<p>Hey guys, I've been in a bit of a rut about this for ages, and finally decided to take the plunge and put a thread out. </p>
<p>I have a place at Tufts, but deferred it because of funding issues -- I'm an international student, and didn't apply for aid because Tufts isn't need-blind for internationals and realistically speaking, it would probably have gotten me denied. Hence, I'm on a gap year -- which, by the way, is never a bad thing! It's just that I do have to consider the future as well, and not just luxuriate in the joy of living and autonomy and everything associated with being apart from the scaffold of school.</p>
<p>Students from my country -- unless their families can pay, and mine can't -- can usually afford US colleges on bonded scholarships -- largely from the government, or large corporates with strong government ties. The bond is typically for 5-6 years, so after graduation, the scholar has to head straight home and join the ministry/statutory board/ corporation. I /could/ reapply for scholarships this year, but after a pretty good run in school, I messed up the final exam (Cambridge A-Levels) which means a lot to most of these places, so my chances are admittedly slimmer :/ I got my place at Tufts with a pretty good transcript (in my country teachers grade you to fail you, it's... character-building?) and predicted grades, and thankfully they didn't rescind the acceptance :)</p>
<p>I've been working a good range of jobs and doing quite a bit of personal exploration (the arts, education, music, volunteerism & philanthropy, mission work) in this gap year, and while I love Tufts, it would make sense to apply for other schools which are need-blind for internationals, just to have some alternative plans, since I'm wishing on a shooting star for a scholarship anyway -- might as well wish on many, many stars, right? </p>
<p>It's also a chance for me to get to a school with aid and after graduation be able to explore many things -- I'd love to be able to go on to work in the music industry or the literary arts within the US itself, or go into mission work in a place close to my heart, and I wouldn't be able to do these things if I do indeed go to college on a bonded scholarship.</p>
<p>I'd love to hear some thoughts, and welcome all and any opinions on some of these things that have been bugging me!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Should I try applying ED for schools that offer international aid and risk not being able to go to Tufts? Being haunted by the "what-ifs" really troubles me -- I've met the students from my country who attend Tufts, and they've been so warm and wonderful I'd feel so regretful not going. Also being so close to Boston seems great -- there's so much student life and activity, and enough seminars and meetups and conferences to offer that social and intellectual fulfillment I really love! Are there opportunities at Tufts/Boston to get into the performing arts without a substantial portfolio? I have had experience (choir, keyboardist/singer in church, busking/doing gigs with a band etc) but it isn't as much as, say, someone who attended an arts-centric school. I went to a pretty mainstream academic institution. </p></li>
<li><p>But then again I can only go to Tufts on a bonded scholarship, which would mean I'd have to come back and shelve all possibility of other careers, at least for 6 years. So no career in the arts anyway, regardless of how much I do. Unless, of course, after 6 years Fate and Life go another way...</p></li>
<li><p>Regarding the schools themselves, I'm currently thinking Dartmouth/Amherst. What are these schools like in comparison to the Tufts school culture? Do they offer good networking opportunities for individuals looking to go into the arts? Does their relative isolation from cities in comparison to say, Tufts, count against them in terms of offering cultural/artistic opportunities? I've spent my entire life in a small, densely populated city -- would the more rural setting of these schools be a huge culture shock?</p></li>
<li><p>If I do enter a school on financial aid, would the odds for employment be stacked against an international graduate with a degree in the humanities/arts/music side of things? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>This is really long, but I do really need help, so I'd appreciate any and all opinions! Thank you <3</p>
especially when I’ve never actually visited, since my family doesn’t really have the money to fund a trip to the states. And I definitely would pursue the arts/music if I got the chance to go to Tufts, even if only as an extracurricular.</p>