Tufts vs Swarthmore vs Wellesley for Psychology

College Search & Selection
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<p>I am currently hyperventilating because I feel like even though I thought I did so much research before I chose colleges to apply to, I applied to the wrong ones. After researching post-acceptance, I realized that my information wasn't right, or something like that...</p>

<p>I was accepted to Tufts, Swarthmore, Wellesley, UMich, and Boston College.
I'm planning on going into psychology (more clinical than research based) in order to prepare myself for grad school for a Psy.D. or a Ph.D (haven't decided yet.)</p>

<p>I'm between three schools, but I honestly have no idea where to go anymore.
Swarthmore College used to be my first choice, and everyone I know is pressuring me to go there, but upon looking into it more, I'm realizing that it might not be the right place for me. I'm not sure the intense workload environment is good for me because I stress easily, and I've heard that at Swarthmore, academics are more rigorous than at other places. In addition to that, I don't think I fit in with the type of students I know of at Swarthmore; I'm not an outspoken sort of person, I don't always want to participate in debates, and I'm not always willing to speak up in class. I'm afraid that if I go to Swarthmore, I will be overpowered by everyone who is already intellectually at a level that I want to be able to reach in the next four years. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but I want to improve my speaking skills and all that in college, not go in and feel overshadowed. And as for the psych program, I can't even remember why I thought it was one of the top, can anyone speak for the psychology department?</p>

<p>I love Tufts, and I loved it when I visited last summer. It's close to home, and it's close but not too close to the city. I feel like I would probably choose Tufts in a heartbeat just for the school culture and how I felt visiting. But on the other hand, everyone around me is looking down on me because I'm not automatically choosing Swarthmore. And I'm not even sure if Tufts' psychology program is good. I thought it was, when I originally applied. But I'm not certain anymore.</p>

<p>I don't have any strong feelings for or against Wellesley, but if anyone could tell me about the psychology program there, that would be great.</p>

2

<p>Go to Tufts if your gut feeling is telling you it’s the place for you. The strength of the department should be a non-issue as Tufts is big/rich enough to do all of the staple disciplines well at the undergraduate level, including psych.</p>

<p>Consider Wellesley as well if you want to break out of your shell a little in college. Women’s colleges are good at instilling self-confidence, and Wellesley, in my opinion, would serve you very well if you intend to go to grad school–almost as well as Swarthmore and better than Tufts, though all three would do.</p>

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<p>Thank you for your advice!</p>

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<p>Any more comments?</p>

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<p>help .-.</p>

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<p>^_^</p>

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<p>Your very LAST motivation for choosing or not choosing which college should be whether or not people will “look down on you” for attending one over the other. That anyone would look down on attendance at any of these three schools is absurd. Just more hair-splitting, rankings-hewing overdrama.</p>

<p>And what has made you rethink the quality of Tufts’ psychology program? Have you researched thoroughly the programs at each of the three schools?</p>

<p>FWIW, my D loves the student culture at Tufts; she finds Jumbos to be intellectually curious and engaged, and her classes to be challenging without being overwhelming. Cannot offer particulars about the psych department (D is bio major), but I know she tried to register for one particular psych course that’s very popular and well-regarded. </p>

<p>Clearly, fit and feel are important and might be the best criteria to help you decide, especially if the individual psych programs of the three schools are comparable.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much!
When I first applied, I did feel like I had done very thorough research on my colleges.
Tufts has a special clinical psychology undergrad major that I’m very interested in.
Swarthmore and Wellesley have general psychology majors.
I’m just not sure anymore about the quality of each individual psych department since I don’t want to look at any lists or rankings online… </p>

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<p>Everything you’ve written says that you want to go to Tufts, with your only concern being that you think that other schools might be more highly thought of. So, why not call the Tufts psych department and ask them what happens to their students after graduation? You can do the same with Swarthmore (though it really sounds like Swat isn’t a good fit for you) and Wellesley. Did you visit Wellesley? </p>

<p>I’ll agree with what gondalineNJ posted, based on what I’ve heard from my own D at Tufts. </p>

<p>You may stay with the same major, or you may change. If you pick a different major, will you be as happy at any of the the three schools?</p>

<p>They’re all wonderful places; congratulations on all your admits!</p>

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<p>I did Discover Wellesley, and I have very neutral feelings towards it… in other words, I can’t find any reason not to like it, but I don’t love the school either.</p>

<p>Thanks for your help (:</p>

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<p>^_^</p>

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<p>^_^</p>

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<p>^_^</p>

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<p>Go to Tufts – trust your gut</p>

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<p>If you are certain that psychology is your intended major, then go with the school you feel offers you the best fit and where you think you will grow. Undergraduate psychology is a major that is very general and you will need to go to grad school if you decide to stay in it because you can’t really do clinical work until grad school. Go where you see yourself thriving. </p>

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<p>There aren’t any undergraduate psychology rankings (or rankings of any undergraduate majors, besides business and engineering) because undergrad is a time for breadth, not depth. You’re not specializing as you would if you get a PhD in psychology. You won’t even be taking most of your classes in the psychology department.</p>

<p>But all that aside, Swarthmore and Wellesley have excellent psychology departments. I’ve been checking them out recently because I’m a social psychologist who wants to teach at a SLAC (and would give my right arm to get a job at either of those places). Their professors get their PhDs at top-ranked places in the field; they offer a wide range of courses within the field, and they are hired because they are dedicated to educating undergraduates as well as being top-notch scholars iin the field. </p>

<p>I’m not as familiar with Tufts’ program but I’m sure it’s a great one, simply because Tufts is a top school. Their professors also come from top graduate training programs and are hired to be exceptional scholars and teachers. Tufts also has things that are tailored towards your interests. They have a specific concentration in clinical psychology at the undergrad level (something that is uncommon in undergrad) and a second major in community health. So if you love Tufts, go there. Ignore what everyone else is saying; Tufts is a fine school and there are many valid choices besides Swarthmore. You have to go where you feel happy.</p>

<p>But even different - you might change your major. Tons of students do. I was a political science major when I first stepped on my college’s campus, and I had only changed it from biology perhaps a month before. I changed once more before I actually settled on psychology. You want to go to a place where you’ll be happier regardless of what you major in.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>**This is for the future, but my advice? Don’t get the PsyD; go for the PhD. Unless something changes radically in the next 4-5 years, PsyD programs are typically unfunded and expect you to fund the 4-5 years with loans. Since a year’s tuition at these programs is generally around $40K, that’s $160,000 of debt before we’ve even started considering living expenses (which you also have to finance with loans, since you won’t have time to work). Clinical psychologists average $69,000/year, which isn’t enough to repay that kind of debt (especially if you want a private practice. Many PsyD programs are also hosted at for-profit institutions, which have questionable internship-match rates and exam-pass rates for licensure. PhD programs in clinical psychology, on the other hand, tend to be fully-funded with tuition waivers and a living stipend, so you should come out with little to no debt.</p>

<p>As another side not, even if you are more focused on clinical practice, in order to get into PhD programs you need some research experience. So give yourself freshman year to learn the lay of the land, get settled in and meet some professors in the department. Towards the end of your freshman year, identify a professor you’d like to work with as a research assistant, and then ask them if they’ll take you on as a sophomore student. I know at SLACs professors are hired specifically for their interest and aptitude in mentoring undergraduates in research, so that’s a point for Swarthmore and Wellesley, but Tufts also seems to be a small to medium-sized place with more of an undergrad emphasis despite their grad programs. So you can also get great experience there, too. Anyway, you won’t get into a clinical psych PhD program without the research experience (and would have a hard time getting into most PsyD programs, too), so make sure to get some. Understanding the process of research will make you a better clinician, as you’ll be able to understand the science of therapy and be a responsible consumer of research.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much for the elaborate response:)</p>