say how much the merit award was for. $20k a year? $80k for four years? Do a thought experiment - if you had $80k plus AU Honors and IR, what would you be able to spend the $80k on educationally? Unpaid internships abroad? Lots of travel? Graduate school? Five years unpaid doing public health work in Africa?</p>
<p>(Of course, if you have the money for all of that anyway, you could simply decide to go to Tufts - it’s a fine school.)</p>
<p>Older S is at Tufts taking IR and Arabic. He’s in with a very idealistic, driven (in a good way) bunch of friends and could not be happier - academically and socially. From the beginning he decided he wanted to immerse himself in college and save D.C. for later, so for him it’s worked out great. Everyone’s different, though. </p>
<p>Big scholarship (congrats) at American and D.C. location might be hard to beat. From a parent’s point of view that scholarship/merit aid is very comforting – and it’s nice to know what you can expect over the next four years.</p>
<p>Younger brother did not get into Tufts, but is happy with his choices and feverishly trying to decide between AU SIS and GW Elliot. He did not get honors but received some decent merit aid. If the information session was correct/truthful, it sounds as if American makes getting internships very doable. That would be a huge plus for him. If you don’t mind asking, what was it about AU that you did not like on your overnight? S2 did not have the chance to do one.</p>
<p>It wasn’t necessarily things that I didn’t like about AU that made me enjoy Tufts more. First and foremost, I found the students to be more similar to me and on the whole a little more intelligent at Tufts. Not to say that there aren’t brilliant students with similar personalities at AU, I just found more of them at Tufts. I also was not a huge fan of the AU campus (a little too modern without the classic University feel of Tufts). Overall, not that I didn’t like AU, but that Tufts matched me and what I want in a college so much more.</p>
<p>I understand the appeal of a “traditional” campus. I went to Wake Forest, which has a lovely, traditional Georgian-style campus. The trouble is, all that Georgian architecture at WFU has been built since the 1950s to resemble early nineteenth century architecture. </p>
<p>I do not mean to disparage my alma mater. Those responsible for the campus’s design were trying to retain the spirit of a school which was founded in 1834 but whose campus was relocated across 100 miles and 120 years. The point is this: Appearances can be deceiving, and that traditional feel so prized by some students may be as contrived as Disney World.</p>
<p>In my old age, I have come to respect architecture that looks like its actual vintage. AU’s buildings seem to me to reflect the times when they were built. The least attractive facility on campus, to my mind, is the Kay Spritual Faith Center, the funny little round bulding on the end of the quad, but it very much reflects the funkiness of the post-Sputnik era in which it was designed and built, and the inherent circularity of a spriritual center donated to a Methodist school by a Jewish benefactor. It has grown on me, especially since I have taken a few minutes to read its history and place it in historical context. And I would be terribly disappointed if the beautiful new Katzen Arts Center had been doctored up with Roman columns just to fit in with some other buildings.</p>
<p>I guess what I am trying to say is that however much one may value antiquity, “modern” architecture shouldn’t be penalized for being “modern”. Try instead to admire its genuineness.</p>
<p>Enjoy all of it. Life is short.</p>
<p>My son is at AU in the honors program. My son didn’t like AU on his first visit (you are right, the campus architecture isn’t the most attractive). However, when we went back for honors admission program and he spent the night in the honors dorm, he really connected with the kids there. </p>
<p>From what I recall of that program, the honors students I met were considering top level schools and were weighing the money versus being at a prestigious school. </p>
<p>And here are the stats of the kids who said yes to the honors program:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.american.edu/americantoday/campus-news/20090820-2013-class-profile.cfm[/url]”>http://www.american.edu/americantoday/campus-news/20090820-2013-class-profile.cfm</a></p>
<p>I met some of the kids at Family weekend, and I was impressed by those I met. My son’s roomie on the honors floor is in the SIS and has a great internship already (as a freshman).</p>
<p>Thanks, bb92 – I sort’ve put you on the spot with that question! Am glad to hear it’s a case of life vs. like more, rather than like vs. dislike…</p>