Tufts vs. Oberlin

mathmom
Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:55:55 +0000

My IR guy is quiet and quirky with a subversive sense of humor and a bright analytical mind, so he might fit right in. I have not been to Oberlin, but my sense is that there is perhaps a little more of a mindset about being a bit quirky, while there is more variety at Tufts. My son’s freshman year roommate who was in engineering gave the impression of being a surfer dude type. Liked soft rock had a guitar. His closest friends seem to be internationals from all over the globe, or pre-meds double majoring in IR and planning to work on global health issues. My son felt Tufts was a place where no one would care if his hair was shoulder length which it was (he cut it for his junior year abroad sadly.) I’d say if there’s any type at Tufts, it’s that there’s a notion you can start changing the world now, you don’t have to wait till you have graduated. It’s a bit more action oriented and a bit less theoretical than some schools. Has he visited both? Because if it’s all about the social fit that is what I’d recommend.

Personally I’d much rather be in Boston than in a more rural location.