How do these compare in your mind to the affordable schools in your other thread where you would not play a sport (VaTech, UF, FSU)? Are you determined to play your sport in college? What college environment/size do you prefer?
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I think the OP is correct, the social life at the two schools will be very different.
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Agree the âsocial aspectsâ will be different. Moreso, IMO, due to the population/regions the schools pull from. But the OP didnât say âdifferentâ. They said they heard Tufts wasnât good.
I respectfully disagree. Both schools pull nationally.
The culture at Washington and Lee, from the Speaking Tradition, to the more formal social conventions (the big party each year, in existence for 100+years, is Black Tie), to the 75% Greek participation (which does NOT mean the campus is one big Animal House) is just something very different to Tufts.
One culture is likely to click more than the other. Neither is bad, one is not better than the other. They are just different, and the OP will know which one fits him better.
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The majority are from VA and the south
| State | Number of Students | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 83 | 18.32% |
| Texas | 48 | 10.60% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 8.83% |
| Georgia | 27 | 5.96% |
| Maryland | 24 | 5.30% |
| Florida | 22 | 4.86% |
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Tufts may be more diverse overall, but still with many/most students coming from the NE
| State | Amount | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 264 | 22.39% |
| New York | 149 | 12.64% |
| California | 131 | 11.11% |
| Connecticut | 95 | 8.06% |
| New Jersey | 90 | 7.63% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.65% |
| Maryland | 43 | 3.65% |
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Correct/agree. Neither is âbadâ. They are different. OP said they âheardâ the social aspect of Tufts (whatever that means) âis not very goodâ. That seems inaccurate. Best would be for the OP to visit and see how they feel about the school, location, potential teammates, coach, classmates, etc.
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All are missing the affordability aspect.
If you canât afford one and based on the other thread Iâm assuming it canât be, the social aspect isnât relevant.
Tufts does have a Business minor. (Itâs a relatively new program.) If the goal is to study Business/Economics, I donât know that there is a significant difference between the two colleges except that Tufts would be Economics/Business. The fact that Business is a minor at Tufts does not mean that a student canât take more than the minimum number of course required for the minor. Double majors are common with Tuftsâ flexible curriculum, so taking a maximum number of business courses would be feasible. Washington & Lee does not have a separate Business Economics major. They offer the regular social Science Econ major which would be found in any LAC.
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No one is âmissingâ anything. Some are simply discussing a different aspect of the OPâs comments. Cost has already been discussed.
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Washington and Lee has a business school.
I believe their alumni pipeline to finance jobs etc is more robust.
Tufts is a much bigger school, with just about half the 13,000 students being graduate students. It is not a LAC even though it competes in the NESCAC. W&L has 2,200 students, with the law school being the only graduate program. The different geographic locations will have an entirely different feel. And then we get to the rural/urban (suburban) divide. Etc etc etc.
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Tufts, in Medford, is about 5 miles from Boston. Lots of ways for students to get between the 2, but to be clear, it is not IN the city per se:
What is the cheapest way to get from Tufts University to Boston?
The cheapest way to get from Tufts University to Boston is to drive which costs $1 - $2 and takes 11 min.
What is the fastest way to get from Tufts University to Boston?
The fastest way to get from Tufts University to Boston is to taxi which takes 11 min and costs $18 - $22.
Is there a direct bus between Tufts University and Boston?
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from College Ave @ Professors Row and arriving at Lechmere. Services depart hourly, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 22 min.
Is there a direct train between Tufts University and Boston?
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Medford/Tufts and arriving at Government Center. Services depart every 10 minutes, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 20 min.
How far is it from Tufts University to Boston?
The distance between Tufts University and Boston is 4 miles. The road distance is 4.9 miles.
How do I travel from Tufts University to Boston without a car?
The best way to get from Tufts University to Boston without a car is to line 80 bus which takes 27 min and costs $1 - $5.
How long does it take to get from Tufts University to Boston?
The line 80 bus from College Ave @ Professors Row to Lechmere takes 22 min including transfers and departs hourly.
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their alumni pipeline to finance jobs etc is more robust
To be honest, I donât even know what that means. Top kids who are hard working will get a good shot from either school.
W&L doesnât even offer a minor in Finance, so I donât see what the big advantage there is.
Some personal thoughts on both schools outside of your potential sports-related experiences.
- You need to visit Tufts and ask about housing. Itâs been a tremendous struggle for the university in recent years.
- Tufts has close to 7,000 students. W&L just 2,200 or so. Thatâs something of a difference. DC really liked what W&L was offering, but didnât want a campus basically a size of a large public high school.
- Tufts campus is a hassle to navigate. The W&L campus is 325 acres and feels like the very best boarding school, straight down to the chapel.
- It was a few years back, but the Tufts tour guide inserted her personal politics into her tour presentation. The W&L tour guide walked us through school buildings, opened doors and engaged current students with a cherry attitude.
- The Hillel on the W&L campus invited our DC to a pizza party to discuss the school. They were so warm and welcoming.
- Tufts has an amazing reputation among healthcare companies and especially among companies in the Massachusetts technology corridor. W&L has deep relationships on Capitol Hill.
- The W&L econ/business department held a presentation during Admitted Students Day. One of the grads on stage proudly talked about the internship he received from a southern regional investment bank.
- Thereâs some outstanding pizza in Davis Square about a 10-min walk from Tufts. W&L has COOK OUT not far from campus.
To answer your question, i think it depends on your major. Is the ROI (return on investment) that much better at Tufts for business/finance? No. For healthcare or seeking high-level employment in Mass tech? Yes.
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These are radically different places, and culturally, they are different enough that if one felt perfect socially, the other would probably come up short.
If you are really liking your least expensive option, why go looking for ways to spend more? If, otoh, your least expensive option is lacking in some way, paying more to get what you want could make sense.
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I have a child at TuftsâŠgeneralizations that she heard about Tufts that made her interested in applying ED included: a quirky student body, hard working, smart kids, and ânot a party schoolâ. After her first year there, she would say those generalizations do ring true. Of course, kids who are dying to party can find a party, and I hear most of the party scene revolves around athletic teams, but if a student is looking for a vibrant party/social scene, Tufts is not it. We have also found that the dorms are not very social (and youâll see that mentioned on the Tufts parent pages too).
As far as Boston is concerned, it is a relatively easy commute, but aside from her art classes at the SMFA campus, my daughter only went into the city a handful of times, including once to attend her very first frat party at MIT. Yep, MIT has a much better party scene than Tufts.
Fortunately, she has loved her first year there, but Tufts does appeal to a pretty specific student, so I would never encourage anyone to accept a spot there without visiting.
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Is this ChatGPT?
Nobodyâs getting from Tufts to downtown Boston in 11 minutes by car except maybe like Sunday afternoon at 2, and Tufts is on the Red Line, so youâd go to Park Street or Downtown Crossing, or even South Station if you wanted Financial District. Lechmereâs Cambridge and the end of the Green Line.
It is very easy to get from Tufts to MIT (also Cambridge) as theyâre both on the Red Line.
My niece graduated from Tufts last year. Only saw her a few (like two) times. Itâs not impossible to go to Boston from there, but itâs pretty uncommon. The Tufts Bubble.
And yes, MIT has a much better party scene than Tufts.
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No, itâs rome2rio
Not familiar with it, but itâs not right.
You should check out rome2rio. Itâs handy.