<p>I have been accepted to Georgetown School of Foreign Service, but waitlisted to Tufts IR. I know that Georgetown is said to be more prestigious, but in terms of getting the best undergraduate experience, I am wondering if it would be better to go to Tufts if I get off the waitlist. I want to be challenged academically, but I would also like to have a fun undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I think you can have plenty of fun at Georgetown, but there is no question Georgetown has a somewhat different vibe than Tufts. (My long-haired son wasn’t sure he’d fit in, but did apply. He got into Tufts, but was turned down by Georgetown.) If you can I’d go for an overnight visit if you can and try to get a better picture of what Georgetown is like. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you still like Tufts better by all means stay on the waitlist, but don’t think you can go wrong however it turns out. Congratulations.</p>
<p>I have degrees from both Tufts and Georgetown (a graduate degree at the latter).
They are both first rate institutions.
My advice? Stay on the Tufts waitlist, and if you get in you can both visit both schools and decide. I think you’ll find that the academics are great at both, but that Tufts has a more personal “feel.” DC and Boston are both great. I personally think college in the Boston area is the best, but that’s very subjective.
Right now, there’s no decision to be made. Frankly, I’d bet you could be incredibly happy at either.</p>
<p>in terms of the specific programs:
SFS is a very specialized IR program: most of your classes will be taken within the SFS school, and they will be IR classes. You can take “certificates” in a limited few other disciplines, but you can’t double major. The IR courses offer very specific concentrations, and the location in DC obviously provides some of the best opportunities if you want to end up working for the gov’t etc.
IR at Tufts benefits greatly from Fletcher, but is not a PART of Fletcher. This means that your courses will come from all departments at the School of Arts and Sciences, and it works the same way as an interdisciplinary major. If you feel like exploring intellectual interests OUTSIDE of IR while getting a top IR education, that’s probably where you want to be at.</p>
<p>The Global Leadership Institute is a great resource at Tufts. I’m sure there are equivalent institutions at Georgetown, but it’s definitely a plus for undergrads at Tufts even if Fletcher is technically off limits.</p>
<p>I’ve heard great things about social life at Georgetown!!!
I’ve declined their offer, but you should join the GAAP 2015 group on Facebook and try to meet people… they seem like a really fun bunch.
I wish they would have given me money :)</p>