MomCat2

My daughter has considered attending one of those 3-college traveling info sessions given by Tufts and 2 other schools. (Daughter is very interested in Tufts, possibly interested in one of the schools, not interested in the third.) However, she is very busy this week with homework, sports banquet and ACT prep (the ACT is Saturday, and she is prepping hard to try to boost her score).
It's around a 1 3/4 hour drive each way for us to get to the session, and the session is 1 1/2 hours long -- so there goes a whole evening, on a school night.

Two questions - how important is the whole "demonstrated interest" thing to Tufts in general, and in particular as it pertains to these "college info night" sessions?

How useful do these sessions tend to be, in terms of getting information about schools that can't be obtained from the schools' websites or other materials?

Thanks!

(on edit - we live around 1500 miles from Boston and finances are tight, so a campus visit isn't in the picture until after admissions decisions are in, unfortunately)

DanAdmiss@Tufts

If you and/or your daughter decide this event is important in order to gather pertinent information and you make that extraordinary driving commitment, we'll be thrilled to see you there.

But driving more than 1.75 hours each way to attend this event for the purpose of "demonstrating interest" is crazy. Let me assure you that we are not the sort of jerks interested in (or willing to) penalize your daughter's application because she couldn't spent more than 3 hours in a car on a school night. I promise we're reasonable people.

May I offer an alternative? Have your daughter call into the admissions office and ask to speak with me on the phone. Given where you live, I'll be more than happy to chat with her about Tufts.

WCASParent

Dan-
That is an extremely kind offer, and not one that I have ever seen coming from an admissions officer either at a school of Tufts' size or to a candidate who is a complete unknown.
I am trying to decide whether you are unusually good-hearted or whether this is typical of the kind of attitude and effort one sees at Tufts. Either way, it is no surprise that so many people have good feelings about Tufts, whether it ultimately winds up as their first choice or their tenth.

Seashore

Tufts people are really nice. A few years ago, I was on campus quite late in the evening, and I asked some students whether it was safe for me to walk to the T station alone. One of them offered to walk with me, and another one insisted on driving me to the place I was staying in Cambridge.

The route to Cambridge followed the same path I would have taken to the T stop. There were lots of people around, and I was embarrassed to have even thought it might not be safe. They could have easily just told me I'd be fine and gone on their ways. But they were, as WCASParent put it, extremely kind.

eye53

I am the mother of a first year student...I've had time to spend at Tufts both for orientation/matriculation, and for parents weekend...The impression I have come away with each time is that people at Tufts are genuine, caring and thoughtful. I have been so impressed I should have written about it sooner. Even in my correspondence to the different offices for various questions I have had...the response has been prompt and helpful. Maybe, we've just been lucky but I think it's more than that. It's something one can feel after spending time there...there is continuity of spirit.

DanAdmiss@Tufts

My immediate reaction to WCASParent's post was a mixture of surprise and "Why wouldn't I offer?"

And, a product of a Tufts education myself, I suspect most of my community members would react the same way. If other college admissions officers are really that hard to reach for questions, that would sadden me. Besides, I like talking to people.

Oh, and I'm still waiting for that phone call.