Tufts University Top Questions

Very progressive, open-minded, driven, and intellectual

My classmates hail from all over the world as prospective innovators, teachers, activists, doctors, leaders, researchers, etc. with not only a keen desire to learn, but to also actively evaluate and critically challenge our society's ways in order to discover ways to better the world for the future.

Tufts students run the gamut. Generally, students here are politically liberal, and there's a fair amount of "social justice warriors" who make their views and presence on campus very visible. But it's a very accepting community overall.

Tufts students are incredibly difficult to encapsulate just because they have so many different stories. I think what really brings us together is not just that we all have a story, but that the story is always interesting. Tufts is a place where stereotypes come to die, so even when you think you know somebody, s/he will surprise you with all sorts of passions and hobbies that you would never expect. In general, it seems like Tufts students are friendly, fairly average-seeming people who are a lot more fascinating just below the surface. The best way to get what I'm saying here (which probably makes no sense) is to actually talk to students, so make your way to campus or see if you can contact a current student and just have a regular conversation with them.

Most Tufts students are pretty honest, good people. Some are stinkers, like anywhere else. I´ve had my lab reports stolen and the teachers refused to take me seriously because the person who stole it had a very wealthy father.

Diligent and nice students who know how to both work hard and have a great time.

They are a quirky and intelligent bunch; this provides for an intellectual yet very social atmosphere that addresses the diverse interests of Tufts students.

My classmates are socially responsible , studious, and stressed out students that do not need alcohol to have fun.

Have have yet to meet an unkind person at my school. Me and my classmates are a lot like family and we all look out for each other and help each other.

Hardworking, focused, friendly.

Tufts students range from pretentious and ostentatious to shy and reserved, but all tend to be intelligent, hardworking, and articulate.

My classmates can support one another, as well as hold themselves up; they are tough, but don't mind a helping hand from time to time.

My classmates are diligent, friendly, thoughtful, and loving.

They are, energetic, motivated, soically concious, globaly aware, approchable, and happy to help.

I am Latina and that was more than ok at Tufts! I LIVED at the Latino Center but even more importantly was accepted at the Africana House, Women's Center, Start House( Asian- American Center) etc!!! Tufts has an amazing combination of students. International, From All over the US, Economically Diverse etc, Culturally Diverse etc. The best thing about Tufts is that with the amazing Students Activities Department, Director of Greek Affairs, BIG-6 Directors and Deans you always have someone who is looking out to make sure students are happy and that they remain. You will find students who are campaigning for Obama, or other who are devoted to their Greek philanthropic obligations or those who just want to make sure Tufts is a fun place to stay at by being involved on Concert Board or Class Council! One thing I do love about Tufts most is how service oriented we are.Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service is here just to ensure we are serving our surrounding and global community. Over all, Tufts is a pretty safe, engaging, fun place. It's not perfect and not everyone fits all of these, but hey so is the real world. At least it's a little nicer here.

Tufts is pretty diverse which is sweet because there is always going to be a group of friends for any type of person. Like if you don't want to go out and party all the time then you don't have to. There are plenty of people who would rather be doing other things. Everyone is pretty smart and aware of whats going on in the news and the world. Politically, its a liberal campus (what college isnt) but there are still plenty of republicans (gotta represent). I don't know much about the gay community but I do have a few gay friends and they seem to have a great time. There are plenty of organizations to get involved in too. I'm party of lecture series which plans and decides what celebrities come to speak. Everyone is really friendly too which I found surprising. Everyone is up to meet new people and give them a chance. I have friends in all 4 classes (or years or whatever) so it doesn't matter if you are a freshman, you can still click which someone who is, say, a junior.

I thought I came from a pretty upper-middle class background coming to Tufts, and I was shocked that I was closer to the lower end of the spectrum financially in the student body. There's a lot of private school kids and rich international students. The student body is overwhelming liberal, although there is a very vocal conservative minority. Conversatives might feel out of place, or at least certainly outnumbered. Political activism and activism in general are very common.

The students at Tufts are generally pretty white bread kids from all over Suburban America. The kids there are usually Upper-Middle to Upper Class, and all went to very prestigious High Schools. While Tufts student body is not the most diverse that I've ever seen, it is certainly welcoming to all different kinds of people. You can find all different races, religions, genders, political affiliations and orientations on campus, and everyone on campus is glad to see them. I have never heard or seen a situation where someone on campus was given trouble over the fact that they were in someway different, and I can't imagine that the student body would stand for it.

Tufts is pretty known for diversity and international representation. We have tons active of cultural and ethnic groups on campus (which also causes Tufts to be pretty PC). At first, it's intimidating to hearing so many languages spoken by all of the European/South American students while walking to class. However, the one area where Tufts is lacking is in socioeconomic diversity... In general, we're a pretty liberal campus. New England quaint, relaxed liberals. However, we also have a pretty vocal conservative minority on campus, and they're run into some trouble recently with some PC issues. Basically though, anyone can fit in here. We've got wealthy IR major types determined to become diplomats. There are social activist hippies who work in our Oxfam cafe and stage protests. We have nerdy computer engineers who harbor passions for philosophy and sorority-girl chemical engineers. International students, student senate go-getters, theatre kids, athletes, frat brothers, yeah... The one thing in common? Almost everyone at Tufts is pretty damn ambitious!

Very "diverse" but no one intermixes. A rural poor student would hate tufts. The sorority type girls get dressed up for class but one can wear sweatpants almost everywhere. Most students from wealthy NY and NJ. Very liberal leaning school. The people i interact with are not pretentious even though many of them are wealthy.

Although there isn't any open discrimination and everyone is not just tolerant, but respectful of differences, tables in the dining hall do tend to be slightly monochrome with white students, black students and Asian students at separate tables with some mix and match. It's not that students from different races aren't good friends- even best friends...it's just a phenomena I observed during dinner. Lunch is a completely different story though! Students are politically aware (especially with the US elections on the way!) but they're not particularly active in terms of campaigning.

As stated before most students at Tufts are White. At first this was difficult for me, but I adjusted. I learned to judge others based on the way they treated me rather than on the color of their skin. I also previously said that many students at Tufts are very opionated. This often causes people to be very close-minded to other viewpoints and ideas. I am a firm believer in healthy debates and believe that it is wonderful to engage in arguments with other smart people. Unfortunately, some students are not open to different views and positions. There are also a number of students on the campus who will use hostile and hurtful ways to get their points across (i.e. "Come All Ye Black Folk") But you must learn to take it in stride so it will not deter you from your main goal.

While Tufts is trying to promote diversity by bringing in students from all different races, religions, and countries, I often find that students tend to sadly only hang out with students like themselves. For the first time in my life (I came from a very diverse high school), my group of friends is pretty much all white Jews. This is kind of saddening to me as I really feel like I'm in a bubble in that sense and miss having such a diverse group of friends as I did in high school. Most Tufts students are from the East coast and the West Coast-- the majority hailing from the Tri State Area and Massachusetts. Most students are politically aware with International Relations and Political Science being the most prevalent majors. Most students are liberal.

there are groups for everything around tufts however the student body is comprised of mostly privileged kids, mostly white however there are mnay international students (wealthy) people seem more to be split by activities ratheer than race e.g. drama, sports, music, debate, etc

Everyone is interesting. Even someone who seems to be a non-interesting dud whose parents paid his/her way in can turn out to have a crazy background or really cool way of thinking about things. Thus the diversity of experiences that students have had is very rich, however racial diversity is lacking. And between different races, there is less mixing than one might expect. The campus is very liberal, it would actually be nice to have some more conservative voices on campus to make debates a little more interesting. Have the population is on financial aid, the other half isn't, so financial backgrounds are diverse. Lots of kids from the coasts, very few from the Midwest/South, big international population.

A good variety of people and a really nice mix of international students. Very diverse student body and strong emphasis on understanding and acceptance. There are lots of preppy/prissy students as well as granola/tree huggers. I would say there is a big variety and the lack of school spirit and connection definitally keeps these groups seperated. The majority of students party several times a weekend but also work very hard.

There are many different groups on campus. You may fit in with a racial club, a dance club, a sports team, or a fraternity/sorority. However I feel that the majority of students do not see their affiliation with a particular group as their main social outlet. Tufts is often described as small enough that whenever you go out you see someone you know, but big enough that you can always meet somebody new.

tufts student are the most amazing people i've met in my life. everyone has got some kind of passion and i really haven't run into anyone who i wouldn't want to have at least an hour conversation with (everyone is smart and motivated). i dont think anyone would feel out of place at tufts.. everyone is very accepting and there is no real bad blood among students. there is a lot of ethnic/socioeconomic/sexual etc. diversity. no worries about not finding someone just like you! the campus is very politically active and aware and in general is pretty liberal (like most colleges). nobody really talks about how much money their going to earn one day in seriousness (i joke that i'll live under a bridge because im studying english and music)... which won't happen because a tufts degree is something of note.

The Tufts student body is a relatively laid back one. Don't get me wrong, they get their work done, but they don't spend too much time worrying or stressing (unless it's finals week of course).

I don't know enough people to know about the student body. However, I do know that most are focused on their grades. This is mostly attributed to my acquaintances in the pre-med following... As for a hot topic such as race, I kinda don't notice it here. Like nobody's Black, Asian, South Asian, Spanish, or Caucasian. They are more like social butterflies, frat boys, engineers, jocks, and naturally, the easily offended. I wouldn't recommend making friends with those in the last group. And before you ask, nobody cares if you're gay. Seriously. However, if you're interested, a dude friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, really needs to go out with another guy. He's an engineer, and he's looking for another engineer. Email me if you need the hookup. ;) Oh yeah, and engineers are assholes. Seriously, we talk about how superior we are to Liberal Arts people. In private naturally, but how can you complain when you're going to make 60+ grand a year after you graduate? Not to mention, we don't fare well around most Liberal Arts kiddies because they bitch and moan to us how they have to beg to work for free for an "internship." Also, it kind of annoys me how they try to belittle our work. I should probably stop before I get into another rant.

Don't come if you're looking for fraternity life. Jumbos are fairly independent, more nerdy than preppy. Even the athletes have a secret geeky side. Tufts students always have their hands in some activity. Many people tackle a lot of responsibility within student groups along with their homework. Being politically knowledgeable is a good thing at Tufts, both on a nation and global level as PoliSci and IR are two of the top majors. Don't come if you're an awful person. Seriously, we don't want you.

What are your experiences with racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and/or other groups on campus? I have friends of lots of races, nationalities, religions, sexual orientations, and backgrounds. But I seek people out! There are some people who self-segregate, but they still have other friends of other identities. There's a healthy dose of diversity, but in all honesty, I pursue people with whom I connect well, regardless of their racial/religious/sexual profiles. What kind of student would feel out of place at Tufts? Maybe one who doesn't care about anything, and doesn't do work? One who's really negative and wishes they were at another school? What do most students wear to class? Jeans and a shirt. When it gets warm, though, everyone puts on their summer best. Do different types of students interact? Definitely. There are four tables of students in the dining hall. Describe them. One table has some colorfully-dressed kids, including a plump Asian girl, boy wearing tight pants, tall loud girl and a black kid in a blue button-down. They're talking about people who live on their hall. Another table is the girls' step team, mostly black and hispanic girls but some white and asian ones too. They're talking about guys they know. The next table is the cross country team, all wearing ridiculously short shorts, and all different sizes and races. They're talking about their coach. The last table is a mix of liberal arts and science/engineering students, of various ethnicities, mostly in jeans and t-shirts, talking about alternately Mythbusters and politics. Where are most Tufts students from? Lots of Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, California, and the rest is spread out pretty evenly, except for the large number of internationals from all over. What financial backgrounds are most prevalent? Middle/upper-middle class Are students politically aware / active? Yes, often. Are they predominantly left, right or center? Tufts leans liberal, but a lot are moderates and conservative. Do students talk about how much they'll earn one day? Not really.

The race/religion/etc. is the standard fare for northeast schools. Nobody feels alone at the school, and students are more than willing to share their culture/religion/lifestyle with you if you are interested.

Tufts students definitely abide by a "work hard, play hard" mentality. Students are intelligent and intellectual, but really care about having fun and thriving in college. Students always find what fits for them at Tufts, whether it's the party scene, drama or anything else. Tufts is known to be very diverse (with about 17{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} international) with a special emphasis on internationalism and viewing problems through a global lens. You meet students who are diverse in thought, background, religion, personal views and so on. Coming from a small, relatively homogeneous high school this was a much-needed breath of fresh air. Living on campus, there is not a tremendous feeling of religious or racial diversity for some reason. There is an active Jewish presence, but other religious groups are not really in the limelight. Students are certainly liberal-minded, and anyone would be hard-pressed to know more than one or two conservative students. Anyone looking for a traditional, conservative student body should definitely not consider Tufts. Still, although there is a liberal tilt, it is by no means overwhelming. Students are open-minded and welcome diversity in any form. It is sometimes easy to find self-segregation at Tufts; jocks and minorities are often known to group together, but are definitely not separate from the rest of the students. Tufts students come from all over the US and the world, and I can guarantee your best friends will most likely not all come from the same state (a great thing!).

The Tufts student body is mostly White and about 35{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Jewish. However, there is lots of diversity on campus. I met people belonging to a variety of religions like Muslims and Catholics. I met people from Korea, Japan, Colombia, and Dubai. Overall, I'd say that Tufts students are fairly laid-back. Students who get dressed-up to go to class are the exception. While you do see a plethora of Long Champ purses, most students wear jeans, sneakers and carry backpacks. Because the campus is situated on a hill, you'd be silly to wear heels. Tufts is a very liberal campus. A good friend of mine is the President of the Tufts Republicans, but his club's membership is tiny in comparison to the presence of the Tufts Democrats. Tufts students will listen to each other's political views and are tolerant of each other, but overall, students lean to the left.

Students at Tufts do appear to be less diverse socio-economicaly compared to other Boston colleges

Tufts is a very liberal school with a big LGBT club.... There are representations of almost all relegions of the world and all races and colours etc... There's no tolerance of any discrimination of any kind. Tufts is welcoming to everyone with respect.

I am in the Tufts Christian Fellowship, and I love it. What is worn to class varies from pajames to designer outfits. Most students are from the USA, but there are still a good number that are not. If there were four tables of students in the dining hall, you'd have one table covered with laptops, and each seat containing a student doing work; one table would consist of drama and music majors; one table would seat a crowded, loud, and laughing table of athletes; and the final table would consist of some of the faculty on their lunch break, sitting with some students that do genuinely want to befriend the staff.

As the president of the Persian Students Association my senior year, I found it difficult to recruit Persians on this campus. Just in Boston, the Persian community is much larger, but there are very few Persians at Tufts. I found that difficult, especially since I was coming from California, where the demographics are different

Is extremely unattractive.

Mostly rich---strong Jewish presence; fair amount of international folk. Most socially adept individuals should be able to find a niche

Tufts is like a TV dinner; everybody sticks to their own groups with very little intermingling. The average Tufts student is a rich liberal Jew from CT (myself included). Possibly one of the most liberal places in the US. For the most part we're all big dorks.

Ok...here is the deal. There is mad segregation on campus. Don't ask me why, Tufts is one of the most PC and accepting student bodies imaginable and yet racial groups seem to form. There has been a lot of talk about there being houses like the Asian house and the Africana house and whether we ought to allow them since they may add to the milieu. However, despite there being visible signs of racial self division, there is no racism anywhere to be seen.

Being from the West Coast, it was hard to adjust to the attitudinal differences of a mostly Northeastern student body. Ultimately, I struggled to find my "place" on campus, but I think the students are pretty good natured.

Tufts is a very accepting campus- in many respects. My friends are so diverse I really feel like that has added a lot to my growth. I mean, economically, religiously, ethnically, orientation-wise my friends come from all walks of life- and I feel like, unless you go out of your way to shape your group of friends a certain way, that's the same pattern for everyone. People are politically aware- in fact one of my good friends and I have been emailing back and forth about the primaries while we're away from school! Tufts is liberal and moderate, not many conservatives.

I feel that Tufts is very diverse compared to most New England colleges, especially ethnically and internationally so. It is also fairly liberal, however, not as much as I expected at all. There are extremely artsy/hippie segments of the Tufts population, however, I came from an artsy highschool so I find Tufts to be less artsy than what I'm used to. Students wear typical clothing to class- very casual, sweatpants, etc. Occassionally there will be a girl who dresses up but its not overall like some colleges I've visited in the south. Students definitely mix along ethnic lines, especially in the realm of athletics and dorm life. However, people do tend to group by interest so after the first part of the year, usually you will see athletes hanging out with athletes, actors with actors, etc, although definitely not as what you could call cliques.

It is very socioeconomically homogeneous and the level is the high levels upper middle class. It can be hard if you do not fit into the bracket to keep up with friends. The community around the university also recognizes this so living off campus near school is extremely costly. The make up of the student body, regionally, is a lot from the MA,NY,PA NJ, the northeast, and California specifically LA and the bay area. The students are very liberal, however the conservatives do have a strong presence: there have been numerous incidents of blatant racism and class-ism.

Tufts is mostly white. Most students are from the northeast with a big California representation, but I do have friends from the South and Midwest. Tufts is a great place to be Jewish. Tufts is very LGBT friendly.

I think Tufts deals with diversity exceptionally well. We have a diverse student body, and there does not appear to be very much animosity between different groups. I will say that like anywhere, it is noticeable that certain groups tend to spend time together based on commonalities such as race, country of origin, etc, but I do not think that this is a problem on campus- I take it to be simply a bond between people that draws them to eachother. I don't think anyone should feel out of place at Tufts- everyone is open minded and very accepting. Most students at Tufts are from the Northeast, California, foreign countries, and Miami. The only regions underrepresented at Tufts are probably the Midwest and West. Socioeconomically students tend to be from Middle to Upper Class background, though I think it's also well known that Tufts tries to reach out and accept students from other backgrounds as well. Students are Tufts are very politically aware and active, and tend to be more to the left than anything.

There is lots of diversity, statistically speaking, but groups tend to self-segregate. We have a "Group of Six" which includes a Women's Center, Asian-American Center, LGBT Center, etc. These groups all have representatives in student government, etc. Tufts is very left-leaning, which is great if you are too. Lots of students are politically active, in all kinds of groups.