Founded in 1852, Tufts University. is a Private college. Located in Massachusetts, which is a city setting in Massachusetts, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 5,508 full time undergraduate students, and 5,981 full time graduate students.
The Tufts University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 8:1. There are 828 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Tufts University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
14%
Application Deadline
November 1 and January 1
Application Fee
75
SAT Range
1370-1520
ACT Range
31-34
Admissions at are considered Most Selective, with ,39% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 7 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 99% were in the top quarter, and 89% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Tufts University.
0%
“We”re apathetic”
15%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
28%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
2%
“We save it for the classroom”
21%
“Sometimes, but not often”
48%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
29%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
17%
“I only go out in groups”
44%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
39%
“I feel extremely safe”
39%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
55%
“We bought the gear”
5%
“We live for the big game”
6%
“It”s not really our thing”
29%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
58%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
7%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
8%
“Available in class”
61%
“They keep regular office hours”
27%
“They”re always available”
7%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
62%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
30%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
3%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
77%
“We only party on weekends”
19%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
3%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
50%
“There might be people who do”
43%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
4%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
0%
“We”re apathetic”
15%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
28%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
2%
“We save it for the classroom”
21%
“Sometimes, but not often”
48%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
29%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
17%
“I only go out in groups”
44%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
39%
“I feel extremely safe”
39%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
55%
“We bought the gear”
5%
“We live for the big game”
6%
“It”s not really our thing”
29%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
58%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
7%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
8%
“Available in class”
61%
“They keep regular office hours”
27%
“They”re always available”
7%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
62%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
30%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
85 Students rated on-campus housing 3.2 stars. 4 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
55 Students rated off-campus housing 3.6 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
85 Students rated campus food 4.2 stars. 40 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
87 Students rated campus facilities 3.7 stars. 20 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
87 Students rated class size 4.1 stars. 32 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
87 Students rated school activities 4.2 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
87 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 40 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
87 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 30 % gave the school a 5.0.
Tufts University REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Tufts University?
13 Students rated Tufts University
Rola
Walking through the Tufts campus, I feel immersed in its passionate community of brilliant individuals. In PSY 159:Emotion, Stress, and Health, I learn about stress-related diseases and stress management, topics which satisfy my intellectual itch of understanding how mental and physical health intertwine with one another. After class, I head to the Social Identity & Stigma Lab. Under Dr. Remedios, I study perceptions and expand my knowledge on how to better serve the marginalized communities I will work with as a future psychiatrist. Afterward, I put on a blood drive with the Leonard Carmichael Society. Later, I head to my dorm in the FIRST house. While talking with my roommates, we realized our day had one thing in common: inclusivity. Tufts reaffirms my abilities as a minority, low-income, woman in STEM, and furthers my understanding of how to care for my patients and community. I'm proud to be a Jumbo!
Ryan
Amazing institution full of bright minds. The students and faculty are beyond friendly and intelligent. The name carries quite a bit of weight in job interviews (even though we are not Harvard). The could stand to renovate the buildings and they need to work on fundraising more money.
Eric
Overall, I took a variety of classes in a variety of different areas. I liked that the classes in the Computer Science field I took were rigorous, but often I felt that the classes I took were more rigorous than they needed to be in order to learn what needed to be learned. Professors for each class should understand that students take other classes as well.
Alicia
Clubs are a must, and the majority of students are involved in more than one extracurricular activity. There are sports teams which offer a chance to walk on, but are still heavy with recruits. The professors are amazing, and the majority of them have at least 2 office hours a week. Being an elite, private school, all of the classes are difficult, but not unmanageable. Teachers are very understanding. Some classes are group work oriented and some are exam oriented, it just depends on the professors. The campus is beautiful and the dining halls offer amazing vegetarian and vegan options. The campus could use more diversity, but the Asian, Latinx, and Africana centers are great places for students to find community.
Mohamed
I have said it before, and I'll say it again, but I do love Tufts. The people there are great, and while I have heard shallow things like "Tufts doesn't have good looking people" or the school is "filled with the elite," these are not absolute truths. While there are a fair number of people there with money and other interesting people, Tufts people are good. There are many varied interests, the education is top-notch, and there are many great faculty members.
Now, for the ugly. The school is expensive, and if you go, you better be certain that this is what you want. The school is not a party school, which could be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on who are. Clubs are your best bet for meeting people. Wealth inequality *is* a thing at Tufts that is very talked about on campus, and there are some vapid people on campus. Some dorms are subpar, and struggle with a few "neighbors" Dig deep, and you'll find a lot of good people who just want what's best for the world.
Mary
Tufts is a great school where you will receive an excellent education. Professors are personable and accessible, and they actually teach undergraduates--you won't have a TA except in a mandatory study group, not the lecture section of the class. There are dozens of extracurricular offerings and everyone can find something they enjoy. However, Tufts does not do the best job in supporting its students: health services is lacking and support for struggling students is hard to find or nonexistent.
Elena
Because of its medium size, Tufts is comprised of all sorts of people which means everyone can find a place they belong. There's always stuff to do on and off campus especially since we're so close to Boston. The academics are challenging but, really incredible. Great place to go to school.
Nathan
Classes are informative, professors are welcoming and want students to succeed. Dining hall food gets tiring but is definitely better than average. Off campus housing is a mess- broker's fee and Somerville housing prices make it likely to be more expensive than living on campus and many of the house seem to be in disrepair. However, generally on campus housing is nice. Social culture and Greek life are much larger than online sources seem to suggest.
Tufts is a wonderful university to attend. There are plenty of activities to do on campus if you feel like doing something but don't feel like traveling far. It is also very easy to get to Boston if you feel like going out. Tufts is academically challenging, but fosters incredible learning.
Nia
Rigorous and enlightening classes to match the dedication and headstrong students. Everyone is deeply aware of real world issues, and there's nothing that can't be discussed. This is a liberal school, and in an area where the city is easily accessible as well.
April
Tufts University is a great school for becoming educated about the world and developing soft skills that prepare you for the real world for for your career. It is also great for developing connections and becoming a well-rounded person as many students are artistically talented and or politically active.
Tea
I have had a great experience at Tufts so far. Though there are a few administrative issues (like any college; mostly things like need for greater diversity and rising tuition costs) students are encouraged to get active--and unlike in many other campuses, the administration is pretty receptive (for example, last year (2015-2016) students protested the lack of racial diversity and demanded more people of color be accepted. This year, a 6% increase of POCs were accepted to the class of 2020). There's every type of person here (athletes, artists, activists, etc) but generally everyone has a place they can feel comfortable and students at tufts are generally dynamic and will surprise you when their intests break stereotypes. Greek life and parties generally only happen on the weekend, but usually something is happening every weekend. If you aren't interested in parties/alcohol there are also a number of organizations aimed at providing "another option" on weekends. I have yet to meet a professor that hasn't been extremely dedicated to their students. I feared large class sizes coming into college but some of my favorite classes have been 60+ with a great professor who gives great individual attention to any student, as well as many opportunities out side of the class room (trips, research opportunities, mentorship, etc). The food is always pretty good, and there are a variety of places to go to on campus. Always good vegan/vegetarian options as well. All in all, tufts is a great school.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Tufts University is 14%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
Describe the students at your school.
Very progressive, open-minded, driven, and intellectual
Professors will always know your name if you are in a smaller-sized class. The only time my professor didn't know my name was when I was in a lecture hall. Then, my TA knew my name. What I think is best about the teachers at Tufts is that they all truly care about your progress in the course. I can e-mail my teachers and have a response within a day or two. I can always ask them for help after class or during office hours and they are more than happy to help. Once, when I did badly on a math test, my math professor approached me after class and wanted to make sure that I understood the material, since I normally did better.
Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
That pretty much sums it up. If you look hard enough, you can find people who are more interested in screwing around, but overall, the school attracts kids who are serious about their academics.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
Finding the right college is simpler than Parents and potential students think. I would recommend that a potential freshman spend some time alone on a campus. If the student has managed to meet some interesting and outgoing people within a few hours, the school will be a good fit.
As far as academics go, a Student will only succeed if they are willing to work. "World class professors," really means "Smart people abound." Reputation doesn't matter once a student is attending a college or university.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
I am always awake at 3 am on any given day of the week. This isn't because I'm swamped with homework however. It's because I've been busy socializing or "studying" with a group of people in the downstairs lounge. Tufts students will usually leave their doors open and are always happy to have a conversation, even if they're in the middle of their homework. I'm not saying that Tufts students aren't studious, they certainly are, but there is always time to hang out as well. I think that Tufts students strike a good balance between working and socializing.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Tufts University has a very dynamic campus. I love the university's involvement with the surrounding community and active citizenship philosophy. I also love how the campus stresses strong academics, but also a positive and engaging social community.
The best thing about Tufts is the community. The community at Tufts is an amazing blend of academic discussion, socialization, and cultural experience.
What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
Many students don't seem to care about the bland state of the dorms on campus and are generally apathetic in trying to get around the rules of the college that regulate decoration of rooms to be rather boring.
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
I brag about the famous professors and alumni, the difficulty of getting in and staying in, our top-notch academics (especially international relations), and our impressive varsity sailing team.
We have a weird self-imposed inferiority complex. People are generally happy at Tufts but many are also overachievers second-guessing why they are not at an Ivy.
Describe your school to someone who's never heard of it.
I've had a lot of practice with this because there are a lot of people out there who haven't heard of Tufts! I usually describe it as a small to medium-sized liberal arts school just outside of Boston. I also mention that Tufts is unusual in its population: students are exceptionally engaged and active on-campus, whether it be through entrepreneurial endeavors, political campaigns, or just joining dozens of clubs. As cliche as it sounds, Tufts is a place where expressing your individuality is truly and openly embraced.
That being said, it's "quirky" reputation doesn't mean it's so different from every other college. Although I truly believe the student body is more engaged than they would be at another campus, our classes, sports, greek life, etc. are not a radical departure from your stereotypical university.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
43% of students attending Tufts University receive some sort of financial aid.
10% were awarded federal grants.21%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
