<p>Leaning towards Colgate. Schools get similar rankings, but Colgate seems to have more school spirit, and a "normal" college feel. Sticks versus Beantown...but the remoteness makes me feel like its easier to establish community spirit and kids stick together. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>daddymac- there are plenty of linked Tufts comparison threads on this reference thread, which I’ll update soon:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/colgate-university/333242-reference-links-colgate-vs-xxxx-college-threads.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/colgate-university/333242-reference-links-colgate-vs-xxxx-college-threads.html</a></p>
<p>My S, a Colgate senior, was initially torn between Colgate & Tufts back in '07, until he spent time at both…the Colgate vibe won him over. He is very happy with his decision & will be sad to leave 'Gate this May. As parents, my wife & I also have loved the place; Colgate has been wonderful for our son, where he has blossomed academically and matured socially. The “normal” you report is quite real (and distinctive IMHO)…indeed, as I also recruit Colgate grads for my firm, I get to meet and work with many from Colgate (among other schools.) Colgate kids are generally characterized within my firm as being “normal”, professionally oriented folks, who have a great mix of smarts and social intelligence…that is, they make great employees who have something to contribute and work well with others.</p>
<p>In general, you probably can’t go wrong either way. I personally feel Tufts admission requirements may be slightly higher. But, both schools are highly selective. My son will be an incoming freshman at Colgate and my niece will be an incoming freshman at Tufts. One difference is that Colgate is division 1 in all sports. What sold my niece is that that she will be a valued basketball player at Tufts (not division 1) and may not have made the team at Colgate. Not the most important factor to most kids but something to consider if all else is equal.</p>
<p>There is a personal feeling kids get when they visit the schools. Spend time at both of them over Spring break. Look around, talk the the kids and professors. Sure, Boston is a great city but is that the most important factor you are considering? If everything else is equal, then go with the great city. Discuss potential majors and find out which school will benefit your child more. For example, Colgate doesn’t have engineering. Or, if your child is considering dentistry, Tufts has their own graduate school. etc. etc. </p>
<p>What drove my son to apply early decision to Colgate was the strong alumni connection admissions officers at Colgate spoke about when we visited. I think this will be important when it comes time to look for a job after graduation. I would imagine that Tufts would say the same about their school but we never visited. My son didn’t want to write all the essays required to be considered!</p>
<p>BTW, both my son and my niece are “normal” kids - smart, athletic, personable, social, etc.</p>
<p>Tufts is definitely a stronger program. Everyone who I know that goes there is ‘normal’ and parties. Also being right outside of Boston will be wonderful for internship opportunities, etc.</p>
<p>My DD is making the same decision and has similar concerns. Will you be attending the Admitted Students Day next week? I’m hoping this visit helps clarify things.</p>
<p>You are splitting hairs on the academics…Tufts slightly more competitive on admissions, Colgate has smaller class sizes and undergrads only. Big difference on location–Boston area with lots of places to go vs. rural area, very beautiful small town/campus. Probably more rah-rah sports/spirit at Colgate (D1 vs D3), but that might not matter to you. I know several students at both schools and they all seem very happy. Good luck!</p>
<p>Jaybaybay,</p>
<p>In my own experience I have found that it’s always smart to combine one’s opinion with facts/evidence in some framework or context to make for a useful piece of advice.</p>
<p>Over to you.</p>
<p>i’ve always thought of colgate as being academically stronger/having the better reputation. i got into both last year and picked colgate. you can’t really say which has the stronger program, but i have no complaints…the academics are challenging, prof’s are awesome, and the students are all very bright (with the exception of some athletes…as i’m sure happens at every college). if you’re looking for a good social life in addition to the academics though, choose colgate. kids party ALL THE TIME, it’s great.</p>
<p>I don’t think you can go by stats alone (but rather as a general guide). My DD liked both schools and was accepted at both. There are differences in size, location, academic/intellectual and social environments (better sports at Colgate). I think personal preference determines which is the ideal school for each individual student. I don’t think Colgate is academically stronger than Tufts as someone else stated.</p>
<p>According to these colleges’ websites, their profiles are a bit different:
CR SAT middle 50% Colgate (650-740) vs Tufts (690-760)
M SAT middle 50% Colgate (660-750) vs Tufts (690-770)
Wr SAT middle 50% - Colgate (n/a) vs Tufts (690-770)
% in top 10% - Colgate (77%) vs Tufts (91%)
Acceptance rate Colgate (33%) vs Tufts (22% 2011, 24% 2010)</p>
<p>Selectivity has no bearing on the strength of academics. You could even argue that Colgate has more resources per student (600 million for 2800 students vs. 1.3 billion for 10,000 students).</p>