Tufts vs. Bowdoin

College Search & Selection
1

intended major: English / Comp Lit / Art His (maybe focus more on art criticism & critical theory, more overlapping with English) / History / Film & Media Studies / Theater etc.

Choosing between Tufts and Bowdoin (or USC / UVA / Vassar / Wesleyan / Berkeley? I care more about the first two more than the others)

Bowdoin:

Pros:

Relatively the more prestigious (afaik?) — I’m not a US citizen and prefer to stay here after graduation, so name recognition to grad school & recruiting teams is something I care about.

Smallest class size — I go to a private boarding school in NE, so Bowdoin has the most similar atmosphere; do I want to try something new? Maybe. But I’m pretty sure I could adapt to Bowdoin life with ease.

Traditional LAC so naturally strong at humanities

I emailed one of their professors yesterday, and she came back to me pretty quickly with a detailed description of her department. Maintaining an intimate relationship with my teachers is something vital to me.

It’s a bubble — both a pro and a con but I’ll put it here.

They also give me $3k research fund. It’s not a lot, but it’s something.

Cons:

IT’S IN FREAKING MAINE AND I DON’T KNOW IF I WOULD LIKE IT. Granted, it has Portland, but still. I’m a Broadway nerd, so unable to watch theater performances definitely counts against Bowdoin’s favor.

The Art History Department is relatively small — yes, they have their own museums, but they perhaps don’t have the depth to cover the subjects I’m interested in. I emailed one of their professors and will update on that as soon as I hear back.

Tufts:

Pros:

It’s a mix between Bowdoin and USC (or just slightly bigger schools, for that matter).

Boston has a ton of cultural scenes and easy access to NYC.

There’s a saying that Tufts students are Brown rejects — it’s one of my top choices (I’m also waitlisted there), and I applied ED to Amherst (a LAC version of Brown), which suggests that I probably will find it easy to blend in Tufts culture.

They have a major called International Literary and Visual Studies, which is similar to Comp Lit but also has interdisciplinary film studies stuff. I also found many faculty in the field I’m interested in. I got back from one of their professors, who provided an even more detailed account of their department – Tufts has enough classes and academic resources that I want.

Cons:

At least several of people who will attend next year that I know are academically weaker than me. I don’t want cutthroat competition, but I also want classmates smart enough to challenge me much further. (I’ve also met SUPER SMART people so I’m less concern of that I think).

I saw several classes are taught by grad students. I know it’s gonna be all profs when it comes to upper-level classes, but still…

The alum giveback rate is much lower than Bowdoin - does what indicate less sense of belonging on campus?

2

Going to Bowdoin College is very similiar to attending an elite New England boarding school. Do you want that experience again or are you ready to grow ?

P.S. It would be helpful to know your boarding school as that would play a significant part in my recommendation.

3

Grow in terms of getting ready for stepping into society? I am attending a NE boarding school right now and am aware of the similarity between the two. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how close you can get to know your teachers, and they also become your mentors and friends. But it is indeed a bubble.

4

Based on your most recent post, Bowdoin College is the better fit for you, in my opinion, as you seem to crave a cozy & intimate atmosphere.

Some prefer independence & freedom & a bit of anonymity after boarding school, but you appear to want a repeat of your boarding school experience. If so, then Bowdoin College is the better school for you.

5

I wouldn’t say Bowdoin is more prestigious than Tufts, they are peer schools in the prestige department. Like all schools Tufts has its cons (no guaranteed housing for Juniors and Seniors for example), however, lack of super smart students is not one of them.

6

Unfortunately, Tufts University gets overshadowed by the Ivies, so, in my opinion, I do agree that Bowdoin College is a bit more prestigious although not superior academically.

OP: By chance, did you attend St. Andrew’s School in Delaware ?

7

Thank you for your response! I can totally deal with independence, but I do wish to have some guidance if needed. Bowdoin’s location is a major concern for me – as stated, being able to attend theaters, museums, and movies (a Tufts friend even told me he goes to Harvard sometimes for classes) in Boston is really attractive after spending four years in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut.
On a side note, how do Bowdoin and Tufts compare after graduation? Bowdoin seems to have a better alum network, and I think the stat is that the total number of PhD production is similar, but Bowdoin edges over per capita due to its size. I wonder how does that translate into real life? Thank you again for your kind help

8

Based on your interests, Wesleyan and Vassar may warrant consideration:

https://www.flavorwire.com/409437/the-25-most-literary-colleges-in-america

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/top-25-american-film-schools-ranked-1134785

9

It sounds like academically, Tufts is a better fit for you between the two. if that is true, I would put that over other things. Tufts is not as highly ranked but it is very highly ranked. If Bowdoin doesn’t have what you want to study or enough depth, then that’s a big issue, in my opinion.

If that is the case, I personally would prefer Bowdoin over Tufts, but both are great schools as are the others you mentioned. You can get to NYC in not that long amount of time from Wesleyan and Vassar and weekend trips to the city or even after Friday class would be doable.

I don’t think you can really make a bad choice among them. Congratulations!

10

No, I attend a boarding school in Connecticut

11

Thank you! There’s not necessarily a “bad” choice, but I do want to find the “fitter” one. It seems like Bowdoin has a much tighter-knit community… Gosh I really wish I could visit :frowning:

12

Tufts & Bowdoin are both great and are both very different from each other for all the reasons you described. Tufts was a small liberal arts college for the first 125 years of its existence, and at its core it still is. It still maintains that kind of approach to undergrads, and is on the small side as research universities go. I love Bowdoin, but I think Tufts will give you the best of both worlds, which seems to be what you’re seeking.

I second the suggestion that you revisit some of your other options. I think that Wesleyan in particular has a lot to offer, given your interests. It is strong in film and theater. Hartford & New Haven are nearby and both have live theater venues. The lower Connecticut River valley also has popular professional live theater venues - Godspeed Opera House and the Norma Terri’s Theater in Chester. NY is accessible via train which brings you right into Grand Central. Wesleyan is also popular with New Yorkers, so you’ll have the opportunity to hook up with classmates from the city as travel buddies.

All colleges have faculty and students to field questions from accepted applicants. Contacting the schools might help to get answers to questions and to get a better feel for the schools.

Good luck.

13

Have to agree with @Bill Marsh. Not sure why Wesleyan isn’t in contention here:

Pros

If Tufts is a mix between Bowdoin and USC, then Wesleyan is a mix between Bowdoin and Tufts. The home-grown theater scene is about as good as it gets on a college its size; a hit Broadway musical (and soon to be released movie) was written there as a senior thesis project.

The academics are superb across the board.

Its small number of grad students don’t teach classes.

Con

Still in the middle-of-nowhere Connecticut.

14

I live near Middletown, so it’s not in the middle of nowhere for me. LOL.

Actually I grew up, went to college, and worked in NYC, so I know both places. Most of the boarding schools in CT are literally in the middle of nowhere - primarily rural Litchfield County and a few others in rural eastern CT. Middletown, a small city, is not like that. Great restaurant scene, some live music, and a soup kitchen if you’re into community volunteering. All are a walk from campus. As I said in my earlier post, Hartford, New Haven, and the lower CT River valley are not far and offer lots to do - anything from museums to theater. NYC is accessible by train for day trips. In addition, college kids have a lot more mobility than high school kids at a boarding school, making a college in any location less isolating.

One other thing about the Wesleyan student community is that it’s as large as a small LA college gets - 3000 undergrads + a few hundred grad students. Compare that with 1200+ at places like Hamilton and Haverford or 1800+ at Amherst and Williams. There’s more student life because there are just more students.

Good luck.

15

@homerdog has a kid attending Bowdoin, so hopefully they’ll stop by and provide more insight on what it’s like.

16

Undergraduate Enrollment

Williams: 2095 (2149 total)
Hamilton: 2005
Amherst: 1855
Haverford: 1310

Data from IPEDS.

17

Tufts is is no way a mix between Bowdoin and USC. It has zero in common with USC, except that they are both institutions of higher learning.

Tufts is all about the student body. They put a lot of effort into admitting “nice” and passionate students.

18

Thank you so much for your thorough response! I go to school near Hartford and heard some not-so-good things about Middletown. I’m actually only 20-minutes away from campus but never got to visit :frowning: Indeed, Wesleyan seems like a nice compromise between Bowdoin and Tufts, and I’ll surely take into consideration.

One thing that’s been on my mind TODAY (I start to realize that my opinion sways daily…) is that because of Bowdoin’s isolated location and smaller size, it would probably be the last four years in my entire life living in a bubble, and I can finally have some sense of belonging lacking during my high school (Bowdoin’s alum giveback rate is top 5 nationwide). I maybe have more opportunities to enjoy city life after I graduate, but the four years in college won’t repeat itself. Also, being in a boarding school out of nowhere for four years makes me… get used to the rural life?

I’m sorry that I’ve been sounding self-contradicting and reluctant throughout this thread. As I stated, there won’t be a “wrong” answer but an “optimal” or “fitter” one that works out best for me. Only I can make the final decision, but talking to every one of you makes know a little bit about what I want from each of them, and I really appreciate your help!!

19

Regarding Wesleyan, I’d regard it as the school closest to Brown from your active choices.

20

You might want to reflect on this for a little bit :smile: