<p>Hi everyone....here is the dilemma. I was accepted to both Boston University and Tufts University for graduate school. I initially was very attracted to BU because I was very interested in one of the faculty members research however the programs I applied at BU and Tufts are both master's programs and BU's M.A. Psychology program does not provide any funding to ANY of their master's students. Tuition at Tufts and BU are about the same tuition wise ($30,000-$32,000). Tufts university has accepted me and offered a 70% tuition scholarship. I initially was not considering Tufts because I thought I had my mind made up on BU, then I heard the news from Tufts and it seems too good to turn down. The program at Tufts is the M.A. in Child Development. I found out recently at BU you can finish your master's in one year, at Tufts it would take atleast a year and a half. Although I am definitely not in a hurry I'm not sure if this one year program should add much weight to my decision. The only weight that would be added is one years worth of tuition and not two.
Concerning Tufts, I am not sure if it's name will be well known enough outside of the east coast, I intend on applying to PhD programs after my masters and I want it to be from a school with a quality program that other schools will recognize. I know BU is highly recognizable. Also whats up with this whole Tufts University "Ivy League Reject" stigma I feel like Tufts has this only because of it's close proximity to such notorious institutions as Harvard and MIT?</p>
<p>Tufts has a better reputation than Boston University, outside of the East Coast.</p>
<p>Yeah but I'm originally from the midwest and whenever I tell anyone from back home and some in Atlanta that I'm considering Tufts and none of them know what or where Tufts is. However, I feel that Tufts Eliot Pearson Child Development Institute may be more recognizable to those in my field when compared to BU.</p>
<p>What type of Ph.D. program in psychology do you plan on applying to? This is very important as it will help guide you as to a choice between the two programs.</p>
<p>Who cares what type of reputation Tufts has in the midwest? And I don't mean to sound rude or condescending, but their prestige will count when it really matters. If you're applying to a job, or continuing education, a degree from Tufts is definitely something to brag about in my opinion.</p>
<p>As far as the ivy league reject stigma, I think a lot of schools get that. With undergrad admissions departments as competitive as Harvard, it's no wonder that people go CRAZY when they're rejected.</p>
<p>My friend from high school got above 1550 on her SATs, she graduated Valedictorian, had excellent recommendations, tons of extra curriculars (mostly connected to her line of academic interest), had taken nothing but the most demanding course load available to her, never went a summer without some amazing internship she had discovered and planned out months or years in advance. The girl was just brilliant. She treated high school like it was her full time job and redefined "dedication" in my mind. But she was rejected from every uber-competitive school she applied to. I think she got in to Dartmouth, Cornell, Williams and Brandeis- but she definitely got rejected from Harvard and Princeton. I mean, I can see why some of these kids who end up going to their second choice, like Tufts maybe (still a great school) are entirely bitter. (For the record, she's not bitter at all about the situation)- but certain campuses have a high perecentage of the kids who definitely exude a sort of "I was rejected, and now I'm going to make them angry they rejected me!!!" mentality. Maybe Tufts is one of them?</p>
<p>Also, Boston University may be well known but I don't think it's actually that prestigous. At least I don't think it is... I could be wrong ;) Tufts may not be as well known outside of people in-the-know, but I definitely consider it pretigous.</p>
<p>If Tufts is offering you a 70% scholarship, this seems like a no-brainer! You could also try looking up the deparment rankings in US News and World Report in their guide to Graduate Schools.</p>