<p>Academic standards, sports, how big of a role religion is, how close they are, student life... Anything you know about these colleges is helpful. Thank you, Aly</p>
<p>I live in the Boston area, and while I didn't go to Tufts as an undergrad, I've been taking post-bac classes there part-time. And I know a couple of people who went to BC. And I live near Tufts. So that's my background.</p>
<p>I think that Tufts is more convenient to Boston than BC. It's farther away from the subway, but still within walking distance, and the Red Line >>> the Green Line. Tufts, with its proximity to Davis and Teele Squares in Somerville, and downtown Medford, has more of a town feel, while BC is more suburban.</p>
<p>BC is explicitly religiously affiliated. I have heard that this is more of an issue for faculty than students. If Tufts has a religious affiliation, I'm not aware of it.</p>
<p>Both are academically strong. My impression is that Tufts has the advantage in quantitative subjects (sci/eng) and IR. I don't know what BC's strengths are.</p>
<p>I would say that sports are a bigger deal at BC, because they have a very strong, high-profile football team that a lot of people follow both in and out of the campus community. I am not aware of any powerhouse team at Tufts. Athletic participation seems to be reasonable but not extraordinary at both places. Tufts has an adequate but not phenomenal gym, no clue about BC.</p>
<p>I really hate the Tufts bureaucracy. I have no problem with individual employees, but the overall bureaucracy is so inefficient and redundant. My boyfriend, who has worked at, attended, or otherwise significantly interacted with quite a few colleges now, including Tufts, says that it's not just my personal perception; their bureaucracy really is that bad.</p>
<p>Largely correct above. Let me extrapolate a little more.</p>
<p>From what I know and have heard, Tufts is very irreligious. Not that religious people dont attend there, but its definitely not part of the campus culture, in fact...it may be more agnostic than anything. BC is Jesuit and Roman Catholic. The Jesuits are an order of Catholic Priests, somewhat independent of the Vatican, with their own Superior General, and their primary function in society is teaching both Prep Schools and Colleges. There are 28 Jesuit Colleges in the United States. Jesuit education is noted for its broad based and philosophical approach, very classic liberal arts stuff. But that does NOT mean that science and engineering arent strong. In fact, you may have a Jesuit teaching a science and math class. They are brilliant men and will encourage dialogue and embrace tolerance, dissent and mutual respect. But they are not dogmatic. You will take likely two religion courses in the core requirements at BC, among many selections. That could include a course in another religion or comparative religious studies. You pick. </p>
<p>Being Catholic and Jesuit does not mean that everyone walks around campus saying the Rosary. To the contrary, its like any other campus in the United States. Mass and Chapel is available but not required. At most Jesuit colleges, the student body is approximately 60% Catholic. There are varying degrees of how religious that Catholic student body will be in practice. Its up to you to decide where that fits in your life.</p>
<p>Jesuits teach how to think, not what to think.</p>
<p>For sports, BC is Division IA and is highly competitive in every sport. That is a huge draw for lots of kids. Tufts is Div III and therefore students there are less likely to be as athletic centered as other schools, but there are highly competitive sports at Tufts, so dont let that fool you. Its available if you desire it. It just wont be high profile stuff you read in the newspaper.</p>
<p>Academically, I would suggest they are on par in many areas, if not quite different in approach and perspective. Both enjoy a highly regarded reputation. </p>
<p>Visit both, talk to people on campus and see where you feel the best fit for YOU, as that is ultimately what matters the most.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>ACADEMICS</p>
<p>Tufts: "Tufts University boasts a “small-campus feel,” a “globally recognized” reputation, and “engaging,” “personable” faculty. Professors here “know what they are talking about” and “seem to go out of their way to make themselves accessible.” These very same professors, however, “flood” students “with tons of work.” Lower-level classes can be huge on occasion, but upper-level classes are “small and well-focused.” The “transparent” administration tends “to grapple with technology and change” but it is “incredibly helpful” and very well liked, despite “militant political correctness.” “President Bacow will generally respond to any e-mail sent to him by a student within about 20 minutes.” Academically, while you can choose from a massive number of stellar majors in the liberal arts and engineering, Tufts is probably best known for its “very strong” science programs (especially premed) and its prestigious international relations programs. “Tufts is internationalism,” declares one student. “From the Music Department’s ethnomusicology [major] to Political Science and International Relations, every facet of Tufts, both in and out of the classroom, revolves around thinking globally.” Studying abroad “is highly encouraged”; about 40 percent of students take advantage of awesome study abroad programs in a host of exotic locales including an “amazing” summer program in the Alps."</p>
<p>Boston College: "Students praise the strong academics, the competitive athletic teams, the lively social scene, and the premium location that all combine to create a remarkable all-around college experience at Boston College. For many, though, BC’s greatest asset is the “strong spiritual presence [that] shows how positive an influence religion can have on one’s life.” Don’t worry; “They don’t try to make anybody be Catholic” here. Rather, the school “simply reflects the Jesuit ideals of community, spirituality, and social justice,” and these ideals pervade both the curriculum and the academic community. True to the Jesuit ideal of “educating the entire person,” BC requires a thorough core curriculum “including philosophy, theology, and language requirements,” rounded out by “strong [but optional] programs, such as internships and studying abroad.” Beyond the core curriculum, “BC offers something for everyone. If you go here, you are with business students, nursing students, education majors, and arts and science majors.” Even though this is a fairly large school, students insist that “you never feel like a number here. Yes, you have to be independent and seek out your professors. But when you do seek them out, you get incredible individualized attention.” One undergrad sums it up like this: “BC’s strength is a mix of everything. It may not be an Ivy League school in academics or win national championships everywhere in NCAA athletics, but it is a ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to academics, athletics, art, and social activity.”"</p>
<p>STUDENT BODY</p>
<p>Tufts: "Some students tell us that Tuft’s reputation as a haven for the “Ivy League reject” is accurate. Others vehemently disagree. “The Tufts Ivy complex is over,” argues one student. “Anyone here could get into Cornell!” Students describe themselves as “genuinely nice,” “painfully liberal,” and “very goal-oriented.” They are “laid-back” and only “competitive with themselves.” One undergrad asserts, “The typical student here is very intelligent and ambitious, but they don’t want you to think that.” Another adds, “They get their work done so they can have fun too.” Ethnic diversity is notable; traditionally underrepresented minorities on campus have a strong presence. However, “People tend to separate into their little cliques after first semester and rarely interact with other people.” “Almost all Tufts students are rich” as well. “The frustrating thing is not the lack of ethnic diversity, but the lack of socioeconomic diversity,” an English major writes. This student body features “a lot of smart kids in Lacoste polos who are looking to save the world” (or, at least, “convince others they are looking to save to world”) and a lot of “preppy,” “Louis V. bag,” “North Face fleece,” “big sunglasses,” “rich kids.” There are also “the stoners, the die-hard partiers, the activists, the coffeehouse philosophers,” and a slew of “obscenely wealthy international kids.”"</p>
<p>Boston College: "Boston magazine once described the BC student body as “a J. Crew catalogue with a slight hangover,” and while students protest that “there are a number of students who do not conform to such a vision of the student body,” they also admit that “there are a lot of preppy people at our school. Girls usually wear skirts and Uggs (unless it’s freezing out, but it has to be very, very cold), and boys usually wear jeans and t-shirts or collared cotton shirts.” And yes, “the typical BC student is White, Catholic, usually from the Northeast, who probably had family who went to BC,” but with 9,000 undergrads, “We have students from all sorts of backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations.” BC students tend to be extremely ambitious; they are “those super-involved people in high school who were three-season team captains, class president, and straight-A students. [They] have carried over that focus and determination into college.”</p>
<p>CAMPUS LIFE</p>
<p>Tufts: "At Tufts, the campus is “gorgeous,” “The food is incredible,” and course work is time-consuming, so it’s no surprise that social life is basically centered on campus. Students here “know each other.” “It’s a nice feeling,” an undergrad ventures, but “If you want to be anonymous, Tufts is not for you.” The “fabulous extracurricular opportunities” include “a daily paper, a dozen student magazines,” and “countless service and activism organizations.” In addition, a vast array of large-scale, free campus events helps to keep students entertained. While “Drinking is very popular on the weekends,” undergrads report that “there is not always a party guaranteed on a Friday or Saturday night, which is unthinkable at bigger schools.” When there is one, it can seem as if “The campus police break everything up.” This may be why “As you get older and you meet more people, you begin to go to more parties and social events off of campus,” a more seasoned student tells us. Many feel that the surrounding town of Medford leaves a lot to be desired, but fortunately, “You have the greatest college city in the nation a subway ride away” if “you get tired [of] the Tufts scene.” It should be noted, however, that public transportation into Boston takes “like an hour (counting waiting).” “We’re not in Boston,” cautions one student. “Don’t let the admissions folks fool you.”</p>
<p>Boston College: "There is a “real spirit of volunteerism and giving back to the community [that] is one of BC’s greatest strengths,” many students here tell us, reporting that “there are about a million volunteer groups on campus, as well as a bunch of immersion trips to different places, the most renowned of which is the Appalachia group trip.” Students here “really care about the world outside of Chestnut Hill. In a way, even the notion of studying abroad has turned into a question of ‘How can I help people while there?’ BC’s Jesuit mission is contagious.” Not all extracurricular life at BC is so altruistic, however; students here love to have fun in “the greatest location of any college ever! We are on the T [train], so we can get into the city of Boston whenever we like, but we are in suburbia so we can relax without all of the gimmicks of city life.” Undergrads love to explore Boston, a city with “tons of great museums, historical sights, restaurants, and a lot of great concerts,” that also happens to be “such a big college town. It’s easy to meet kids that go to BU, Harvard, Emerson, Northeastern, or any of the other universities in the area.” Closer to campus, BC has “great sports. Our football team has won six bowl games in a row and basketball is, at this writing, playing Georgetown in the men’s NCAA Tournament. The ice hockey team is consistently ranked high nationally,” and students turn out to support their Eagles in both men’s and women’s athletics."</p>
<p>Source above? Princeton Review? If so, take that in stride.</p>
<p>Sorry source: Test</a> Prep: GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, and More | The Princeton Review</p>
<p>The beauty of these boards is that you generally get a first person perspective. If I wanted the college manual spiel I would go to the web site.</p>
<p>yes but often, many people don't even know of this web site so I am just providing it as a possible resource</p>
<p>Thank you for all the information everybody. A few questions though.
Are both schools for the most part preppy? Does BC party a lot more than Tufts? Is Tufts cliquey because of its small size-- I've had enough cliquey-ness in high school, I'd rather go to a large school than have to go through it again.</p>
<p>BC is definitely preppy, and has a reputation for having a lot of upper class white students. Strong academics, but students definitely party. a lot.</p>
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Are both schools for the most part preppy?...Is Tufts cliquey because of its small size-- I've had enough cliquey-ness in high school, I'd rather go to a large school than have to go through it again.
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</p>
<p>Again, take this with a grain of salt, as I am a part-timer and not an undergrad.</p>
<p>Also, when I talk about the "student body" or anything like that, I just mean the undergrads, since that's presumably what you care about.</p>
<p>My impression is that Tufts is kind of a mix of preppy, suburban middle class, and crunchy-granola. Student political views swing left, though the conservative minority is disproportionately loud (lots of letters to the editor of the school paper, etc). Students seem to genuinely care about the world and their place in it - this may be why they are attracted to a school with so much emphasis on international relations, Study Abroad, etc. There are a lot of international students from a lot of different countries, so students get all those different perspectives. The school only went need-blind recently, and the students as a group appear to be relatively class-privileged. The student body is very white (this, I actually looked up on Peterson's to confirm my impressions - it's just over 75% white non-Hispanic).</p>
<p>Despite the white upper-middle class vibe (which tends to be stereotypically cliquey), I haven't found the students to be cliquey at all. They seem open and welcoming to me.</p>