Thinking of transferring to Tufts

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
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<p>I am a freshman at DePaul University in the honors program. I am really not liking it here. I understand it has only been a month, yet I feel very very strongly towards transferring out after this year, and I am definitely not the only one. First of all, I feel very isolated here at this college. People here are not that friendly, and the majority of students are partiers. This is not exactly my thing. I have made some good friends here, but the social life is not what I'm looking for in a college. I also feel that the intellectual levels of the students here are too spread out. I am looking for a college that chooses its students for the person they are, and the character they have, and I dont feel that DePaul does this. I would prefer to also go back to the east coast, because I am missing it too much. I am at this university mainly because I had many issues at home that I had to deal with in high school, and I had graduated with around a 3.2 or 3.3 GPA (1 AP, 18 honors classes). I am also biracial (half African American, and half white). So basically I came to Chicago (I am originally from Boston), because I needed to get away from my home life that was suppressing my ability to achieve an adequate academic performance. I have noticed that being away from home has definitely allowed me to showcase my academic abilities and increase my motivation. Which is another reason that I would really like to transfer. I have great grades in all my classes here at DePaul (straight As), and will continue to get a 4.0 for the rest of this year.</p>

<p>I am attracted to Tufts, because they have a very strong International Relations Program of course, and my family has been very connected with the university. My grandfather went to grad school there for chemistry, my cousin did her undergrad there, and most importantly, my father worked at Tufts for a number of years, and I know professors at the institution that are family friends. I just feel very comfortable about the idea of attending Tufts.</p>

<p>I find my classes here to be very very easy and not challenging at all. I have classes only twice a week, and my workload is like a half an hour if that for homework. So basically I only have like an hour a week of homework if that. I feel like this school is such a waste of money. I understand that it has only been a month, however that is not just the case. The classes in general here at just very easy. My high school back in Massachusetts was more difficult than it is here at DePaul, and they baby us far too much at this university in our classes.</p>

<p>I am such a changed person from high school, and I feel so motivated and DePaul does not seem to satisfy my needs academically.</p>

<p>My current courses:</p>

<p>Honors Explore Chicago Social Reform (required course)</p>

<p>Honors World Literature (Required Course for the honors program)</p>

<p>Beginning Arabic 101 </p>

<p>LSP 120 (quantitative reasoning and computer literacy) (I was supposed to be in Honors 180, data analysis and statistics, and I placed out of LSP 120, however they said that they made a mistake and have put me in this LSP 120 class by accident, and by now it is too late to switch out)</p>

<p>Another big reason that I would like to transfer is that I am a poly sci major, however I really wish I could be an international relations major but DePaul does not offer this as a major. I hope to go into a career in international law. </p>

<p>In terms of extracurricular activities, I started a chapter of an organization here at DePaul that I was president of in high school for two years and that I also have two national positions with.(one of the positions is being the national fundraising coordinator for the organization, and the other position is a regional organizer in charge of Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Illinois and all the high school and college chapters of the organization in these states such as at Northwestern, Swarthmore, Yale, ect. I get flown out to DC a few times a year to participate in global anti-genocide summits, as well as lobby events on congress). This organization relates a lot to the career I want to have in international law. (They have a chapter of this organization at Tufts) My ACT is very low at a 26, (32 reading, 27 writing, and 23 math and science). I can definitely retake this for a higher score. (For this ACT test anyway I was not even trying my hardest. I kind of lost focus and motivation after the second section)</p>

<p>I hope that Tufts will be able to see that I have changed by the time they read my application in March.</p>

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<p>I wish you good luck. :)</p>

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<p>I have never posted on CC before but as someone who transferred here this year I would really encourage you to apply Tufts! I had similar problems at my old school and can honestly say that Tufts is very challenging but extremely rewarding. My GPA is definitley going to take a hit this year but all of my classes have been great and the student body here is amazing. I’m an IR major and the amount of opportunities here for Undergrads is incredible. You should definitely look into the IGL and see if there is anything that interests you. Best of luck this year and please let me know if you have any questions about Tufts.</p>

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<p>Determined23, I wish you good luck transferring to Tufts. I am also thinking of transferring next year. @Soccerdude, what’s it like being a transfer student at Tufts? Did you find it easy to fit in?</p>

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<p>When I was considering transferring, fitting in and finding friends was a big concern of mine as I was nervous that being a sophomore it’d be really difficult since most people would have already formed their friend groups. The transfer orientation at the beginning of the year was great. Right off the bat I made a solid group of friends (other transfers) before returning sophomores even arrived on campus. Also, I have joined a fair amount of clubs on campus (which it seems like all Tufts students do) which has made it pretty easy to meet a lot of people from different grades. I would say that I actually have met a wider variety of people in the 2 months I have been here than I did all of last year. I think it is mainly just because everyone is so friendly and welcoming.</p>

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<p>A URM like you with a very high GPA ought to be an attractive applicant.</p>

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<p>Determined23 good luck to you! I’m actually a freshman who’s looking to transfer too. @Soccerdude, what do you think is a solid GPA for a Tufts transfer? I’m looking at a 3.4 for the term and I’m taking a pretty tough mix of classes at a top LAC. I want to apply as an International Relations transfer but I don’t have many courses that showcase that at the moment since they were all full. Would that hurt my chances in the admissions process?</p>

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<p>im a student and not an admissions officer so i cant really tell you what kind of gpa they’re looking for. also remember that you have to send your high school transcript as well so if you had a high gpa in hs that will help too. overall all though i think tufts really looks at all parts of your application- not just your gpa. i would really stress being completely honest in your essays and doing a good job at explaining why you aren’t satisfied at your current school and why tufts specifically would be a better place for you.</p>

<p>in terms of classes, dont worry about not having taken ir classes. taking a solid mix of classes freshmen year may actually help you because tufts has a sizable amount of distribution credits that you may be able to get out of the way before you come here and then you could jump right into ir stuff as a sophomore. if ir is what you want to study, just make that clear in your essays</p>

<p>one last thing. i obviously dont know your situation at your current school, but first semester freshman year can be a difficult time for everyone and you may even find that by this time next semester you are loving where you are and don’t want to leave. looking into transferring is a good idea if youre unhappy, but make sure to give your school a chance and take advantage of everything it offers. (just my two cents)</p>

<p>i hope some of this helps</p>

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<p>I go to Tufts right now! And I’m actually transferring out for the spring semester. Honestly, if a party scene isn’t for you, then you’re not going to be able to do much here. Students at Tufts go out Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday because some people don’t have classes until Monday afternoon. There’s no pressure to drink or anything, but it’s just that there really won’t be very many sober people around on a weekend. As far as diversity, it’s a significant issue because the more the university tries to push diversity on the incoming classes, the more students of different ethnic backgrounds segregate themselves. Making friends depends on which dorm you’re in as some are more social than others. However, I find it very difficult to meet new people because after the first weeks of school, groups and cliques were firmly established and mostly based on convenience. It’s very high school-esque.<br>
That being said, if you’re looking for academic rigor, you’ll find it here. A lot of people like to brag that our sciences are harder here than anywhere else. That’s probably true. However, students have a collective chip on their shoulders because as you most likely already know, many were rejected from an Ivy League institution, so because of their dissonance, their defense mechanisms are constantly firing. I find that discussions here turn into competitions (particularly in science courses), rather than stimulating conversations.</p>

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<p>“Students at Tufts go out Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday because some people don’t have classes until Monday afternoon.”</p>

<p>Are you sure you go to Tufts? With the exception of a couple of nights each semester, like Fall Ball and Winter Bash, there are plenty of Tufts students who don’t go out on any given night of the weekend. I transferred in last fall, am still having a great time, and have still never had a drop of alcohol on a Thursday. There are plenty of weekends when I don’t drink and still have fun with my friends, and that’s the way it is with a lot of people (probably a majority) at Tufts. Usually, when my friends and I do drink, it’s having a few beers while hanging out in someone’s house or dorm room. Plenty of people don’t party, and plenty of people do it rarely. Also, everyone has way too much work to go out three, let alone five, nights a week. On a typical weekend, I probably go out twice, if you consider “out” playing video games, watching a movie, or going to Boston with a small group of people.</p>

<p>I get that it’s tough when you don’t immediately hit it off with the other people on your floor. It can be isolating at first. But you’ve got a world of extracurricular activities to choose from if you want to meet more people. Do you really think everyone just stays friends with their freshman hall mates all four years?</p>

<p>As for your point about diversity, there are some fairly heated conflicts over the opportunities available to ethnic minorities on campus. Your sentence successfully summarized none of them. And this notion that Tufts students have “a collective chip on their shoulders” is a tired, untrue stereotype. Your perception of “defensiveness” among your peers is most likely due to your own bitterness, not theirs.</p>

<p>I don’t really know what the admissions committee looks for in transfer applicants. I do know admissions is competitive, mostly because very few people transfer out of Tufts, so there aren’t that many spots available. Last year, the transfer acceptance rate was about 10%. In past years, it’s usually been between something like 15% and 25%. </p>

<p>To make a long story short, I don’t know anyone who’s unhappy with their decision to transfer here, but I would caution you that getting in is far from a sure thing.</p>

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<p>Hi!
I actually have a question regarding transferring.
Is it true that you must complete one whole year of college before thinking about transferring or are you allowed to apply in march of your freshman year? I was under the impression that transfers could only join as juniors…</p>

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<p>Oh, and also, if freshman CAN apply as upcoming sophomores, then what is the process and when must the app be submitted? Is there an interview?
Thanks so much!</p>

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<p>You don’t have to wait a whole year before you begin the application process. Tufts accepts sophomore transfers, so you do apply in March of your freshman year (which is what I did). The application was due March 15, and I heard back in early May. There’s no set date by which you hear though, and I believe some people heard at least a month later than I did. They don’t offer interviews to transfer applicants. The impression I have – but I don’t know this for sure – is that the admissions committee pays significantly more attention to your high school record if you’re applying for admission as a sophomore than they do if you’re applying for admission as a junior.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>