<p>After being rejected from my early decision choice, my biggest concern was that I lacked excitement for the other schools I'm applying to. So I delved back into research and landed upon Tufts, a perfect mix between the LAC's on my list that I feared were too small and the research universities I feared were too pre-professional.</p>
<p>I've compared it to all my other choices and save for one school, I prefer Tufts. That school is Brown and it's unlikely I'll get accepted. So, I have decided to apply Early Decision 2 to Tufts. It's location, size, and reputation as having a smart yet unpretentious student body have convinced me that it's a great choice.</p>
<p>However, I still have some questions for people familiar with the school. How often do Tufts students interact with students at other universities? Considering the proximity, it doesn't seem like it would be difficult. Also, how is the party/social scene? I have searched this question on CC but haven't found too many extensive responses. </p>
<p>It seems like there are a lot of distribution requirements. Do they take up an enormous chunk of the classes you take, and does it greatly limit the opportunity to take electives and such? And is it common for students to do internships in Boston? I won't be able to visit campus, so I'd also appreciate some opinions on the size/look of the grounds.</p>
<p>Help is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>If you come in with pre-matriculation credits, you will have a lot of breathing room in your schedule.</p>
<p>Interaction with students at other universities is entirely dependent on the student. It’s really convenient to go out into Boston and meet people at Harvard/MIT/Wellesley/BU/BC/Brandeis/Northeastern/etc and there are inter-collegiate events that you can take advantage of. I know people who go to other schools to party and people who almost never leave the campus. Boston is an option you can always go for to meet people, but it’s not a necessity either.</p>
<p>The party scene at Tufts is not that great if that’s something that’s really important to you. We do have parties Friday/Saturday nights at our fraternities, but often times people are wandering around looking for places to go to. It’s a lot bigger a part of the social scene than I originally expected, so it took some getting used to for me. It may seem like there’s nothing to do if you don’t go out, but there’s so many things to do in Boston that you won’t be disappointed. There are lots of people who don’t participate in the social scene though-- you just have to look for them!</p>
<p>While people complain about the distribution requirements when they’re choosing classes, I definitely wouldn’t say that it limits the classes you can take, especially if you have pre-matriculation credits. You still have plenty of opportunities to choose classes that you want to take (including ex-college ones!). Most people find the language requirement to be a burden though, but I personally like the fact that there are requirements-- it makes my classes more diversified.</p>
<p>The campus is of medium size and it’s really gorgeous with the change of seasons. I cannot stress how much I love Tufts’ location though… it has its own community (Davis Square is amazing) and it’s very convenient to go out into Boston.</p>
<p>Hope that helps & message me if you have any other questions. :)</p>
<p>Thank you! That was very helpful. (:</p>
<p>I realize now that I may have rushed into it and don’t think I should commit without a campus visit, but if accepted regular decision I will seriously consider Tufts. Academics aside, the location really is ideal.</p>
<p>I would actually disagree with Sarah.
I graduated this last May and when I compare my college experience with my friends’ experiences at other (mostly New England) colleges (some of which I’ve visited) I’d say the Tufts social scene is actually pretty good. For a lot of underclassmen fraternities dominate the party scene but they don’t have to if you don’t want them to. If you make friends with upperclassmen through any variety of other activities it’s generally pretty easy to find off campus parties (most upperclassmen live off campus, but literally across the street). I very rarely went to fraternities during any of my years at Tufts.
If you’re into partying other nights (I wasn’t until senior year) then I think a couple frats will do stuff on Thursday nights. Once you’re 21 (or if you have a fake, which you definitely don’t need to get) there are plenty of opportunities to go out to bars in Davis (there are a lot of fun ones a short walk from campus) or out in Boston on the T.</p>
<p>I didn’t really go to other Boston area schools, and I feel like you’re only likely to if you have friends there or if you are in a frat/sorority that’s having a mixer there.</p>
<p>@hebrewhammer, you give Tufts way too much credit, my friend. Tufts is not a party school, though I would say that my first two years were more fun than my upperclassmen years. You get bored of frats after awhile—all the gay bashing, the date rapes, the fights… all get boring after a while.</p>
<p>As I said elsewhere, it sounds like your experiences are very different from mine.</p>
<p>I certainly wouldn’t characterize Tufts as a “party school”, but the people I knew at Tufts certainly knew how to have fun, whether or not that involved partying.
Perhaps I’m lucky to have been on a sports team, as it was not uncommon for us to have team parties, especially in the off-season. I also had plenty of friends who weren’t on the team who went to plenty of off-campus parties, especially as upperclassmen. </p>
<p>I guess my best advice might be (for anyone) to go out and join more student groups you find interesting. One that I found surprisingly fun was Tufts Dance Collective, if you can get in. The more people you know the more opportunities you’ll have to go to parties at places other than frats - of which there are many on any given night.</p>
<p>You can party if you want to. My son is not much of a partier. As a member of Allies he’s met kids from other schools. [Alliance</a> Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES) | Institute for Global Leadership](<a href=“Programs | Tufts Global Leadership”>ALLIES | Tufts Global Leadership) He’s gone to lectures at BU and Harvard, but I don’t think he’s partied at either school.</p>
<p>Hey OP, for what it’s worth I’ve seen a few discussions over the years where people were deciding between Brown and Tufts. There do seem to be similarities between the two, so looking at Tufts makes sense if you already know you like Brown. Your decision to hold off on EDII as you’ve not visited is wise. Just learn as much as you can otherwise, and make those essays sing.</p>
<p>Agree with earlier posts about ease of getting out of pre-reqs if you have AP or similar credits, and with the differing views of the party scene. Anecdotally, my D1’s party-going (or at least what I know of it) seems to revolve around friends from various campus organizations rather than the Greek scene. Your mileage, as they say, may vary. :)</p>
<p>“Tufts is not a party school, though I would say that my first two years were more fun than my upperclassmen years. You get bored of frats after awhile—all the gay bashing, the date rapes, the fights… all get boring after a while.”</p>
<p>This makes you seem like a ■■■■■. You make the Tufts frat scene out to be like the larger spirited frat scene schools. While Tufts has frats (not many) the scene is fairly low key and does not dominate the social scene at the school. I believe you may be trashing Tufts for some other unknown reason…sorry…Why do you still go there (if u do) if you are so negative. Transferring is easy…</p>
<p>Tufts has a relatively low participation rate in Greek life, so the social scene is whatever you want it to be. Tons of active student organizations, lectures/concerts on campus and on nearby campuses, easy access to Cambridge/Boston nightlife/museums/concerts/sporting events etc… If you want to hang out at frat parties, you can do that, but you have plenty of other options if that is not what you are looking for…</p>
<p>Hay, IN terms of partying…
What’s the party scene like in Boston itself? Like are there clubs for students to go to and stuff on weekends?
And also, what’s the drinking scene at tufts lke?</p>
<p>@Tolstoy Glad your daughter is enjoying Tufts! I really have to disagree with the following statement from her blog, though.</p>
<p>“There are a lot of squirrels at Tufts. They are really dumb.”</p>
<p>Please forward her this link, I think she will get a kick out of it and change her opinion of the IQ of squirrels:</p>
<p>[Squirrels</a> Complete Insane Obstacle Course - Video](<a href=“Download Softwares for Windows”>Download Softwares for Windows) </p>
<p>Somebody at Tufts just needs to train the squirrels - Maybe her friend Abby?</p>
<p>I know Robert and Sarah. Your daughter keeps good company. :)</p>
<p>Thanks Dan, good to hear!
And oops, I didn’t know posting a link to a blog was illegal on CC, and I got reprimanded with an official “warning” and my post removed. Sorry CC!</p>
<p>@collegecrazy I don’t think most students under 21 really go out to the clubs as often just because there’s really less need. As “easy” as it is to get into Boston, it’s still much easier to walk a couple blocks to get to a house party closer by. People still do go to clubs in Boston though. I’ve personally only been when visiting friends at BU, though I know a few people who prefer that scene and will regularly go on weekends. They’re pretty good I guess, but ultimately more expensive than sticking with on campus.</p>
<p>The drinking scene is genuinely what you make of it, which sounds like an attempt at a catch-all thing for Tufts but it is. Last year I was on regular medication for an injury and consequently couldn’t drink and I had no problems. I never really felt left out of anything or felt any pressure to drink. People would offer me a drink, I would say I couldn’t, and that was the end of it. I still had plenty of fun and still went out.</p>
<p>thank you for the response; sounds like the perfect place to be!
and hope you recover from your injury! :)</p>