Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 21:43     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


What are these magical schools that parents in your circle prefer over these 4? In particular, I'm interested in private, mid-sized, non-LAC, non-Catholic, near a major city schools that are worth the cost and not impossible to get into?



This is exactly what we are looking for, but there aren’t many like it.
For us, UChicago, BU, and NYU come to mind, but none of them are easy to get into through RD.

Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 19:03     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


Your comment is exactly why I would consider Tufts. Avoid cheap, know-it-all families who don't understand what the college experience is supposed to be about. You probably also think SLACs are a waste of time. And would rather spend money on a car than on your child's education.


DP here. In my view, Tufts makes no sense if William and Mary is an (in-state) option at half the price. My DC ruled out many schools on that basis, leaving a few T10 universities plus a handful of SLACS (Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Carleton, Bowdoin).


PP: I agree on William & Mary, particularly in state, over Tufts. The poster I was replying to seemed to be implying they would go a lot further down the food chain in picking schools over Tufts, which I disagree with.
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 19:02     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


Your comment is exactly why I would consider Tufts. Avoid cheap, know-it-all families who don't understand what the college experience is supposed to be about. You probably also think SLACs are a waste of time. And would rather spend money on a car than on your child's education.


DP here. In my view, Tufts makes no sense if William and Mary is an (in-state) option at half the price. My DC ruled out many schools on that basis, leaving a few T10 universities plus a handful of SLACS (Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Carleton, Bowdoin).


I wish our state had an option like William and Mary, but it doesn’t. Reason why kids like my kid looked at places like Tufts, BC, Wake, etc.
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 18:40     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


Your comment is exactly why I would consider Tufts. Avoid cheap, know-it-all families who don't understand what the college experience is supposed to be about. You probably also think SLACs are a waste of time. And would rather spend money on a car than on your child's education.


DP here. In my view, Tufts makes no sense if William and Mary is an (in-state) option at half the price. My DC ruled out many schools on that basis, leaving a few T10 universities plus a handful of SLACS (Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Carleton, Bowdoin).
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 18:18     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


Your comment is exactly why I would consider Tufts. Avoid cheap, know-it-all families who don't understand what the college experience is supposed to be about. You probably also think SLACs are a waste of time. And would rather spend money on a car than on your child's education.
Anonymous
Post 12/23/2025 17:41     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Tufts is great. My nephew picked it over Penn and is very happy.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 19:39     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If your kid is very bright, 1500 SAT, near perfect grades, interesting collection of extra curriculars but not a national level superstar, doesn’t want a catholic college, wants a university that’s neither too big nor too small, strong across all disciplines, and in or near a major northeast city, there aren’t that many options. It’s the perfect school for a lot of kids.


This is a great description...it also has a (well-deserved) reputation of nice, collaborative students and (unlike many similarly highly-selective colleges), the clubs aren't cut throat.

A lot of parents are down on Tufts because they think they should be able to use it as a safety school for "ivy-worthy" kids...but it's simply not a safety for anyone. They do care about "fit" and will take a 1500 kid who really wants to go there over a 1600 kid who treats it like a safety.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 19:01     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.


What are these magical schools that parents in your circle prefer over these 4? In particular, I'm interested in private, mid-sized, non-LAC, non-Catholic, near a major city schools that are worth the cost and not impossible to get into?
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 18:09     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Most families in our circle would never apply to any of those 4. To pay $95-$100 k a year for schools well beyond the top25 is a bad investment. Tufts has faded over the last 25 years used to be highly regarded. BC and BU were formerly unspectacular local, commuter schools and NEU had a coop program. Lots of other choices especially for a full pay family.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 17:46     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Tufts>NEU, BC, BU.


Most kids can't earn admission to ANY of the four. Sour grapes.

Quibble away.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 17:35     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Is Tufts underrated in ranking?

"On U.S. News rankings for instance, Tufts is #36, supposedly on par with UIUC. But for an “elite” school with a \~ 10% acceptance rate, shouldn’t it be higher? I like Tufts but I’m trying to decide if it’s the right fit for me. I plan on majoring in mechanical engineering and have a high SAT score and GPA, well within range for even T5 schools. Although Tufts seems good, it’s not ranked very high in comparison to other schools within reach. I suppose the prestige aspect also comes into play since I’m a naive little high schooler and want to fuel my ego by getting into a highly ranked school.

I don’t mean to bash Tufts at all in this post, I really do like it; it seems like it should rank way higher, and I’m curious if this ranking is due to a flawed ranking method or simply just how it is? "


I have only read the above original post in this thread.

Tufts is not underrated in my view. Being ranked among the Top 50 National Universities is impressive.

I have read & heard a lot of reactions from prospective students. More dislike Tufts University than like it based on the campus,location,and vibe/campus culture.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2025 11:51     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:lol bc is way overrated nothing special. Tufts has always been significantly better than BC. UFlorida is ranked 30, BC 36 tied with UIllinois. At $95-$100k a year a private ranked in the top 30s is not worth it vs beautiful weather in Gainesville with NCAA hoops championship and SEC football.

We get you are not from New England and that you can recite US News rankings, but people from New England don’t care what you think.


Nor do we care for humidity and flat boring landscapes. Also, the majority of parents and smart kids wish to attend a college to learn and pursue a meaningful career or advanced degree - not to watch sports, drink and rush.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 12:38     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Tufts>NEU, BC, BU.


+1
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 10:17     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:Tufts>NEU, BC, BU.


Not anymore. People who are stuck in the ’90s might think that way.

These days, however, savvy students don’t rely on rankings when choosing among these schools, and none of them is a safety school.
Each school is quite different, but the students they attract are of a similar caliber.



Anonymous
Post 12/21/2025 00:20     Subject: Is Tufts underrated?
Anonymous wrote:If your kid is very bright, 1500 SAT, near perfect grades, interesting collection of extra curriculars but not a national level superstar, doesn’t want a catholic college, wants a university that’s neither too big nor too small, strong across all disciplines, and in or near a major northeast city, there aren’t that many options. It’s the perfect school for a lot of kids.


Ha you described my kid to a T! ED1 to Tufts and will be attending this fall.