Tufts University Top Questions

Tufts' student body is very interesting, and some rivalries do occur. The Tufts Democrats and the Tufts Republicans can bang heads, and the Free Thought Society, Tufts' Atheist Club, often gets into arguments with some religious groups. Racism and prejudice do occur- but the media and the students themselves dwell on these events because they're so rare. In general, Tufts students really are incredibly accepting and open of each other. My friends are all different races, religions, and sexual orientations. I have some incredibly wealthy friends, and some kids who have to scrape the bottom of the barrel just to come to Tufts, and we get along just fine. Tufts has high percentages of liberals, whites, homosexuals, Jews and pre-med students.

About a quarter total nerds, a quarter athletes, and the other half pretty normal kids who like to go out. Certain frats tend to interact with athletes, while others interact with the other kids who like to go out.

The students really are weird! Most are from NY and New England.

Tufts students are from EVERYWHERE and all have very unique and compelling stories. For instance within my group of friends, I am from Texas, I have a friend that grew up in Japan and then moved to California, I have two friends from Chicago, and a friend from Washington D.C. We are from all over the place! Tufts is also an extremely accepting an open campus. There are many LGBT students, and I have never experienced or seen any discrimination or hatred toward anyone. It is also a very racially and religiously diverse campus. There are countless events and clubs that integrate all of these students and spreads awareness about each culture. Another thing that you should expect if you come to Tufts, is everyone is very politically on top of things. No matter what major, engineering, political science, or philosophy, everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants their opinions heard. Tufts is a very politically active campus, and finding ways to get involved is incredibly easy.

I live 40 minutes away from tufts. I think it speaks volumes that my two best friends are from California, and the other weekend I brought 2 friends home for the day. One is from the Bahamas and the other is from North Carolina. Tufts is definitely a liberal school. I'de say that about 80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my friends are supporting Obama for President. There is certainly a lot of political involvement and everyone is aware and speak often at dinner about politics and what is going on in the world. the biggest emphasis however is on community service. It seems that everyone is involved, because they understand how lucky they are and they want to see others succeed like they have.

Most students are scrubs during the weak and wear sweats to class. Different types of students interact, depending of various factors such as: what kinds of classes you take, where you live freshman year, etc. Athletes tend to only hang out with other athletes. Tufts students come from all over the country, and even all over the world; tufts has a large international student population. Most Tufts students come from wealthy families.

Tufts students are awesome, just watch out for the party scene people and the occassional hipster. Actually the hipsters aren't that scary, just don't call them a hipster. And, Tufts has jocks. Some of the jocks here are just like high school - they can be kinda mean. And beware of the ultimate frisbee team, they're kinda mean and exclusive.

there are a lot of jewish students at school. i feel like i've gotten to know jewish culture over the extent of this year.

Liberal, although not as politically active/aware as I had hoped. There are undoubtedly pockets, and everyone is lulled into thinking that they need to come off as an "active citizen." Much like the newest indie band for the twenty-something, young professional crowd, there is always the latest "social consciousness" fad to worry about supporting on Tufts' campus. A few months ago it was doing away with bottled water. That has faded as quickly as it materialized, and now the latest obsession is campaigning to get our janitors equal rights. I appreciate the work each group does more than most Tufts students; I'm less inclined to scoff at each new project than I am to scorn those who participate haphazardly in each one--sporting the newly bought Nalgene in March and the "Support our Janitors!" pin in April.

(Refer to my "big picture" answer for some of the basics) Tufts is a very liberal campus--we joke that there are 3 Republicans on campus. Kids are fairly aware politically, and definitely very opinionated. Perhaps because of this liberal environment, there is a really active LGBT community, and they are completely accepted on campus. Racial and ethnic diversity is lacking a little bit, and kids tend to self-segregate. The international kids hang out together, black kids hang out together, Latino kids hang out together, etc. That's sometimes frustrating, but it's not an intentional hostile segregration; it's more that kids gravitate to kids like them. If you're really motivated to have a diverse group of friends, it's pretty easy to get involved in other cultural communities, but you do have to make an initial effort. A lot of kids come from middle upperclass backgrounds and some (unfortunately) have a somewhat entitled attitude. Because Tufts is so expensive, there are not many kids from working class families; those kids often have a different experience because they have to work a lot more (through work-study or off-campus jobs) during college than their friends.

Tufts students are highly liberal, everyone is friends with anyone they want to be friends with. However, interactions continue to happen as they have for our entire lives: people with like characteristics tend to be drawn to the same groups and therefore people hang out with others who are like themselves.

You will find people you like and can hang out with.

Tufts is pretty white and middle class - like most private universities. There are a bunch of international students, which makes the mix a lot more interesting. There is a bit of religious diversity too. I'm very critical about diversity because I'm from New York City, but I think Tufts does an okay job at diversity compared to other small liberal arts schools. In terms of interaction...I think that the campus is fairly racially segregated, which is lame - it could be worse, though. Students wear pretty regular clothes to class - nothing particularly interesting. Sometimes sweat pants, sometimes jeans and a t-shirt. Students are mostly left (but certainly not as liberal as they think they are). There are also some conservative students on campus. I think that there are few radical thinkers - also lame. There are some politically active students. Sometimes they're hard to find, but they're definitely there.

Tufts has a relatively diverse student body. There is a high proportion of international students; my neighbors are from Columbia, China, Venezuela, and Australia. The New England area is definitely well-represented, though. The campus is definitely politically active; most students are liberal.

Tufts is definitely liberal. Republicans are in the minority and seem to spend a lot of their time frantically defending their political beliefs.

is so diverse. not simply in terms of ethnicity, but also interest, style, etc. there is a small greek life, a strong gay community, a large international body, a competitive athletic culture and then many students who have never been to an athletic event. tufts allows a coexistence of these things, and somehow does so without making it divisive. this said, and although there is a lot of diversity according to the statistics, there is also a lot of self-segregation. it's so unfortunate, but its partly human nature. the tufts admin should do more to encourage intermixing, although i dont know how it would do so.

The student population at Tufts is incredibly diverse, in that the school attracts many international students. However, the financial situations of the student body are not seemingly as diverse, as the majority of students are not on financial aid of any sort. It is a preppy but casual school. Girls enjoy getting dressed up but will also wear sweatpants and sweatshirts to class.

Tufts is not racially diverse but we have students from all over the globe.

Shit, I put all my thoughts in the Big Picture. Quote from me though Tufts offers opportunity to meet people from so many different ethnicities, it's not a melting pot, but a salad bowl (meaning the diversity is not intertwined). You have to be an independent go-getter with an inquisitive to make things happen. If not, then you'll be part of this homogenous clique.

sucks

No one could possibly feel out of place at Tufts! There is such a wide array of culture and special interest groups on campus that I would be absolutely astounded to hear anyone say they felt alienated at all. Even if there's not a specific group for whatever bizarre mix of cultures/interests you might possess, almost everyone at Tufts is ridiculously open-minded to the point where they would seek you out and force you to explain your life to them. So I guess maybe a super closed-minded person wouldn't be a fan. If we ever talk about how much we'll earn one day, it's to mention that we'll be living in a cardboard box on Tisch library roof since we picked majors that we actually like. Do different types of students interact? Of course they do. Just thinking over my spread of close friends, they are all different majors, all different financial backgrounds, from all different parts of the country (and world), and have completely different personalities. If you're looking for a social life that will be reminiscent of high school -- cliques, stereotypes, trench-like social divisions -- you will NOT find it at Tufts. Just come, and you'll find out.

Tufts is one of the more diverse upper-tier campuses you could be on. There is huge international and minority populations. While the different racial groups do intermingle a bit, they do have a tendency to "keep with their own." It is kind of sad that such a diverse school doesn't fully take advantage of the diversity it has. Regardless, if you are an international or minority student, you will certainly feel comfortable and welcomed at Tufts.

The Tufts student body is very similar to the neighboring schools (Harvard and MIT). There seemed to be a lot of Jewish and Asian kids. There were small groups of African Americans and other nationalities. I enjoyed the diverse culture of the Tufts student body. While most students of the same background hung out with each other, I never found it difficult to hang out, party, and interact with any student group at Tufts.

At Fletcher, 50 percent of the student body is international, which is impressive. WHile groups of friends form, the nature of the program is such that there are no cliques: plus graduate students tend to intermingle more with others than remain "grouped off."

Tufts is a very diverse campus, although there seems to be a pretty clear divide between the athletes and the rest of the campus. Everyone is smart, and there are lots of cuties.

Tufts students are very involved -- take any given student and they're most likely involved in at least three 'extracurricular' activities. I guess if you were to describe the student body in general, think of the kids in high school who were concerned about getting into the best colleges. They're most likely here (whether it's their first, second, or third choice). Students are hard workers (for the most part) and busy and probably wouldn't have it any other way. They are very politically aware and there is a lot of "active citizenship." Everywhere you look, there is a different group supporting a different cause. It can be a little overwhelming at times. Tufts students have a stereotype of being rich and preppy, and there is a big crowd of these folks. I'm sure it's what you find at any school with the sort of exorbitant price tag Tufts has. However, the people I have come across are down to earth and easy to talk to. Some can be snooty or stuck up, but you'll find these people at any school. For me, it was kind of a breath of fresh air to come to a place where most of the kids were as school-crazy as I was but knew how to have fun too.

Tufts has a little bit of everything. There isn't really anybody who is out of place, and this being the case, you often find yourself hanging out with all different kinds of people. A lot of kids are from New England and New York, but there is a strong contingent of international students, too.

Some of the student body is very active politically, while some people could not care less. The Student Government is very active. Overall the student body is very diverse.

A conservative student would probably feel out of place at Tufts. Christian groups aren't really big on campus, so I went from a majority to a very small minority of active Christian students. Most students wear jeans to class - comfortable shoes are important since the campus is on a big hill.

awkward!!! not very socially progressive on domestic issues and they consider themselves above the problems of America. They need to take a good long look in the mirror.

there is a lot of diversity on campus, certain groups tend to be self-segregating but i my friends are a lot more varied than they were in high school.

I went to a high school that was extremely segregated socio-economically. The majority of students were Caucasian upper class students. There was a large divide between races and wealth. At Tufts this does not exist to nearly that extent. I have found that everyone at Tufts seems to coexist peacefully with each other and that there are no serious divisions racially or economically. It is a place that all feel welcome and dormitories are filled with Whites, African Americans, Asians, gays, straights, and more. I would have to say that the majority of people I'm associated with are middle or upper middle class who dress well. I have to say I was surprised by how nicely people dressed up for class in the fall- coming from a school with a dress code I though college would be sweatpants and sweatshirts but that is not what I found. In the fall many girls would wear sun dresses or skirts. In winter things changed a big and sweatpants definitely became more prevalent. The students at Tufts are also very politically active. Tufts Democrats is one of the largest student groups on campus. Students this year have shown a strong appreciation for Barack Obama, and even pushed for the university to accept a visit from on campus (unfortunately unable to happen because of University rules). Many students join campaigns, I have a friend who campaigns for Hilary Clinton and has had the opportunity to meet her twice this fall.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE! My friends are so diverse! We are Asian, white, Hindi, Catholic, Jewish, Latino, etc. We come from a variety of backgrounds, and we respect that. That being said, I do see some self-segregation with the minority groups. Hillel and Chibad play major roles in student life. Mostly people here are Dems.

I think that while Tufts prides itself on being a very diverse community, there is a lot to be done. I think Tufts does a better job at incorporating international students than ethnic minorities from the US. Most Tufts students are from the Northeast/East Coast. Students are definitely politically active and aware...you cannot escape politics here. I find that most people here are predominantly left. I have not heard anyone mention how much money they will earn after graduation, however, I am only a freshman.

The dining halls are pretty well integrated, there's nothing special of any of the tables. There seem to be a lot of internation kids, who form their own clique. Students seem to be largely Democrats, and political conversations seem to be the most prevalent.

Tufts is mostly full of upper-middle class caucasians/Jewish people with Asian's being the most prevalent minority. There are the stoners, the jocks, the frat boys, the hipsters, the nerds, the ghetto people, and the people who just dress non-descriptly. The most shocking thing about Tufts is the lack of punks. There is not one punk to be found on campus. People with different groups of friends will interact, but not much. Everyone is pretty much politically aware and lean toward being liberal democrats.

Tufts is generally pretty diverse, with a large international population, but the socio-economic spectrum is not too wide. The student body is (for the most part) very tolerant of all backgrounds. Students wear casual clothes (jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, sneakers, boots, etc.) to class. All types of students interract, but there are tons of culture clubs and student groups for people of similar interests and backgrounds. The tables in the dining room can't usually be categorized, except the international students usually all hang out together. Many students are from the Northeast, and mostly pretty well off. Political activism is strong, and students are predominantly on the left.

Tufts is very accepting of diversity and different backgrounds. Most students wear casual clothes too class, yet many people are quite trendy. Most Tufts students are from the Boston area, California, or abroad. Many students are politically aware and active. Most students are left. Yes, students talk about how much they will earn one day.

There are many racial, religious, LGBT, etc groups on campus. They have many activities on campus and welcome everyone. Most students are very accepting and open. Students wear everything to class. You have quite a range. There are those who wear artsy/hipster, high end fashionista, sweatpants/basball cap, preppy, the whole gamut. People usually have a diverse group of friends. Most students from Tufts are from the New England area, lots of Patriots and Red Sox fans. Tufts students come from very privelaged backgrounds, but unlike Boston College or Georgetown, people don't flaunt their money, possessions or clothes. Students are extremely politically active on campus and many travel into Boston for political rallies. Tufts is definitely Democratic.

I think there is enough diversity at Tufts that not one student would feel out of place. Although there is a white majority, everyone has their groups of friends; you can pretty much hang out with anyone you want. People dress very differently to class. Some people wear dresses and make a lot of effort in getting ready. Then you have some people who roll into class with their pajamas on. It really doesn't matter what you wear. Most Tufts students are probably from the Northeast area. Alot of students are very politically aware/active, which is really cool. I know many Tufts students who went to see Obama speak in Boston, and the Tufts Democrats group brought Kal Penn to Tufts to endorse Obama.

We're in Boston... most students are pretty liberal, although there is certainly political diversity at Tufts as well.

The kind of student who would feel out of place at Tufts would be one who wasn't passionate about what they are learning and who didn't want to discuss what they have learned with other students. If you want a school where you can just party and hang out until you graduate, Tufts is not the place because people here really love learning. Students here are mostly left but as a Republican I have yet to find someone who judged me because of my political leanings. They are still willing to hear you out. Students don't really care about how much they will earn.

Everyone is accepted as there is a place for everyone.

I am a member of the freethought society, which could be considered to be a part of the religious community. it is a society of "freethinkers" who are essentially athiests, but not necessarily. we have events such as debates, panels and move screenings on campus. i'm not involved with any other groups of that kind on campus, but I know that LGBT is very active here. I think perhaps very conservative/right - wing students might not find as large of a contingent here at say a school in the south. but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, it's just a much quieter group. I think anyone looking for a big school with an amazing football team that everyone cares about would be unhappy here, but athletes are not hard to find here. There is of course self segregation and bonding among pupils of similar ethnic or racial backgrounds, especially since there are clubs for just about every brand of asian, east asian, south asian, latino and african american on campus, but its not unusual to see interracial couples or groups of friends who are of mixed races. it's not really something that is thought about here - your friends are your friends, color isn't typically a factor. Four tables question - One table would be a group of jewish girls. most of whom are probably wearing uggs, but not exclusively. north face will also probably be well represented at this table, as will scarves and some kind of shoulder bag. the next table might be a table of football players. (or any athletic teams - they tend to have team meals in the dining halls) teams don't tend to be too raudy, but are easy to spot in the crowd because of size, attire or shaved heads (swimmers). the next table may be a mix of people who you couldn't identify, there will be different races, religions and styles of dress, most of which are probably nondescript. and i guess a table with one or two people listening to music and doing homework. i would guess that an upper middle class background is most prevalent, but not the only one. it's not typically discussed, so i honestly couldn't say what background most come from unless i were to make an assumption about the town they were from or the clothes they wear (which isnt something tufts students tend to do) no one talks about how much money they will make in the future. students are incredibly aware of politics and many are very active in the tufts democrats, republican or even socialist groups. there are mock debates on campus and any kind of political event going on in boston will result in a group from tufts attending.