Hi all, I am going to Tufts next year and am very excited but my brother and many friends are going to ivies and look down on me a bit. It would be awesome if you guys could just talk about some positives about tufts and give me some things to be even more excited about. Thank you, I just need some encouragement and reinforcement that I made the right call for college!
To be honest, Tufts is just as good as some of the Ivy League Schools, and you shouldn’t feel bad about going there at all. I’ve met countless wonderful people who have gone to Tufts, including one of my English Teachers, who is easily the best teacher that I have ever had. In addition, the school has a great location, 15 minutes away from downtown Boston, making it a place that some would love to spend four years of their lives. In the end, no matter what your brother and friends think, or what colleges they go to, all that matters is that you make the most of your four years there.
It’s as good as all of the Ivies - once you are talking about top-20 schools it’s splitting hairs. Congrats!
Admission to Ivy schools is pretty much a crapshoot and the tables easily could have been turned. The very happy news is that you have landed in a great school in a great location. Go off to Tufts, be happy, be proud and do great! If you excel, the school can get you anywhere you want to go in life.
A quote I love from Eleanor Roosevelt is, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” so stand up and be proud of yourself and your college.
I should also add that my D went to Lafayette College undergrad (which is a great school that she was thrilled about attending) while her HS friends pretty much went to Ivy and equivalent schools. As things turned out my D probably had among the happiest and most productive 4 year undergrad experiences and she is now at Columbia for grad school.
Your brother and “friends” need to knock it off. Tufts is a superb school, and you have every reason in the world to be thrilled you have the opportunity to attend.
Go to the Tufts forum for more encouragement, but here’s some:
D1 graduated from Tufts a couple years back after having had an amazing four years. Great, intellectually demanding courses in a variety of subjects (including taking a grad course at Fletcher as a freshman and the tremendous EPIIC seminar program ). Regularly heard renowned speakers on campus. A diverse group of friends from the US and beyond who were intellectually engaged and well-informed about the world. Involvement in a lot of on-campus groups and activities, with all the social benefits from that. Easy and frequent access to Boston (in case you’re taking any guff from friends who are going to Dartmouth or Cornell which are, let’s be honest, in the middle of nowhere)–OK not quite as easy as if you’re at Harvard Square but good enough. Quirky traditions (no more Naked Run but there’s the cannon etc).
She travelled around the world on Tufts’ dime–study abroad, yes, but also a fascinating summer internship, a research trip, and a lengthy journey with a small group of fellow students, all in places very much off the beaten track. All through connections made at Tufts.
She had wonderful supportive mentors in and outside of her department. Lots of advice on job hunting and her resume, all of which continues as an alum. She couldn’t have done better in terms of where she is employed and how much she is paid.
The dorms aren’t that great, ditto the off-campus housing stock. Some professors aren’t as engaging, and you’re not going to love every one of your fellow students. Celebrity quotient is lower. On the plus side: much more supportive/cooperative student body; people are high performers without feeling they have to appear smoothly serene all while frantically paddling under the surface.
Have a wonderful four years!