Tufts vs. Boston College ...

precocious
Thu, 28 Sep 2006 23:51:03 +0000

Tufts is an extreme reach for me, but I really like Tufts and it’s diverseness, atmosphere, campus, and basically everything about it However, my parents want to compare finaid packages, thus I can’t apply ED…

My parents said I could apply to ten schools – and I have one more slot for a reach! (Hey, nothing to lose, right? I have 2 safties I would be happy with, and a few decent matches)

Would you say I should give the last slot to Tufts or BC (which I like also, but not as much as Tufts, unfortunately… however, BC does have a higher admission rate, and I like BC/Tufts eons better then my safty/match schools)

Here’s me in a nutshell:

GPA: 3.646 weighted (this is low, I know most demanding courseload possible, 5 APs (Chem, Euro Hist, Calc AB, Env Sci, and English Lit) + all honor courseload… top 25% of class, most like. I think second decile… I do go to a competitive public school in Massachusetts)
SAT I: 720V 760M 720W ~ 2200 (will raising it to 2300 siginifigantly help?)
SAT IIs: MATH IIC 760, CHEM 710, LIT 730

ECs:

I’m an artist! That is basically my passion. I’m looking to pursue studio arts at Tufts, and I’m sending an extensive portfolio with several award-winning pieces (Golden Globe Silver Key, the like), I’ve also won a few state awards in the last few years for works I’ve done, been published in literary magazines and the like. I took a summer oil painting course, I used to teach a small art class for children… and I’ve won many school-wise drawing awards also.

I have over 350+ hours of community service… I tutor 8 hours a week for underprivledged, bright middle school students looking to get into a private school, I’m a leader of an organization to promote fundraiser walks for thinks like cancer, I was the assistant editor of a regional literary magazine (quite famous around this district actually, you can go buy it in stores!), and other numerous little community service clubs. I’m big into community service :)!

I also work about 10 hours a week… at a japanese restaurant, running errands and such!

My essay is pretty decent and very personal, my AP English teacher who’s known as “Mister College Application Essay Guy” liked it, haha. It’s kind of a parody on a babysitting experience, and demonstrates my love for children (well, kind of) My recs should be good (AP Chem + English 11 teacher), both of them liked me in junior year… hmm, I’m also an asian female, possibly looking into premed (pediatrician! ie my love for childreeen that’s why I babysit and tutor younger kids so much, hehe)!

Thank you for taking your time to read my long blurb! If you can also suggest any other PLAUSIBLE reach schools for me, that’d be much appreciated also! I’m looking for schools very much like Tufts, actually - diverse student body (which apparently BC doesn’t have, so that’s not good), pretty campus/dorms, excellent academics but not CUTTHROAT ivy-league competition, suburban/urban location, small university to large LAC.