<p>^In essence, do they have similar atmospheres and attract the same types of students?</p>
<p>Nope. Not at all.</p>
<p>Similar in:
- size (Tufts 5,164 undergrads, Wash U 7,046)
- cost (Tufts tuition $41,598, Wash U $40,374)
- setting (suburban)
- S/F ratio (Tufts 9:1, Wash U 7:1)
- class sizes (Tufts 71% of classes under 20, Wash U 70%)
- 6-year graduation rate (Tufts 91.0%, Wash U 93.0%)
- financial aid (both meet 100% of need, average FA Tufts $30,974, Wash U $32,350)
- selectivity (acceptance rate Tufts 27%, Wash U 22%; middle 50% SAT Tufts 1360-1500, Wash U 1390-1530), and
- student body diversity (Asian: Tufts 13%, Wash U 14%; African-American: Tufts 5%, Wash U 10%; Hispanic: Tufts 6%, Wash U 3%). </p>
<p>Both also have a relatively high percentage of undergrads living off campus (Tufts 36%, Wash U 25%), both have an active Greek life (Tufts 20% of undergrads are members of a fraternity, Wash U 25%), and both are frequently used as “back-ups” (I won’t say “safeties” because these are very selective schools in their own right) for students aspiring to Ivies or other super-selective schools.</p>
<p>I’d say in most respects they’re pretty similar. But they have different academic strengths. Wash U is perhaps best known for biology, its most popular major. Tufts is best known for International Relations, although that’s less popular a major than Econ and English. And Wash U draws much of its student body from the Midwest and Middle South, while Tufts draws most heavily from the New York/New England region.</p>
<p>You made a mistake on Tufts on some points (probably a misread, but really not that significant of a difference):</p>
<p>First, Tufts middle 50% SAT is 1360-1540 (slightly higher than WUSTL on the higher end). Second, the number of classes under 20 students is 75% for Tufts. Lastly, I also have read on Tufts website that the S/F ratio is 7:1 but I have also read 9:1. Again, not really that much of a difference to really matter.</p>
<p>These data points (that you stated and I corrected) are from 2009 (the Fall class of 2009). I know for the fall class of 2010, Tufts accepted 24% and Wash U I am sure was also low. And I am sure their average SAT’s/the ranges have changed. But I would agree that both schools are similar in some respects. WUSTL I always thought as medical and biology and Tufts I always saw as medical and International Relations.</p>
<p>Oh, my cousin graduated from Tufts.</p>
<p>One difference is that Tufts undergrad is Arts and Sciences and Engineering only. WUSTL offers that plus Business and Architecture. Also, WUSTL is strong in Engineering while Tufts is not particularly known for its Engineering program. Tufts undergrad is much more focused on arts and sciences while WUSTL has an a&s and professional mix.</p>
<p>^^ buzzers,
I did not “make a mistake.” I correctly transcribed the data from the 2011 edition of US News, which publishes data supplied to them by the schools. You appear to be citing figures from the Tufts website; but the SAT scores they report there are for ACCEPTED students, not for ENROLLED students (the figure US News uses). Like most schools, Tufts has higher SAT figures for ACCEPTED students because that includes a bunch of applicants who are offered admission but end up enrolling at Ivies or other higher-ranked schools. Comparing Tufts’ SAT scores for accepted students to Wash U’s scores for enrolled students (US News figure) is comparing apples to oranges. It’s your “correction” that’s the mistake.</p>
<p>If the question is look-and-feel, they are generally similar. It would be reasonable that a student who likes one would like the other.</p>
<p>St. Louis is not Boston. The off campus experience would be totally different.</p>
<p>I actually got my data from the Princeton Review. So I guess there are discrepancies The 2011 edition of USNWR uses data from the fall class of '09 (they release it in August of 2010…no way they will get 2010 fall applicant data…it’s deceptive because they say 2011). I wonder what 2010 statistics are? </p>
<p>WUSTL definitely has the business component. But I always found undergraduate business silly (mainly because business schools are better and you don’t need a business major and/or finance degree to go to business school or wall street). That being said, Tufts engineering is known for being entrepreneurial…like engineering leadership and stuff while WUSTL is for general engineering (which it does really well in teaching).</p>
<p>But if it’s based on look and feel—I would visit both. St. Louis is a sick city (good food!) and Boston is a sick city as well (good food!). I like food. Depends on what you want–midwest or northeast.</p>
<p>Both are Ivy reject schools? 
jk jk don’t kill me. I mean jokes only.</p>
<p>Northeast versus Midwest is a big part of the difference in the vibe of the two universities, with the midwest vibe being generally more “laid back.” Also, though both are somewhat suburban, Tufts is adjacent to a more urbane and vibrant city than WUSTL. Students at Tufts have Boston in their immediate backyard, while WUSTL students generally stick to the campus and environs — college town streets of restaurants and stores and the Central-Park-like charms of nearby Forest Park — so more of a university “bubble” environment than the big-city attractions Tufts offers. </p>
<p>Tufts is more of a large LAC while WUSTL is more of a broader university, though scaled down to manageable size. Tufts has two colleges: Arts and Science and Engineering. WUSTL has five colleges (schools of) Arts and Science, Engineering, Business, Art (and Architecture) and Social Work. </p>
<p>I agree that Tufts is well known for international relations and WUSTL for biological-related sciences, particularly pre-med and biomedical engineering. But to say that biology is WUSTL’s most “popular” major is not really accurate but more of a stereotype. </p>
<p>Biology is not even the most popular major within Arts and Sciences — since according to the National Center for Education Statistics (College Navigator) there were around 143 psychology degrees awarded compared to 87 biology degrees. There were as many interdisciplinary majors as biology and more students majoring in anthropology and in political science than in biology. </p>
<p>Not to mention the 139 art and architecture majors, the 220 undergrad business majors (more finance majors alone than biology majors) and 234 engineering majors, including the most popular in that college — biomedical engineering — which I suppose adds to the one-dimensional image that exists on CC. </p>
<p>Outside of engineering, it seems to be true that international relations is the most popular major at Tufts, followed by economics and then psychology. </p>
<p>The point is that both universities offer a well-rounded experience in the liberal arts, and then some.</p>
<p>I agree that NE / Boston vs Midwest / St. L is a difference in vibe, but I think they attract generally similar student bodies from a personality standpoint. Earnest, not overly sports-oriented.</p>