Tufts University Top Questions

Do not sweat too much about making friends. Everybody is in the same boat as you. That being said, take advantage of the Asian American Center opportunities. Beware of the Computer Science projects during Fall Semester. Don't be shy and talk to upperclassmen about what clubs they are in. Ask for help when you need it. But more importantly, Boston's weather literally changes every day--check the weather frequently. I could keep telling you a long list of little bits of advice that could have possibly made the transition easier for me. But where is the fun in that? Nothing worthwhile in life is ever flat out given to you. That is why the future is so uncertain, yet at the same time, so limitless. I do have my regrets and an equal share of surprises. But telling you them is not going to benefit you in any way. You are going to college for the experience--no spoilers allowed! So go out there, take initiative, make mistakes, learn from them, take two steps out of your comfort zone, and become the intelligent, confident, witty, independent woman I know you can be.

Growing up, I’ve always been very close with the people around me. Whether that was friends, family, or classmates, I’ve always felt very supported and very loved. I always had a network of people to rely on, and I expected to find something similar to this in college. If I could give one piece of advice to my high school self, it would be to understand that you may not meet your best friends right away, and that is okay. I was constantly meeting new people the first couple weeks of school, and I was worried because I hadn’t met anyone who I thought could be my best friend. Now after the end of my first semester, I have made so many amazing friends, some who I did meet at the beginning, but many who I didn’t meet until more recently. There is a lot of emphasis on making friends those first couple weeks of school, but my advice is to understand that those people won’t necessarily be the people you’re friends with for the rest of college, and that is perfectly okay, because you will find your friends as time goes on.

Dear Kathryn, Many students struggle with the transition from high school to college because they are not accustomed to the heavy workload. You should continue to challenge yourself in high school as you have done for the last three years. You will find that the transition will be much easier than how people describe it to you. Also, it's important to remember that you should maintain a balance between work and play. It is important to work hard, but it is also important to have fun. Life in the future isn't always guaranteed, so it's important to enjoy the present. While you should take your work seriously, it is also important to maintain a social life. Remember that your grades do not give you value as a person. Rather, the relationships you foster with others are not only valuable, but also have a profound impact on who you are and who you want to be. Surround yourself with those that will help you grow both intellectually and socially. Enjoy the rest of high school and look forward to your years of success to come. Sincerely, Your Future Self.

Going back and talking to my high school self, I would have a lot to say. The first thing I would tell myself is to be prepared for financial problems. I made the mistake of spending my money on less important things, instead of saving it for gas to commute, books, and other college related expenses. Having extra money specifically for college takes away a lot of stress. Never wait to do work at the last minute. Even if you do a few questions a day, it is better than cramming it all into a few hours.This gives you time to review the questions and fully understand them. In high school you may have gotten away with skipping class and fake being sick, but college leaves very little room for a sick day. Missing one day of class is like missing an entire week. You can miss so much from one day, so try your best to get to class on time each and every day. Most importantly since you are a senior, do not cath senioritis. Your last year of high school is when you should work your hardest to prepare for college . Good luck in the future!

During my time at Tufts I learned so much that I now apply to my life and if I could advise myself as a high school senior I would say: Make lists and take joy in crossing each task off, search for the lesson in each experience, ask for help, believe that your Momma really does love you and listen to her advice, break up with your boyfriend, start learning how to apply your knowledge, speak up more in class and challenge your teachers when you need to, find meaning in what you read and disect it yourself, you are not fat, seriously, don't stress out about school because it will get much harder, buy a better coat and boots and hat and scarf because it will get real in a few months, spend more time with your family becaus you will miss them tremendously, learn how to cook, have more fun, overweight luggage fees are expensive so don't overpack, take pride in your city and find more to love about it, you will meet people that are nothing like you so try to get prepared and lastly, invest in some great long johns.

Do not take your high school education for granted because one hundred percent of what they teach you there is translated to the college level. Do not stress about college applications. Start early with your selections and slowly narrow in on your core options. Do not apply to more than 10 schools. After that number, many are essentially duplicates of others. Do not pick a school solely because of rankings in a book. Ask yourself: how do I rank this school, based on MY categories and requirements. Worry about how you will fit there and not how it will look on paper. Unless you undoubtedly know what your career will be, do not attend a school that is a "one hit wonder." The majority of college students will change their major and you do not want to find yourself backed into a corner. Finally, after you do decide, begin making friends. Do not just add friends on Facebook, but put your self out there. Go to pre-orientation programs and get involved in clubs, sports, and/or organizations. There is no worse feeling than having nothing to do in college. Trust me, the schoolwork by itself will not be enough.

Growing up in a small town with one stoplight and cows grazing on the sides of roads, I craved a more diverse college setting and found just that at Tufts. As a research institution that values global perspective, I was surrounded by students from India, Paris, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Germany, to name a few. The diverse backgrounds of the student body makes for a notably eclectic mix and I am fortunate to be able to learn just as much from my roommate, for example, as my professor. The encouragement of travel is remarkable; most of the campus studies abroad during summers, winter breaks, and junior years-- conducting research, fellowships, internships and studies. Before Tufts I had traveled no farther than Massachusetts. Now, I am able to benefit from the extensions of projects abroad brought back to campus, from the stories and lessons of friends abroad, and fromcountless travel opportunities for myself through Tufts. The focus on academics has been equally valuable. Never before college was it "cool" to spend Friday afternoon or even Saturday night in the library. I'm so lucky to call this diverse, conscientious, ambitious, and involved campus home.

Going to college on the other side of the country has been a blessing. I've had to become more independent than ever. Back at home, I was always too paranoid to even walk outside to mail letters, let alone explore the city I lived in. Since moving here, I've ridden with the "T" numerous times, alone and at night, and have gone on adventures that I would not have had otherwise at home--such as getting lost after getting off the bus a few stops too early and as a result, befriending a Nepalese nursing major. Though I've only been here for a month, I feel like I've matured more than I have in the 4 years I was at high school; I've done away mostly with procrastination and after 18 years have finally worked time management into my list of skills. At Tufts I'm surrounded by seas of international students and have really come to appreciate my Chinese culture and background. Going to a high school that was 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Asian unfortunately made me sick of my own heritage; however, now I'm working harder than ever to keep in touch with my roots.

When I was in high school, I was seeing all of my friends applying to many public and private colleges with cost reaching up to $40,000 a year. Personally, I think I took a smarter step than all of my friends. My older brother had went to Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and I found out that they have many programs like Basic Engineering that is accepted to prestigious and reputable schools such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). My brother introduced me to the coordinator of the Basic Engineering Program in QCC, who is in direct contact with the admission office at WPI, and he explained to me the usual steps that Basic Engineering students take. That is to start at a community college, study and finish the basic engineering curriculum and then eventually transfer those credits to WPI and earn their bachelor's degree from WPI. Therefore, I decided to follow in my brother's steps so I could cut my cost in half and save money by attending a community college first, which is very cheap, and then transfer to a 4-year college. This was the most valuable lesson that helped me with my college cost.

My college experience has given me tremendous opportunities to further not only my academic education, but my experience as a citizen of the world. Tufts is an incredibly stimulating community that has opened my eyes to different scientific, humanitarian, religious, cultural, and sociological beliefs. While I have pursued opportunities to work in research laboratories with well-known professionals in the field, I have also pursued opportunities to have in-depth discussions with my friends, ranging from the similarities between religion and scientific theories to the evolutionary basis of an engagement ring. I have met people from Hong Kong, Egypt, Haiti, and Bangladesh. My roommate is from Saudi Arabia. Attending Tufts has given me a rich academic background, with important connections that have helped me obtain admission to the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine as an Early Assurance candidate. Equally as important, however, is the worldly knowledge gleaned from a variety of perspectives. I have learned in the classroom how to view the world as an evolutionary biologist, and I have learned from my peers how to view the world from a multicultural perspective. Tufts has given me unprecedented access to diverse beliefs and ways of life: an invaluable gift.