<p>If I am interested in IR, Middle East Studies, archaelogy/anthropology, which would be a better place to attend:</p>
<p>Swarthmore ($29,000 a year)
Tufts (32,000 a year)
Washu (8,000 a year)</p>
<p>I am also recieving a lot of money to go to washu, which is a good thing for my parents, but may detract from my learning experience (because I am not in a big city or on the coast..)</p>
<p>If you're into IR or Middle Eastern Studies, Tufts should be the clear choice. Tufts is known for its IR program, offers Arabic and Hebrew as languages, has numerous history and culture courses you can take, and has quite a few centers and organizations devoted to mideast issues. Not a week goes by when there isn't some mideast-related event on campus.</p>
<p>You just mentioned three of Tufts' top programs. In an academic sense, Tufts seems the best fit.</p>
<p>However, money is a big issue too. You have to figure out what you can afford and how much you're willing to go in to debt for it (if that's a consideration). </p>
<p>All three schools are great schools with an undergraduate focus that's unparalleled at many other top schools.</p>
<p>Wash U is so overrated. Wash U messes around with the system to their advantage to move higher up on the rankings.</p>
<p>Phead -- From looking at your past posts, it seems as if you have a real grudge against WashU. You don't seem to be an objective observer of the school.</p>
<p>I've heard that is true about Washington U. When my daughter was applying to colleges, she got a letter every week encouraging her to apply to Washington U. The more students that apply, the more selective they look.
It was really sort of obnoxious.</p>
<p>If Washington University has a problem, it is name recognition. Part of their marketing ploy is a mail campaign. Although some may find it annoying, there are many other schools which practice a similar approach -- University of Chicago, the Claremont schools, a number of schools in Texas, etc. I think a lot of Tufts people get irked because of the huge difference in rating Tufts receives when compared to Washington University. Certainly endowments play a role but, to many people, WashU is a superior school.</p>