Tufts vs. Boston College ...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tufts University
1

<p>Tufts is an extreme reach for me, but I really like Tufts and it's diverseness, atmosphere, campus, and basically everything about it :) However, my parents want to compare finaid packages, thus I can't apply ED... </p>

<p>My parents said I could apply to ten schools -- and I have one more slot for a reach! (Hey, nothing to lose, right? I have 2 safties I would be happy with, and a few decent matches) </p>

<p>Would you say I should give the last slot to Tufts or BC (which I like also, but not as much as Tufts, unfortunately... however, BC does have a higher admission rate, and I like BC/Tufts eons better then my safty/match schools) </p>

<p>Here's me in a nutshell: </p>

<p>GPA: 3.646 weighted (this is low, I know :( most demanding courseload possible, 5 APs (Chem, Euro Hist, Calc AB, Env Sci, and English Lit) + all honor courseload... top 25% of class, most like. I think second decile... I do go to a competitive public school in Massachusetts)
SAT I: 720V 760M 720W ~ 2200 (will raising it to 2300 siginifigantly help?)
SAT IIs: MATH IIC 760, CHEM 710, LIT 730</p>

<p>ECs:
- I'm an artist! :) That is basically my passion. I'm looking to pursue studio arts at Tufts, and I'm sending an extensive portfolio with several award-winning pieces (Golden Globe Silver Key, the like), I've also won a few state awards in the last few years for works I've done, been published in literary magazines and the like. I took a summer oil painting course, I used to teach a small art class for children... and I've won many school-wise drawing awards also.
- I have over 350+ hours of community service... I tutor 8 hours a week for underprivledged, bright middle school students looking to get into a private school, I'm a leader of an organization to promote fundraiser walks for thinks like cancer, I was the assistant editor of a regional literary magazine (quite famous around this district actually, you can go buy it in stores!), and other numerous little community service clubs. I'm big into community service :)!
- I also work about 10 hours a week... at a japanese restaurant, running errands and such! </p>

<p>My essay is pretty decent and very personal, my AP English teacher who's known as "Mister College Application Essay Guy" liked it, haha. It's kind of a parody on a babysitting experience, and demonstrates my love for children (well, kind of) My recs should be good (AP Chem + English 11 teacher), both of them liked me in junior year... hmm, I'm also an asian female, possibly looking into premed (pediatrician! ie my love for childreeen that's why I babysit and tutor younger kids so much, hehe)! </p>

<p>Thank you for taking your time to read my long blurb! If you can also suggest any other PLAUSIBLE reach schools for me, that'd be much appreciated also! I'm looking for schools very much like Tufts, actually - diverse student body (which apparently BC doesn't have, so that's not good), pretty campus/dorms, excellent academics but not CUTTHROAT ivy-league competition, suburban/urban location, small university to large LAC.</p>

2

<p>Well, I would say to give the slot to Tufts and not BC, because it's Tufts and utterly fantastic in every imaginable way. :) I'll suggest Brandeis as a good school for you to apply to as another reach. </p>

<p>With your GPA, your SATs are almost too high - it may beg the question of why you can have a 1480 but not be in the top 10% of your class. Unfortunately, coming from Massachusetts won't help you (at all). There's plenty of top 5% kids who apply. Your ECs and such are excellent, so that will help you a lot.</p>

3

<p>Apply to Tufts. You have a good shot at it with your "total picture." It is not an "extreme" reach. It's not all about the GPA. You have passion and that helps at Tufts. Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Do you have any other reaches on your list or mostly matches? If not, I would suggest with your stats and the fact that you are applying to 10 schools, it would be okay to have 2 reaches. 2 safeties you like is fine, 5 matches is plenty if they really are in the match category, so juggle those last 3 spots among the matches and reaches for the best combo for you.</p>

5

<p>Your GPA won't help you, but ED might help counter-effect that. If Tufts is your no-1 choice, not applying at all would be something you could regret for a long time.</p>

6

<p>Yeah i'm trying to be completely unbiased when I say go for Tufts. The active citizenship thing is something they are def. trying to promote, and you're well rounded the sense that your activities have a lot of depth to each of them, as opposed to a lot of varied but shallow interests, another thing I think they prize here.</p>

7

<p>Go for it! You have a very good chance of getting in (though not gaurunteed)</p>

8

<p>your boards are great, your GPA is ok. You have a definate chance of getting in. But that really shouldn't be a factor in chosing a reach; that's the whole point of a reach. </p>

<p>Go for Tufts. I'm not exactly the most unbiased person to go to, but the way I see it, Tufts=kickass BC=ass.
Nah, BC is pretty cool, but i think Tufts is a much better place to be.</p>

9

<p>No comparison...BC is way better!</p>

10

<p>ha! no comment.</p>

11

<p>I'd say neither because based on the numbers neither are very helpful in helping you get into the best professional programs. I do find it a bit perplexing that your parents want to compare financial packages but nevertheless have $700 (10 applications at about $70 a pop) to drop on college applications. But I guess sometimes you have to spend money to save money ;)</p>

<p>If you have to choose it's up in the air. I can't speak for BC but the dorms here at Tufts are modeled after actual public housing developments. Also if you're looking for school spirity you'd definately have to take BC, I mean, there is just no comparisson. But then again Tufts is better at putting people into top professional programs, so...</p>

<p>I'd say check the careerservices at Tufts and BC and base your decision on that.</p>

12

<p>Ah, quelle negativité! My dorm rooms and on-campus housing has always been lovely. Yeah, some are pretty horrendous (Haskell, Wren for one) but they are also among the most social for freshmen because they're arrange in suite-style.</p>

13

<p>Suite style? I've always been curious, that seems like a great way to really meet some great people, but does it cost anymore?</p>

<p>Anyways, I'll tell you right now though that Miller, Carmichael and South...I mean, not attrocious, but Carmichael especially is very poorly lit as are South and Miller depending what floor and what side of the building you're on. Don't think lighting is a big deal? Ever heard of the winter blues? You'll be experiencing them unseasonably early if you live in a poorly lit area.</p>

<p>Basically in the end, they're dorms. They leave much to be desired. South is pretty good though if you get a room that is well lit.</p>

<p>Also, make sure you get in South because they have, you know, more than 1 bathroom for every 75 students living there. In fact I think it was 1 bathroom for every 4 rooms. Carmichael it was more like 1 bathroom for every 20 rooms, which was quite dissapointing because the janitors had a habit that semester of passing over the bathrooms when they did their morning rounds.</p>

<p>One could hardly blame them given the mess that was often left in there...</p>

14

<p>No - suite-style does not cost more. The only difference in housing prices on-campus is depending whether you're in a double or single. A single is nominally more expensive. Like about $150 or so a semester.</p>

15

<p>Dang, I wish I would've done that suite thing. Oh well, I'm sure the layout of a suite is similar to that of a prison cell block. Maybe I could get that intimate, communal setting there.</p>

<p>I've had a habit of applying for housing late here and by late I mean the day classes start. They're always putting me somewhere weird...I did have a closet, oop, I mean a single in South which I got only because I applied so late.</p>

16

<p>Eh, the singles in South aren't that bad. I hear Wren singles actually WERE closets. I never thought about the lighting of a dorm - but this year my roommate and I bought a floor lamp that makes the light in our room much better than just the overhead light; much warmer, less sterile.</p>