Hi y’all,
So, I’m really, really interested in both Tufts and Wesleyan. I plan on double-majoring in Psychology and the College of Social Studies (or Political Science at Tufts) and I would greatly appreciate if anyone could shed some light on any differences in approach/quality/anything between the schools in relation to those majors or absolutely anything else (student life, atmosphere, professors, awesome level…).
Thank you so much!
Tufts has the Fletcher School, which might provide opportunities in Poli Sci and International Relations that Wesleyan won’t. Plus, Tufts is right outside Boston, giving you access to resources at all the universities and colleges in the area. You’d have plenty of opportunities to attend lectures by leading figures at Harvard, MIT, BU, Brandeis, BC, etc. That said, Wesleyan is smaller and more intellectual. The students at Tufts are certainly smart, but a higher percentage of students from Wesleyan go on to PhDs and careers in academia. Tufts has more of a traditional preppy college feel to it, whereas Wesleyan has a somewhat hippy, artsy vibe. You’re much more likely to meet future novelists, artists, professors, musicians, modern dancers at Wesleyan. Tufts is very oriented toward professional school. Lots of pre-law, pre-biz, and pre-med. In terms of prestige, I’d say Wesleyan has a slight edge. It’s been considered a top school longer than Tufts has. Tufts has long been considered a catch basin for Ivy runoff. And while many at Wesleyan originally craved Ivy as well, it’s seen as more of a destination school than a backup. At the end of the day, though, you’ll get a good education at either one and, if you do well, will fare well with grad schools.
Completely agree with shockthemonkey
And if you visit I think you will know. I love both places. Each of my kids had those choices. One clearly would have chosen Tufts and the other just as clearly Wesleyan. Very different student population.