Berkeley vs. Tufts. vs. Wellesley

College Search & Selection
1

i’m having a really hard time choosing between schools. i’ve narrowed it down to these four, but i’m still really conflicted. btw i’m really undecided academically, but i do also like film/media.

berkeley
pros: chill, liberal, cool area, lots of people to meet. i got the impression that there’s a lot going on which i really like. socially it seems like there’s a decent amount of partying but not really in your face as well. also prestige?
cons: it’s huge. it’s by far the biggest school i applied to and i’m really worried about not getting face time with professors and being overwhelmed by the plethora of extracurricular activities

tufts
pros: location/access to boston. the experimental college is awesome and generally that sort of vibe really appeals to me. size also seems ideal.
cons: kind of preppy/not as cool as berkeley? then again im from the east coast so maybe i’d fit in more here. seems like not as much is going on. perhaps not as prestigious as berkeley

wellesley
pros: small classes, very personal feel and a lot of guidance.
cons: i got the impression that it is has a very cashmere-and-pearls, buttoned up kind of vibe, which really isn’t me. it also seems like there isnt much happening on campus and that you have to go to other schools in boston if you want to party which i dont really like.

2

Are you from California? If not, is OOS tuition affordable for your family?
I think Tufts would be best for you because it’s in the middle of what you’re looking for- enough undergrads where things are happening on campus and there’s a lot of variety to the classes you can take, but it’s not gigantic like Berkeley, and you’ll be able to have a connection with faculty there. Tufts came off as less “preppy” and more “quirky/boho/outdoorsy” to me when I visited; of course, Berkeley is probably going to win on the “less preps” front. I find it interesting that you think Berkeley is “chill”…what gave you that impression?

3

Btw, Tufts is most certainly not the preppy-dominated haven you describe. Had it been, believe me, my D would not ha applied. Tufts has a healthy representation of a broad swathe of student types. And definitely as “cool” as Berkeley (and just as prestigious, imo., known for its whip-smart, socially engaged students). As for contact with professors, this is a real plus at Tufts. Its size and LAC-feel encourage it. It’s also not so cutthroat, acc. to D, even though its students are likely equally as driven as Berkeley’s.

Good luck!

4

good to hear that tufts isn’t too preppy :slight_smile:

5

bump

6

All great schools, but Tufts sounds like the best fit. Did you visit Davis Square when you were there?

The Somerville Theatre is a favorite of film buffs - lots of film festivals and it even runs original silent movies with a live organist (just like the old days).

http://feitheatres.com/somerville-theatre/

By northeast standards, Tufts is more artsy than preppy - it has the highest concentration of arts majors among all the NESCAC and Ivy League schools - and a large music community with a new performance hall rated the best in New England.

Relative to Berkeley, it will have a higher arts concentration, but I’m guessing a higher prep concentration as well.

The “downhill” half of Tufts is located in Somerville which has the second highest density of young people and artists in the country. Cambridge (next to Somerville) has the third highest density of young people. Harvard and MIT are in Cambridge and Boston is across the river from Cambridge.

Wellesley College has a bus to Cambridge/MIT and Boston. The town of Wellesley is beautiful, but very wealthy (young people can’t afford it) and dry. Babson and Olin (top rated specialty schools) are about a mile and a half from Wellesley College (there is a shuttle bus), and there are on-campus parties there. The 4-mile corridor between Tufts and MIT is the “cool” place to hang out for Babson/Olin/ Wellesley as well as Brandeis. Boston provides lots of additional activities/entertainment as well. Boston College is in Newton (next to Wellesley). Newton is the wealthiest city in the country. There is stuff to do in Newton, but it is not really a “cool” place for young people to hang out.

In contrast, Somerville has been rated one of the top 5 hipster cities in the world and tops in the US.

http://www.metro.us/lifestyle/world-s-most-hipster-cities-top-5/tmWnio—b3NOQ6ONE4RPg/

https://carrierussellbooks.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/03/15/new-study-names-hippest-city-in-america/

Tufts also has a minor in Media Studies with film studies/film making tracks which might be of interest to you. It leverages some unusual classes from the Experimental College.

http://ase.tufts.edu/cms/

http://ase.tufts.edu/cms/FS%20course%20list%20Fall%20’14.pdf