<p>I thought you applied ED, isn’t it a little too late now? I also thought you were a male… so I dont know why you’re asking about Barnard…
But to answer your question. They are all very good schools. I probably know the most about Barnard and Oberlin & the least about Tufts and BC so bear with me if some stuff is a little off. BC is probably more mainstream and more conservative than the rest of the group. It’s very school spirit oriented, traditional academics. It has a beautiful campus and happy student body. Almost everyone I know who is there likes it. The kids I know are good students, but know how to balance academics w/ fun. It’s probably the least academically competitive for admission of the group, but still pretty difficult to be admitted to.
Barnard is a very liberal all-womens school. it’s not as school spirit/integrated campus-y as BC. However, its known for its happy, confident student body, and the girls do tend to have some sense of community (unlike some NYC/big city schools). They have the best job placement of the group, I won’t lie. They are known for that. It has a strong liberal arts foundation and probably the most strict distributional requirements, and it’s good for people who want to study a broad range of topics. I think it’s especially known for economics/journalism. Probably equal to Oberlin in terms of competitivity, a little harder than BC and easier than Tufts. I don’t know anyone there.
Tufts is very interesting. It’s known to have a lot of thinkers/intellectuals. Unlike Barnard not right in the middle of the city, but outskirts like BC. Closer proximity to a city than Oberlin. It’s not very conservative/mainstream like BC, but not as free spirited as Oberlin or Barnard. It’s a middle ground. I believe I’ve heard it as a nice campus. I know one boy there, and from what I heard, he likes it. A very good student.
You must know Oberlin if you applied. It’s personally my favorite, so I will be biased. It’s basically an amazing college- it offers a traditional liberal arts foundation, but offers freedom to explore what you want (the requirements are there so you have a broad base of knowledge, but you won’t be stuck taking Chemistry if you hate it and you’re a creative writing major). The students have passions, but they are open to other things as well. Known for being free spirited and tolerant (first college to admit African Americans and Women). focus on community service, global awareness, etc. Very smart, passionate kids. Probably the most liberal of the group, maybe even more so than Barnard. Not to bring an outside college in, but though the students are extremely open minded and accepting, and it’s a little hippie ish, its not quite as crazy or intimidating as a place like Bard or Hampshire (at least this was my impression). I don’t know anyone there, actually. I know quite a few people who wanted to go there and loved it, but couldn’t get in, though. It’s probably equal to Barnard, just slightly easier than Tufts, and harder than BC for admission. </p>
<p>Basically they are all amazing schools. Not all of these schools are for everyone, of course. Obviously, I feel Oberlin’s the best fit for me (the only place of the group I’m applying to). Don’t feel too much self-doubt about your college choice, and don’t worry about rankings so much. Oberlin is EXTREMELY well respected, but much more importantly, it’s a student body who cares about learning and gaining knowledge from their college experience. I guess it has it all in that respect! You are very lucky to be admitted (I would LOVE to have the opportunity you do, but unfortunately my chances are low and I have to wait until late March/early April). Good luck during your college years @ Oberlin and if I get EXTREMELy lucky, maybe I’ll see you there=)</p>