Tufts University Top Questions

Sometimes, choosing a college feels like a lot of work. I looked through college books thicker than most dictionaries and looked online through university websites for hours. While this certainly paid off, and I encourage research into the college field to narrow the scope of choice to fewer than about 20 colleges, I feel that sometimes the best college might end up choosing the student, in a way. Apply to about 10 universities from your first cut, including reach schools, middle ground, and some backups. Wait until you hear back. You may jump up and down because you've gotten into your dream schools! However, if you think you may have just shattered a dream or two, hang in there. Of the schools that you have gotten into, pick the one that seems to suit you the best. Visits to the colleges might be appropriate, but if not, just try visiting their websites and perhaps emailing a few current students and staff members to try and get a feel for the school. I am having a blast at a college I previously didn't think would be my favorite - but it quickly grew on me. Good luck!

I think that college should be viewed as any other life event--it is an experience, a trial. Mistakes are inevitable, but necessary in order to learn and grow. I would know; I transferred colleges after my freshman year. When I was eighteen and first applied to colleges, I thought that I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a small, secluded liberal arts college where academics were taken seriously. I wanted to major in Chinese. I could not possibly fathom changing my mind. Yet, now I sit in my dorm room at Tufts University, on the opposite side of the country as my previous college, Carleton College, and I absolutely adore it. Once at Carleton, I had realized that a small and secluded school made me feel stifled. I also hated Chinese-- my new love became Arabic. Basically, my advice is for students to be open to the college experience and to see it as an experiment. Students should test out/ visit many different schools and majors, and should not jump to conclusions about "dream schools" or "dream jobs." The results are often surprising, and do not match the "hypothesis."

Figure out what type of environment you are looking for and then narrow it down from there.

If you are a balanced, well-rounded person, you will be happy with almost any of the schools you are applying to. However, the schools with the perfect fit will push the student to greater heights while he/she will be able to have fun in the process. Visit each school you are interested in because you can truly experience your school of interest while staying overnight with another undergrad.

Finding the right college is simpler than Parents and potential students think. I would recommend that a potential freshman spend some time alone on a campus. If the student has managed to meet some interesting and outgoing people within a few hours, the school will be a good fit. As far as academics go, a Student will only succeed if they are willing to work. "World class professors," really means "Smart people abound." Reputation doesn't matter once a student is attending a college or university.

Do your homework :)

Have fun, talk to people you don't normally talk to. Make time to speak with your professors just because. Visit the campus before you make a final decision to get a feel for the atmosphere.

Parents and students should relax more. Senior year in high school can be very stressful with an imminent transition. There are so many schools in this country that people shouldn't be stressed about finding the "perfect one". All of the schools that I was looking at were rather similar. I can confirm that be seeing that other students at Tufts University were also interested in the same other schools. The best thing is to not have a "top choice" but to know the basic things you're looking for. A city or country campus? A small or large school? What are the best departments at the school? Then, once you are at the school, the best thing to do is just to make the most of it. Tufts was not my "top choice" but it turned out to be the perfect fit. Students should not be upset if they don't get the exact school they wanted, instead they should see all of the positive things about the school and find their own niche. If he/she applied with the right characteristics in mind, then I'm sure he/she can have a great experience.

Many universities seeks to create a well rounded student body by finding students who bring specific passions to the table. Before determining what school they should apply to, students should think about the type of skills and talents they would like to give their university. Using this information, students and parents can work together to find universities that will welcome these abilities and interests. Important things to consider are school size, spirit, commitment to citizenship and academic offerings.

It's only undergrad. Unless you have your life figured out, attend as prestigious a liberal-arts institution as you feel will be helpful but comfortable, it does you no good to fail out. Figure out what you want to do your sophomore year, major in a pertinent field. Graduate, if you still think you want to do whatever it was you wanted to do 2 years before, either attend grad school in that field, or start the job search. Or both. If not, the undergraduate degree means close to nothing, unless you were a siberian myth major, and suddenly wish to be a mechanical engineer. In that case, night classes, and debt. Most importantly, assume some, but not a lot, of debt. Students: don't let your parents tell you where to go, unless they are truly unbiased, in which case they will say "go where you want". Parents: Make sure you can afford to send your kid wherever it is they're going, or make it clear they'll have to pay.