Tufts University Reviews

The T is the worst public...

The T is the worst public transport system I have ever experienced. It closes early, which forces you to use cabs or a DD if going out at night, and cabs are expensive. It also has a lot of gaps of where you can go. I've lived here, NYC, and DC, and Boston is way behind. Having a car is almost necessary to be able to have access to everything. I'm so glad I brought one during the end of my Tufts career.

Security is good but not too...

Security is good but not too stringent. We don't have to sign in to dorms. There is an average amount of crime, and it's important to be aware of your surroundings and not walk alone off campus at night if you aren't aware. The police are very present on campus, though, and I feel safe when I'm on Tufts grounds.

Campus is not completely wireless,...

Campus is not completely wireless, but the library and most academic buildings are on a wireless network that you can access with your laptop and password, and the dorms all have Internet access. The computer lab and libraries also have printers you can access from the network. Pretty much everyone I know has their own computer, but you can get by without one.

Tufts has its own police...

Tufts has its own police department, which is really committed to making Tufts and the surrounding area safe. We do live in a city, so there are occasional incidents, usually incited by a non-student, but there are lots of ways you can avoid rough situations, like asking for a free, no-hassle police escort. For the most part, the police are not out to get you and they walk a delicate line between protecting us from the outside and keeping drinking under control without arresting people left and right.

Economically, there is some...

Economically, there is some diversity because of financial aid, but the average student is at least middle class. Ethnically, we are diverse, but have a strong and visible majority of white students. Ideologically, we cover the whole spectrum, but many students are politically liberal. Campus is very diverse sexually—there is a big LGBT community.

Tufts campus is very safe, but off...

Tufts campus is very safe, but off campus, not so much. There is always the occasional mugging off campus.

The police are pretty serious...

The police are pretty serious during the first couple weeks of school about underage drinking, but from then on, no one really cares unless the person is extremely stupid about their habits.

The RAs spread the board...

The RAs spread the board really—some are really strict, and others really don't care at all. The cops will usually write you up for an offense, but once you get sent to the Office of Judicial Affairs, the penalty is usually not that bad.

The parties on campus are pretty...

The parties on campus are pretty good, and you are sure to find at least one solid one every weekend. Friday nights are usually pretty lame, Thursdays are hit or miss, but Saturdays are good. Parties are almost always free and not usually hard to get into. I don't go off campus for parties—I stick to house parties and frat parties.

At Tufts most students are...

At Tufts most students are well-off enough to own their own computer, usually a laptop. As a result, the labs aren't utilized so much, but they have been kept in good shape. I haven't used the Eaton Lab once. Having your own computer is pretty much the standard at Tufts, but it's not required to get your work done. However, we'd probably all be better off without the Internet . . .

Off-campus parties are fun, but...

Off-campus parties are fun, but mostly you'll fall in with your group of friends and just party amongst yourselves. There are great bars in Davis Square, about a 10-minute walk, that are worth going to.

The Somerville Theater gets a lot...

The Somerville Theater gets a lot of musical groups, Johnny D’s has live jazz most nights and a DJ a couple nights a week, and the Burren has live Irish music and a cover band that plays good rock. The big dance clubs are mostly on Lansdowne Street in Boston, which is a short T-ride away. If you feel like getting all dressed up, the best choice is Avalon, which is 19-plus on Thursday and Friday nights. It’s rated among the five best nightclubs in the world!

A lot of people are on teams, but...

A lot of people are on teams, but they don’t really have followings. Our football team sucks, but Tufts sailing is the best sailing team ever. We’ve won more championships in our sailing history than any other school. We have a bunch of club sports that compete close to varsity level. Intramurals are really just a bunch of friends who are on a team.

The guys are dorky, but cute. But...

The guys are dorky, but cute. But there are lots of different types of guys out there. There are some hot guys, but they’re not everywhere.

The girls at Tufts are definitely...

The girls at Tufts are definitely better looking than the guys. Although it’s true that people don’t really fix themselves up at Tufts as much as at schools, say, in the South. Girls in general dress more casual, except for the international folks, who are always dressed to the nines.

There are a lot of nerds here, but...

There are a lot of nerds here, but there are definitely a lot of people who are down to party, too. The people at Tufts aren’t really good-looking, but there are so many college kids in Boston that it’s not a problem.

Tufts is small enough to feel...

Tufts is small enough to feel super comfortable, see familiar faces, and know people wherever you go, but there are still a gazillion people to meet that you have never seen before.

There’s the full range of geeks to...

There’s the full range of geeks to jocks, granola tree- huggers to Banana Republic princesses. Guys complain that there aren’t any hot girls, but these are also probably the same guys who aren’t getting any dates, so it’s hard to tell.

There’s a weird reputation that...

There’s a weird reputation that Tufts has ugly people, but I disagree with that. Tufts has 4,500 people—you are bound to find someone you like!

Tufts is progressively becoming...

Tufts is progressively becoming more diverse. There are many clubs for different ethnic and cultural groups. I know the Latino population has grown, and I think the same goes for many of the minority groups. I would argue that diversity is the great strength of Tufts.

Housing off campus is convenient,...

Housing off campus is convenient, and there is a lot of it. Most people live in houses and apartments off campus when they are juniors and seniors. There are a lot of places in the area surrounding the school, and the prices aren’t outrageous. Freshman and sophomore year, you are guaranteed housing, and must live in on-campus housing unless you commute or are under special circumstances.

Off-campus housing is probably the...

Off-campus housing is probably the single biggest complaint of the junior class. They’re not guaranteed housing, and most people, depending on the lottery numbers that determine housing preferences, may have to go find a place to live off campus where the rent is pretty high. Some people prefer to live off campus because they like the freedom, but on-campus housing is substantially cheaper, and it’s nice that you don’t have to clean. It’s not hard to get a place to live around campus, because most of the area surrounding Tufts is residential, but it’s tough to find the right house at the right price unless you get started early.

As a freshman, they place you into...

As a freshman, they place you into a random dorm with a random roommate. I say ‘random roommate,’ but it’s not quite random—you fill out a survey describing your interests, and Tufts does its best to match you up.

For me, it would not be convenient...

For me, it would not be convenient because it’s very expensive. I think it’s better to live on campus, but it goes in cycles. My junior year, everybody went off campus, and did so with ease. This year, there was a huge crunch. There are many funky little houses nearby that the University rents out. If you get organized with housemates early and go looking, it’s no problem.

Some of the older places, like the...

Some of the older places, like the Campus Center, could use renovations, but the Mugar computer lab was remodeled recently, as well as Ginn Library, and a new athletic facility opened up, as well. It’s big enough to house an indoor track and tennis courts, and the school holds a lot of big functions there. We get speakers like Bill Clinton, Madeline Albright, Al Gore, and Colin Powell.