<p>So over the (I'd like to say years for theatrical effect, more like couple of months actually) I've read all these threads where people who know nothing more about Tufts than its us news world ranking would say something rather ignorantly demeaning about it, followed by you putting them in academic perspective about Tufts's wonderful academics and intelligent student body, followed by them regurgitating the ranking like the good book itself. </p>
<p>So while I'm not going to go to Tufts next year, I'm local and probably don't have to tell you how respected Tufts is in the Boston area. My guidance counselor, who put me as a match for Uchicago (he was right :) put Tufts as a reach for me- It's certainly a very selective school. I was really enthusiastic about applying there if I didn't get into my top choice school, because of its wonderful IR combined degree program; it obviously has some other really great departments like Biology, English, etc. Not to mention Davis Square, Cambridge, Boston...</p>
<p>Really the only reason I can find for its low ranking is the relatively small endowment, which simply should not be a concern for high school applicants as it has more to do with graduate than undergraduate education/research. So yeah, US News is definitely NOT king, and I guess I shouldn't be that frustrated when some narrow-minded CC kids say it is. </p>
<p>Right, so this thread is pretty redundant I guess, being on the Tufts forum etc. Not sure why I'm writing this, I guess a little bit of outsider moral support :) Umm, yeah. Tufts is really really good. I think CC should know that.</p>
<p>It also was a liberal arts college not too long ago, which makes it difficult to assess in terms of being a national university - especially as prestige and national trends tend to change slowly with every generation. It also evolved as a once regional institution, which makes sense as it didn't produce much research a long time ago.</p>
<p>I think Tufts reputation is (unfortunately) hurt by the fact that it happens to be in the same city as Harvard and MIT. When people think of going to school in Boston - that usually makes Tufts their 3rd choice (obviously depending on the area of interest) even though Tufts is actually much better than the best schools in a lot of other cities.</p>
<p>When I applied for undergrad - my counselors told me Tufts would be a "Safety School", but in the end I was actually very disappointed to get waitlisted. Just goes to show you how the quality of the candidates has improved much faster than the schools reputation. That is why I think Tufts reputation with definitely grow over the next 10-20 years - especially if it gets some more large donations (think Omidyar).</p>
<p>Anyway, I have nothing but respect for the Tufts degree and I am most likely going to be heading to Medford for Grad School.</p>
<p>You say that, yet Tufts shares more applicants with Brown and Yale than it does with Harvard. No, I don't have the data to back that up, but if someone wants to bother to look it up....</p>
<p>i was inititally shocked when i saw how tufts was regarded on this site! i grew up in new england, in a very 'prestigious conscious' area, and it is most definitely considered one of the best schools.</p>
<p>Of course it's a great school. Of course it has a great reputation. I don't know why based on these fact however you think it's totally inconceivable that there are 25-35 other equally great schools in a country of 300 Million. Strange idea I'm sure. Maybe I'm wrong but I'd say the chances are monumentally small that anyone on CC could more accurately rank some 350 schools than could USNEWS.</p>
<p>Really I think the differences between say the 10th and 30th spot is minimal. The difference between say Dartmouth and Tufts is minimal IMHO, but baring some shift in the cosmos Tufts is very unlikely to ever make any dramatic ascent in the national rankings.</p>
<p>Sorry I haven't responded to this "special" thread! I've been busy with midterms. Anyway, I appreciate your support. I do think my school is a great one, and it surprised me, upon entering the CC world, to see how many misconceptions there are about Tufts. I have not once regretted turning down a few Ivies -- in fact, no one ever made me feel as though I had made a bizarre decision up until CC. It's good to know that other people feel the same way. There are many paths to a great education, and prestige often obfuscates the real important things. I wish you great luck at Chicago!</p>
<p>It sucks when some of your managers at work care about school prestige like the high school kids. For some reason, people think this doesn't exist in the work place. It's not as common, but it still exists.</p>