Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and communications from Tufts University. She specializes in SAT Writing and Language tutoring, English tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Tufts University:
Describe the campus setting and transportation options.
Rachel: The Tufts campus is a cross between suburban and urban; however, it’s easily walkable. There are shuttles that are about a 15-minute walk from campus that will take you into the local towns. There are public buses that pick up near the campus as well. I always felt very safe on campus.
How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants?
Rachel: Professors are generally available during scheduled office hours and by appointment. Teaching assistants are readily available as well, as they are often upperclassmen. Academic advisers are easily accessible and helpful to meet with as needed.
How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Rachel: I only lived in a dorm my freshman year. It was a great learning experience for me. After freshman year, I lived in my sorority house and then off campus. The dorms are nice, and upperclassmen have apartment-style options to choose from on campus. There are two dining halls on campus for students.
There are plenty of opportunities to be social at Tufts—whether it’s joining a club, joining a sports team, or participating in Greek life. I constantly had the opportunity to be social while on campus.
Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?
Rachel: International relations is a very popular major, as is pre-med. I was a psychology major and a communications and media studies minor. I found the psychology classes very interesting, so majoring in psychology seemed like a good fit.
How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life?
Rachel: It was very easy to make friends as a freshman. Remember, everyone is new and wants to make friends, so don’t be shy approaching other students! Greek life has a minor role on campus. That being said, I joined and it was a great way to make new friends. Some of my closest friends today are from my sorority.
How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services?
Rachel: The Career Center was not the strongest service at Tufts. I did not interview with companies who recruited on campus, but many companies did come to the school to seek out students.
How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges?
Rachel: The library, Tisch, is fairly large and always had available study spots. There is also a campus center with a lot of seating. I frequently spent time there, particularly after my freshman year.
Describe the surrounding town.
Rachel: Medford and Somerville are quaint and suburban areas. Davis Square is very cute and is walkable from campus. It has a lot of restaurants that students frequent. After freshman year, I spent more time in downtown Boston. During my senior year, I interned in Boston the entire year. It’s a great city for college students.
How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Rachel: The student body is approximately 5,000 undergrad students. Classes are mostly small, except for some introductory-level classes that may be 100 or so students. Those classes are often broken down into smaller units outside of the main lecture.
Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Rachel: My first semester freshman year I took a class called “Reality TV” that was taught by two seniors. It was an awesome small-class experience and a great way to get to know my peers and some upperclassmen, while learning engaging content. I was also able to ask the upperclassmen numerous questions as I was navigating freshman year.
Check out Rachel’s tutoring profile.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
