Tufts University
Tufts University is a private institution that is home to the Fletcher Law School of Law and Diplomacy, the oldest graduate school of international relations in the United States. The school is located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston.
Tufts was established in 1852 by a group of Universalists who wanted to establish a post-secondary institution that was non-sectarian in nature. P.T. Barnum was an early benefactor of Tufts. Female students were first admitted to the school after the Board of Trustees voted to allow then to attend in July of 1892. During that meeting, the Board also voted to offer programs at the doctorate level in Biology and Chemistry.
Today, the University is made up of 10 schools. There are two undergraduate programs, as well as eight graduate divisions. This school is well known for its study abroad programs, which are held in France. The student body at Tufts is made up of approximately 5,000 undergraduate and 4,700 graduate students. They are taught by 1,200 faculty members.
Degree Programs at Tufts
For undergrads, the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Engineering offer a number of programs, including:
• Applied Physics
• Archaeology
• Art History
• Biology
• Child Development
• English
• Geology
• International Letters and Visual Studies
• Peace and Justice Studies
• Women’s Studies
The graduate schools at Tufts are as follows:
• Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
• Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and Engineering
• Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
• Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
• School of Dental Medicine
• School of Medicine
• The Fletcher School
Getting Admitted to Tufts
In addition the Common Application, you will need to provide the University with your high school transcripts, SAT or ACT results, and two teacher recommendations. You will also need to provide a personal statement and two short-answer essays. An optional, longer essay may be included with your application materials. You can schedule an interview with one of Tufts’ alumni as part of the application process. Since the Admissions Committee will be looking at your extracurricular activities as well as your academic history, you will want to include this information as well.
Early Decision applicants need to apply by November 1 to receive a decision by mid-December. The deadline for Regular Application students is January 1, and decisions are sent out by April 1.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Undergrads at Tufts are looking at paying $37,952 for tuition. Room and board will cost $5,428 and $5,090, respectively. Other costs associated with attending Tufts are the health services fee ($620), an activity fee ($268), and health insurance ($1,389).
Sports at Tufts
Student athletes at Tufts compete in the Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). The University’s football program is among the oldest in the U.S., and the 1,000th game the team played took place during the 2006 season. The Tufts sailing team won a number of championships during the 1990s, and the men’s squash team has placed in the Top 20 in its division for a number of years.
Reviews & Rankings
When lists of the Top 50 liberal arts schools in the United States are made, Tufts University is consistently included, often in the top 20. Online reviews of Tufts are usually positive, and you can read some of them here:
http://www.unigo.com/tufts_university/reviews/?surveyid=9543
