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If you're applying to Tufts University, you should already have an answer to "Why Tufts?" But answering the "Why Tufts?" essay question as part of your application requires more than acknowledgement that it's a good school.

This guide to the "Why Tufts" essay prompts will guide you through the requirements, expectations, and strategies you need to write an exemplary essay.

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What's the Purpose of a "Why This School?" Essay?

To craft a good "Why Tufts?" essay, you need to understand the prompt. It's not about listing a school's qualifications or discussing how beautiful the campus is—a good essay will explain not just why the school is good, but why the school is good for you .

This essay is a common one at many schools. Colleges want to know what brings you to them specifically, including what interests you and how you'll contribute to the student body. Though the question of "why" may feel simple, it's a lot more complex than it appears at first glance .

First of all, the college admissions office wants to know what sets their school apart from others. In Tufts' case, that could be their history as a research university , which puts undergrads in closer contact with graduate students and encourages more communication between people in different fields of study. It could also be their emphasis on interdisciplinary studies , or a positive experience you had while touring the campus .

Use the question of "why" as a starting point . Don't stop at, "because I like that I can study engineering and English." Develop that idea further—What does that mean to you? Why does it matter?

The "Why This College?" essay also invites students to think about how they'll fit into the academic environment. Schools want to know that you're a good fit—it's to their benefit to recruit students who are passionate and committed to getting the most out of their college education.

If it wasn't, Tufts wouldn't have an acceptance rate of around 11 percent . They want students who will contribute to the learning environment and bring creativity, innovation, and curiosity to the classroom. Read and understand Tufts' mission statement before writing your essay so you're informed about what these traits mean, and how you can contribute to realizing their vision as a student .

But it's not just about whether you'll fit in—it's also important that Tufts is a good fit for you. That doesn't mean having your major or whatever clubs you might want to join, but also that your goals align with theirs. The interdisciplinary approach isn't right for every student, and others may prefer the more classic separation of undergrads and graduate students. Having a clear idea about your goals as well as theirs will help you excel, and Tufts will appreciate the clarity .

Your "Why Tufts?" essay isn't just good for the school, it's good for you, too. When you think deeply about why you want to attend a particular school, it makes you even more excited to attend, and that passion is precisely what schools want to see.

Thinking in-depth about your college choices also makes you learn more about schools and how they support your goals, which is instrumental for choosing the right school.

As you're thinking about your Tufts essay, you might learn things about the school that may not be a good fit, and it's better to learn that now than six months after you've moved onto campus. Though one or two missed checkboxes in your dream school criteria isn't necessarily a reason to pull your application, having realistic expectations for your college experience will set you up for a more positive time at the school of your choice.

What Is the "Why Tufts?" Essay Really Asking?

"Why Us?" essays may look as if they're asking a simple question—why do you want to attend this school—but there's more to it than that. These essays are also often asking one of two questions: "why us?" or "why you?"

In essence, these essays want you to describe why they're the right school for you, or why you're the right student for them . Paying attention to how the question is framed will give you a better sense of what kind of answer they're looking for, which will help you shape your essay.

Tufts actually has two versions of the "Why Us?" essay, depending on which department you're applying to. Each one asks a different version of the question, with one version emphasizing your role as a student in a community ("Why You?") and what appeals to you about the school ("Why Us?").

To figure out which one you'll be responding to, use Tufts' Majors and Minors page . This tool allows you to select which programs you're interested in and displays the school department beneath.

If You're Applying to the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, or 5-Year Tufts/NEC Combined Degree:

This prompt has a 100 to 150 word limit. The prompt asks:

Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short, "Why Tufts?" (100-150 words)

This prompt is a pretty standard "Why X School?" style of essay. Notice that the prompt is asking you to discuss certain aspects of your undergraduate experience. That means the prompt expects you to talk about one or two elements of attending Tufts in detail, not write a laundry list of the things you love about the school.

Put another way: this essay wants you to be specific about why you want to go to Tufts and prove to the admissions committee that it's the right school for you!

If You're Applying to the BFA or 5-Year BFA+BA/BS Combined Degree at the SMFA:

This prompt, also 100 to 150 words, applies to students who are on one of the above listed fine arts tracks. This prompt reads:

Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? Why SMFA at Tufts? (100-150 words)

This question still asks about your application, but pay attention to the focus—it's more interested in why you want to be part of the SMFA program in particular. In answering this question, stay away from blanket statements about the university as a whole, like the robust number of extracurricular programs or Tuft's other undergraduate degree offerings.

Your answer should discuss what draws you to this program, not the school in general. Look through their mission statement, the experiences of other applicants, and preferably visit the campus for a tour to help you better explain why this school draws you in over others .

Because you're applying to the SMFA, you need to know what that is and how it differs from the rest of Tufts University. Why this program specifically? What will the SMFA add to your experience that education at a different school would not?

How to Write your "Why Tufts?" Essay, Step by Step

With only 100 to 150 words to answer these prompts, you'll likely need to go through multiple essay drafts to get your response into prime shape. Not only do you have a low word count, but these are also complex topics. Though planning might feel like more work in the short term, it'll help you write a stronger essay from beginning to end .

Step 1: Brainstorming

Start by reading the question. Not just reading the words that are there, but really striving to understand the question beyond the prompt.

Spend some time writing down different potential angles, then sort through them to find the one that works best for you. Your essay should be clear and specific to Tufts— if you can substitute in the name of another school and have it make sense, your essay isn't specific enough .

During brainstorming, come up with as many ideas as you can. Set a timer for five to ten minutes, and think of lots of different answers to the prompt. Don't worry if they're kind of out there or undeveloped; you can always cut them or expand later !

The General Prompt

For the first prompt, consider how which aspects of going to Tufts make it the best school for you. To do this, it helps to reframe the question like this: "What can Tufts do for me that no other school can?" It's also worth thinking about how you can contribute to the school in ways that are...well, uniquely you!

Maybe you're interested in tackling issues related to climate change, and you want to be part of Tufts's research on water purification because you know clean water will become a scarce resource. Or maybe you want a career in museum curation and education, so Tufts's Museum Education combined degree is perfect for you.

The point is that you need to be specific and clear about how Tufts is the only school that can help you achieve your goals.

Along with researching programs and professors, it's also a good idea to cite specific moments from tours, if you've taken them. If you haven't taken a tour, you could refer to alumni who inspire you, courses you find on the website, or other features unique to Tufts. "Unique" is key—whatever you say, Tufts' curriculum, mission, or other specific features should support it .

For example, you could mention the school's emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Does it matter to you that your education at Tufts will be inclusive of other disciplines rather than focused entirely on your field? Why or why not?

The SMFA Prompt

For the prompt that's SMFA focused, consider the program and what makes you want to be part of it. Why an art degree? Why an art degree at Tufts? Why an art degree at Tufts in the SMFA program, specifically?

These might seem like redundant questions, but considering every angle of "Why SMFA?" will lead to a stronger essay . Look through the course catalog and see what it has to offer—courses like "Creative Futures: Business Essentials for Artists" are unique to this program, and it's worth understanding what they offer that other programs don't. Tying that into your essay along with why you want an art degree proves that you're serious about your discipline and understand what exactly Tufts will add to your education.

Also consider how the SMFA and Tufts University intersect. SMFA is a school within a school, and it's important to understand how it differs from the School of Arts and Sciences.

Again, cite moments from a tour if you can, or be specific about particular artists, artworks, or other features of Tufts that inspire you to attend there. The more you can tie your response specifically to Tufts rather than any other school, the better .

Step 2: Avoid Generalities

When writing, avoid being too general. Again, if you can substitute in the name of another school and have your essay still make sense, you need to make it more specific . The question is, "Why Tufts?" so be sure that you answer that as thoroughly as possible—and stay within your word count, of course.

Some students default to talking about sports or campus appearance to set the stage. Avoid that, if you can. Tufts already knows about their sports teams and how pretty the campus is, and if other people are doing it, you don't want to follow suit. Your essay should be uniquely you !

"Why Tufts?" may be the question, but avoid being too shallow. Think beyond academics and reputation; your essay should consider how Tufts will help you, and how you'll help Tufts .

Step 3: Write Efficiently

The essay is short, so you're really going to have to hone in on one particular feature or event . Be prepared to edit and revise multiple times—have people you trust look over it and give you feedback, and do your best to follow it.

Eliminate extra words; in the first sentence in the previous paragraph, I could easily change "you're really going to have to hone," into "you'll have to hone" and save myself three words. It's a small change, but three words means a lot when you only have 150!

Summarize any experience you want to draw on quickly so you have time to talk about why it matters. Be brief; you want to expand where it matters rather than spending a lot of time on scenic details ("The sun was rising as I first arrived in Medford, my hands trembling from nervousness and too much coffee on an empty stomach," is great detail, but if it's not telling the school "Why Tufts?" then it has to go!).

In short, every word should be pulling weight in your argument rather than taking up space .

"Why Tufts?" Essay Writing Checklist

As you progress through each draft, run through this checklist to be sure you're on target.

Are You Being Specific?

Can you rewrite the essay with the name of another college? If you can, be more specific.

Have You Mentioned Real-Life Experiences?

Tying your essay to a specific, real-life experience (such as a tour of the college) or a person (a representative of Tufts that you've spoken with, someone who's graduated, or similar) gives it more specificity. Concrete detail will make your essay feel more solid.

Have You Answered What Makes the School Special?

Think beyond academics, sports, or prestige. What makes Tufts the right school for you above all others? Why not Columbia , UC Berkeley , or the University of Minnesota ? You don't have to answer "why not?" in your essay, but you should know the answer when you're writing.

Have You Connected What Makes the School Special to Your Interests?

Readers should be able to draw a clear line from the answer to "Why Tufts?" to you as a student. Okay, so you met an adviser who not only got your love of botany, but who understood exactly how a love for grass-type Pokemon led you to pursue gardening and eventually botany. What does this mean to you, and how does it contribute to your desire to attend Tufts?

Have You Demonstrated an Understanding of School Culture?

Tufts is quite clear about their campus culture—intellectual curiosity, research, and interdisciplinary learning are all core parts of their mission. If you can demonstrate this in your essay, you'll be set to impress!

What Does a Great "Why Tufts?" Essay Look Like?

One of the best ways to understand what Tufts is looking for in responses to their "Why Tufts?" prompts is to see what people who have gotten in have written. Thankfully, Tufts makes this easy, putting several essays that worked online for you to read . Keep in mind that the prompts for these essays may have been phrased slightly differently, but at their heart, they're all "Why Tufts" essays...which means good essays in this category all share the same characteristics!

Here's an example of a successful "Why Tufts?" essay:

As a girl interested in computer science it's common when visiting university websites to utter "you go, girl" to the lone female faculty member smiling proudly amidst a male-dominated CS department. However, Tufts is a unique community that not only encourages minorities in STEM, but actively recruits female faculty like the spunky and inspirational activist/engineer/professor/entrepreneur Dr. Laney Strange, who I met at Girls Who Code. With my passions ranging from multimedia art to Latin American culture to CS, Tufts excites me since it's where diverse interests are celebrated and where I can have stimulating conversations with anyone I meet on campus.

Let's go through this essay using our checklist to understand exactly why it worked.

Notice how this essay uses specific faculty (and a specific experience with that faculty member) to discuss what appeals to the writer about Tufts. Substituting the name of another school in for Tufts wouldn't work, because this essay goes out of its way to be clear that this is something Tufts offers that other colleges don't.

Participating in Girls Who Code not only demonstrates the writer's interest in computer science, but also gives her a connection to the school beyond its reputation. That tie to Tufts gives her some additional insight into campus culture.

This writer frames her essay around empowering women in computer sciences, but, more importantly, how Tufts excels in a way that many schools do not.

As a female computer sciences student, prominent female faculty in the CS department is clearly important to the writer—something that comes through because of how neatly she ties her field to her specific experience and again to Tufts.

The writer not only cites female faculty in the CS department, but also the school's interdisciplinary education. She clearly has a familiarity with Tufts educational goals, making this essay an excellent example of not just, "Why Tufts?" but also "Why You?"

As you can see, this writer ticked all the checkboxes for a great "Why Tufts?" essay ...which is the goal!

Let's take a look at an SMFA-specific essay that worked. Another writer answered the "Why SMFA?" prompt like this:

As an artist, I believe that one's work should reflect the world beyond it. Thus, I'm most attracted to Tufts SMFA's combination of rigorous artistic study with a challenging liberal arts curriculum at the School of Arts and Sciences. I want to inform my art-making with in-depth exploration of sociology, justice, and international relations, creating works that comment on global issues--a prospect uniquely possible at Tufts SMFA. With numerous opportunities for combining art and community work on campus and in Boston, the SMFA program shows art isn't only meant for the classroom; it's meant for the world.

This student shows familiarity with the specifics of SMFA, the kind of works the organization produces and showcases, and also how the program is also part of the larger Massachusetts community. While many schools have great art programs, the specificity here ties it uniquely to Tufts.

The previous essay mentioned faculty the student had met with, which isn't always possible. This student may not have had the opportunity to tour campus or meet with representatives, but they still go out of their way to situation Tufts within a place—the wider area of Massachusetts. The more specific you can get, especially mentioning a community, as this writer did, the better.

The last line is particularly good, as it starts out quite specific and balloons out to a wider statement about art's place in the world. The mentions of SFMA's "rigorous artistic study" in conjunction with the "challenging liberal arts curriculum" show that the student has a good understanding of what this program entails, and how it will help them reach their goals.

This essay doesn't mention a particular field, but it does begin with a statement—"I believe that one's work should reflect the world beyond it"—and then goes on to demonstrate how that's true of Tufts. This short essay reads a bit like a condensed five-paragraph essay: thesis, supporting details, and conclusion that tie the whole theme together.

References to SFMA and the School of Arts and Sciences curricula show that the student knows the difference between the two and how they feed into one another. They've clearly done their homework, and it shows in a polished, well thought-out essay that got them into Tufts!

Once again, this writer hit all the important parts of the "Why Tufts?" essay, which ultimately showed admissions counselors that Tufts is the perfect school for them.

What's Next?

The "Why Tufts?" essay is just one of the essays you'll be writing for your application. It pays to understand them ahead of time, so check out this handy guide to the Tufts supplement !

If you need help writing essays for other colleges, this compilation of tips and tricks will help get your writing on track.

Tufts University uses the Common Application, so you'll also be writing essays in response to those prompts as well. This guide will help walk you through the Common Application prompts as well as best practices for answering them!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Why Tufts: Too Ridiculous?

<p>So I thought about everything generic that I could write about, and decided to do the opposite. But I am worried that it maybe too ridiculous, that my true point is lost or vague. So please, all comments will help!</p>

<p>I could say that Tufts is the choice for me because of its academic prestige and its extensive assortment of course offerings that encourages the complete understanding of the increasingly global world that we live in. But I’m applying to Tufts because I like bad art. There is something indescribable, unexpected, and wonderful about it, somehow invoking a smile in me – a feeling of happiness. The Museum of Bad Art is highly reflective of Tufts, the unassuming and cheerful school in an unexpected location. One that does not take itself too seriously, but yet excels at what it does. It’s all about the bad art.</p>

<p>There is no such thing as too ridiculous. I sent Tufts a letter that had a “Top 10 Random Facts About Me List” (with 11 facts), written in scented, glitter markers and decorated with Disney princess stickers. Also I said that the number 1 reason I wanted to go to Tufts was that we get to play with puppies during finals. They still accepted me. Seriously, I know this sounds clich</p>

<p>Also, but yet is redundant. Cutting down the word count!</p>

<p>For better or for worst, it seems like the tufts admissions dept likes silly/goofy things. If you can say something important/profound then go for it.</p>

I don’t know if I’d say that. The preference that I most acutely see is towards students who write and talk about the intellectual facets of their life, and who do so in an honest way. Goofiness that isn’t cut with an intellectual current isn’t going to go far. </p>

<p>As a group, I think we (the admissions officers) can often be silly/goofy, like the day we wore fake mustaches in committee, but we’re serious about building a class of thinkers. </p>

<p>If you see a willingness for us to expose that goofiness to you, and to be excited about people geeking out about Glee or Sherlock Holmes or whatever, it’s because we know that you (the applicants) don’t always feel comfortable doing that. No joke, on the Facebook page there are a couple of students lamenting how their teachers told them they shouldn’t use contractions in their admissions essays because it’s “unprofessional.” And I know that’s not uncommon advice - I was stunned at the complete BS that my own cousin was hearing from her English teacher about her college essays. </p>

<p>We expect you to be 17, or 18, or whatever age you are. We expect that you’ll occasionally express naivety, or silliness, or an unexpected obsession with Kate Beaton (that last one is mine, I’ll admit). But we also expect you to be smart . I, for one, do not believe those qualities are mutually exclusive, and often I find that the best examples of a candidates smartness comes when they are paying the least attention to how they are “supposed” to sound.</p>

<p>Edit: Eek. That was a longer response that I’d have guessed I’d write. Hope it helps.</p>

<p>My son wrote that he liked Tufts because of the chalk (advertising events on sidewalks). But he did show a more serious side elsewhere! </p>

<p>I wouldn’t write what you’ve written to be goofy, but the reasons you’ve given here sound fine (and similar to what my son felt all that chalk meant).</p>

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2 Terrific Tufts University Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example 1, essay example 2.

• Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay  

Tufts is a highly-selective college located right outside of Boston. With small class sizes and an abundance of eager applicants, it’s important that your application stands out with strong essays. In this post, we’ll share real essays students have submitted to Tufts, and share what they did well and how they could be made even better (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Tufts essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: It’s cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity? (200-250 words)

Overachiever

With your big handwriting”

I’d just texted a friend about how much I was enjoying the 27-problem, AP Calculus worksheet our teacher had assigned for homework that night. I wasn’t quite sure how to reply; I knew she was joking, but she wasn’t entirely wrong. I asked Mr. Gearhart for extra problems regularly. But what’s more, I enjoyed applying my knowledge to concepts I was passionate about. I’d use my knowledge of geometric series to learn about the money multiplier in economics. I’d use my knowledge of logarithms to learn about the twelve-tone equal temperament tuning system in western music. And yes, I’d do so with giant handwriting.

It wasn’t just that I wanted to apply the mathematical concepts; I wanted to see new perspectives. To apply math to music, I had to understand how the two interacted— look at math through music-based lenses. Every time I’d grasp another application, I’d gain another set. And by the end of a month or so, I’d have filled a drawer of lenses, categorized by subject. One could call me a lens collector. But I call myself curious, always wanting to gain new viewpoints. Why? They allow me to take more pictures, wear a myriad of glasses, see a fresh outlook on the world. Every latest perspective is like coming back to a puzzle after taking a break— so many new insights to act upon. So that’s what I replied:

“I just find them as fun little puzzles haha”

What the Essay Did Well

One of the reasons this essay is so powerful is because it takes a single moment in time and expands on the thoughts and feelings behind that experience. The entire essay is sandwiched between two text messages, but because it is so focused, it allows the student to delve into how she is perceived as an overachiever and what it means to her.

This student does an excellent job of showing the reader how they go above and beyond and what they get out of it. They don’t just say they like to do extra practice to see how math affects the real world (a basic answer). Instead, they specifically connect geometric series to economic concepts and logarithms to music. By doing this, the reader sees the different academic interests this student has and how they take an interdisciplinary approach to learning.

They also go a step further than just explaining what excites their intellectual curiosity by explaining why it excites them. There is even more great use of imagery when the student compares the interdisciplinary study of math and music to a new lens to view the world through. By referring to themselves as a “lens collector”, it paints a clear picture that this is a student who is always learning new things and eager to gain new perspectives. Tufts is looking to admit “lens collectors”, so showcasing how your curiosity impacts your outlook on the world is an excellent way to take this prompt above and beyond.

What Could Be Improved

Although this is a well-written essay with a great story, the one area for improvement would be the inclusion of the text messages. While it sets up a good context for the response, when the first thing the reader sees are three disjointed lines, it makes the hook less effective. It does create some mystery and suspense, but it makes the reader take a step back and try and process what is happening. The person reading an essay should be enthralled from the beginning and shouldn’t have to try and figure out what the author is referring to.

This hook would be stronger and less disjointed if it only had one text from the student’s friend saying they were an overachiever. The fact about the big handwriting is personable, but ultimately unnecessary. The student could jump into why they are seen as an overachiever and why they actually enjoy doing extra work sooner if the opening line looked like this:

“ My phone buzzed and one big word flashed across the screen: Overachiever.”

Lunch is served. Falafel, salad, humus, pita, tzatziki sauce and mint lemonade. The common denominator: made by me. My family gathers around quietly filling their plates with my creations. They sit and the conversation begins to flow. My sister shares that King Louis XIV only showered twice in his life. My physics-obsessed grandpa urges us to read Thinking, Fast and Slow. My grandma pitches a business proposition for me to open a restaurant. My mom looks disgusted when my sister shares the not-so-fun fact. My dad joins my grandpa and demands my sister and me to read the dense book. The food is almost gone but the conversation still lingers. Maybe there is something magical in the little balls of chick-peas that prompt my family to speak of everything that crosses their mind. I don’t chat much but I enjoy listening and smiling to the continuous exchange of information. This is what excites my desire for knowledge, each member of my family knows something different and they bring it to the table. Each member fills a particular gap in my world of knowledge just like my dishes fill their bellies with the five essential nutrients. And when the conversation comes to a lul: Dessert is served.

The use of imagery and tangible descriptions really makes this essay stand out. Right away, any hungry reader’s mouth is watering at the description of a delicious meal, and we learn that this talented student made it all. But then we really feel like we are sitting at the table and listening to their family’s conversation. It’s all in the details for this essay. If it just said, “My sister mentioned a fun fact she learned in history class, while both my grandpa and dad suggested a book to read,” we wouldn’t feel like we were transported to this family’s meal, which wouldn’t make us engage with the story as much.

This student also employs some creativity to connect her family’s stories to her interest in cooking. It’s never said that cooking excites their intellectual curiosity, but it is implied since that’s what this student brings to the table. We don’t need to be explicitly told that food excites them because the way they write about cooking for their family, and the effects it has on them, is enough to understand their passion for this topic.

One thing that could improve this essay is changing the order of the family members’ conversations to make the story flow smoother. For example, since the mom’s contribution to the meal is directly related to the sister’s, her reaction should have directly followed the sister’s comment on Louis XIV. Likewise, the dad agrees with the grandpa on the book, so those should have been bundled together. 

Improving the structure and flow of the essay would make it a faster read and reduce any confusion. Admissions officers race through essays, and the last thing you want is for them to have to pause and go back to understand what is happening. By the time we hear the student’s mom was disgusted at the sister’s story or the dad likes the book, we’ve heard other family members’ stories and might not remember what they are referring to. Simple changes like this can make big differences to the quality of an essay.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay 

Want feedback like this on your Tufts University essay before you submit? We offer expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with an expert to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers.

Haven’t started writing your essay yet? Advisors on CollegeVine also offer expert college counseling packages . You can purchase a package to get one-on-one guidance on any aspect of the college application process, including brainstorming and writing essays.

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Dispelling Myths

Admissions officers answer lots of questions.  It’s part of the job description.  And many students ask us similar versions of the same questions. The blogosphere is filled with viral rumors about college admissions, about what “counts” and what doesn’t and why. These ideas fester in high school cafeterias and cyber spots like “College Confidential” and Facebook, among others, so we want to use this corner of the Internet to clear the air. In random order, here are some of the myths we hear every day:

Let's tackle the myths:

It's better to get a lower grade in a harder course than it is to get a higher grade in an easier course, if my test scores are below a certain number, i won't get in, anything that's "optional" on a college application is actually secretly "required", it looks bad if i take the sat (or the act) too many times, i have a better chance of getting in if i go meet my admissions officer, send them emails, and get an interview with them, i need to be the president of every club i'm in to be competitive in my college application, it's easier to get in early decision, i won't get in if i didn't do community service, sending 8 letters of recommendation and an additional essay will give me a better chance of getting in, if 30 people apply from my high school to one college, it's harder for me to get into that school, if i get into college early decision, i don't have to worry about working the rest of the year, admissions officers check up on your facebook accounts, if i send in all of my test scores, admissions officers will hold the lower ones against me, if a coach calls me, it means i'm being recruited, if anything arrives after the deadline my application will be denied (or looked at more harshly).

Well, yes and no. Part of our academic assessment of your application is a consideration of curricular rigor. We determine the availability of advanced coursework at your school (AP, IB, honors, etc.) and evaluate your transcript on a scale from “most demanding available” to “below average.” Your GPA is evaluated in that context, so yes, sometimes the "lower grade in the harder course" is "better" than the "higher grade in an easier course." But that doesn't mean that a transcript full of Cs in AP classes is better than straight As in classes a step down. Know yourself and put together a schedule that will challenge and engage you but not cause you to flounder academically.

Nope. We use no score cutoffs when we read applications. Academic strength can be measured in lots of ways, and testing is an imperfect metric for determining the preparedness of every student for college. That's why we combine all the work you've done in the classroom by looking at your grades and the rigor of your curriculum alongside your testing (if you choose to submit scores) to determine your overall academic strength. So while we do use test scores as one predictor of academic success at Tufts (for students who choose to submit them), we think about those scores in context and in conjunction with so many other factors. We simply cannot have a test score "cutoff." The only exception is with English proficiency tests, for which we do have recommended minimum scores. You can read about that here .

The “optional” sections of an application are  not  covert opportunities to trip you up. Seriously. If an essay or a standardized test or an interview is labeled “optional,” there is truth to that blessed adjective. The college has given you a choice. Use it or dispose of it as you see fit. Don’t over-analyze it. It’s not a trick question, and you won’t be “penalized” if you skip it. That’s why it’s “optional.” If it says something is “recommended,” well, that’s a different conversation…

Tufts University is extending its current test-optional policy to include students applying for admission in the fall of 2024, 2025, and 2026, giving applicants a choice about whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered with their application.

We do not penalize students who take the same test multiple times. For your own sanity, however, you should retake your SAT or ACT purposefully. Taking the same test five times is a strain on you and your family - both financially and, let's face it, when it comes to everyone's happiness. And the reward is often at that point not worth the sacrifice. If you feel that taking a certain test a second or third time will improve your score to one with which you'll feel happy, that is an excellent reason to take the test again. Otherwise, let yourself be done.

While we welcome your questions and you should feel free to reach out to us with specific concerns, this type of contact with us is not going to “help” your application. We don’t offer interviews with our admissions staff as part of our process, and you don’t need to meet with the admissions officer who reads for your territory on your campus visit – in fact, you shouldn’t. The individual presenting at your information session is happy to answer questions and has the same knowledge and expertise as the person who will eventually read your file.

The lesson here is don’t send emails or request meetings just for the sake of it. There are better ways to show us “demonstrated interest.” If you can visit campus, meet us if we visit your high school or come say hello at a college fair, we will appreciate the fact that you are making the effort to get to know Tufts and assess whether it is a good fit for you. If you write fabulous, specific responses to our Tufts short-answer questions (particularly “Why Tufts?”) based on research you did online, we notice, and it helps. So when thinking about showing demonstrated interest, please be purposeful.

Picture this: 12 people who were president of the mock trial team in high school join mock trial at Tufts. What happens? Most likely you have a room full of people yelling at each other. The success of any club depends on leaders but also listeners, decision-makers but also peacekeepers, doers but also thinkers... you get the idea.

Of course, extracurricular engagement is one of the areas we consider when evaluating applications, and leadership roles demonstrate outstanding commitment to an activity. But so do things like consistent and extended involvement and personal contributions. Use the space you're given in the Activities section to explain your official or unofficial role on the team was so we can begin to picture your role in your extracurriculars in college.

Not true. The students we accept in Early Decision are of the same high quality as the students we accept in Regular Decision - on average they have the same grades, scores, extracurricular commitments and vibrant qualities that make our applicants qualified. You should never apply to a school Early Decision for strategic purposes - Early Decision is an opportunity to apply if you know that you would choose Tufts over any other school on your list.

Community service is a great thing, and it's something that really matters to Tufts (we do have an entire college of Civic Life for a reason). But, there is no requirement for acceptance that says you have to do community service to get accepted, and plenty of the students we accept haven't done any. We generally prefer that the activities you do are things that are meaningful to you. And that goes for everything, not just community service! So you should try community service (and athletics, and music, and anything that you think you might love) - if you really like it and end up doing a lot, great! If not, spend that time doing something else productive (sorry, watching Friends re-runs on Netflix doesn't count as productive). Start a band, join mock trial, play a sport, or write short stories - whatever makes you happy. Your application will be much stronger if you follow your passions rather than spending your time checking off boxes for admissions officers.

This is one of those scenarios in which "less is more" is generally true. We require each item in our application for a reason, and an application with too many "extras" can actually dilute your message and take attention away from the salient points we asked for. It is actually  more helpful to send us two recommendations from teachers telling us distinctly different things about you than it is to send us six recommendations from teachers saying the same wonderful things about you. 

We read files by school so that we can better understand your success in the context of your environment. For that reason, we do evaluate your application in the context of the other students in your class. This helps us put your performance into perspective, especially as it pertains to the rigor of your curriculum. But there is no quota from each school. If 10 students apply from your high school and all 10 students impress us, it’s possible that everyone could be accepted. The best advice we can give is don’t worry about who else is applying from your school. Give us your best effort.

All of the students we admit in Early Decision (and in Regular Decision) are notified in their acceptance letter that we expect them to “maintain the level of academic and personal excellence that distinguished them as an applicant.” In other words, if you slack off later in your senior year, we notice, and it could jeopardize your acceptance.

No, we don’t. Seriously (and that goes for Instagram, Twitter, etc.) If this type of inspection would be useful to our decision-making, we would ask you to send us a link to your Facebook page so we could evaluate its content. But there are enough things in your application for us to evaluate and, frankly, there are some things we should not see. Facebook is one of them. (That’s why it’s called “creeping,” isn’t it?) Having said that, Facebook  is  a public space and a reflective pause before you post is always prudent, especially if it’s on a college’s admissions page.

Everybody wins when we use your highest test scores. No matter which tests you are submitting to Tufts, we will take the highest scores on each section of that test to evaluate. End of story.

Getting a call from a coach doesn't mean you're getting recruited. It means the coach called you, and may be interested in recruiting you at some point. Once a coach has told you that you have their support, this is not a guarantee of admission. It means that the coach's support will be considered by the admissions office as part of the holistic review of your application (alongside your academic strength, extracurricular achievement, and personal qualities). The coach's support certainly makes an impact, but we'll still be looking for students who are strong academic and personal fits for Tufts, even when evaluating recruited athletes.

Your part of the application— the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application —must be received by the deadline. But, your Secondary School Report, teacher recommendations, alumni interview, and standardized testing can—and often do—arrive after that date. We understand that different high schools are on different schedules, test scores often take a long time to process and send, and teachers are writing many recommendations and often need some additional time to get those in - and that's OK. For more information on material deadlines, refer to this page.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, tufts essays that worked: what made them successful.

Hi all! I'm applying to Tufts and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what qualities successful essays to this university had. What were the standout factors that made these essays unique and appealing to the admissions officers? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hey there! It's great to hear you're applying to Tufts. I can share some insights on what makes a successful essay for their application. Firstly, you want to make sure your essay has a strong personal voice that reflects who you are as an individual. Don't be afraid to let your personality show.

Then, successful Tufts essays tend to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and engagement with the world around you. If you can showcase how you're intrigued by a particular subject and how you strive for deeper understanding, that will be highly valued by Tufts' admissions officers. It's important to be detailed and use storytelling techniques like anecdotes to convey your passion for learning and the opportunities at Tufts.

Lastly, make sure you're answering the specific essay prompts in a tailored way. For instance, if you're asked about an aspect of your identity, really dig deep into your personal experiences and demonstrate how it influences your life and worldviews. Personal reflection will go a long way and reveal more about yourself than just describing surface-level character traits.

Remember, there's no fool-proof formula for a successful essay, but these general tips can guide you to create a strong, unique, and engaging application essay for Tufts. Good luck with your application, and I hope this helps!

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College Essay Examples: 7 Essays From Students Who Got Into Top Schools

7 College Essays That Worked

What makes a great college essay? It's more art than science, but these essay examples can give you a sense of what makes a good essay.

Starting your college admissions essay can feel like a monumental task, and staring at a blank screen may only make things worse. To help inspire you, College Confidential is relaunching a series in which we share personal essays from students who were admitted to college during a prior admissions cycle. Read on to see real essays that got students into top schools, including: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Stanford, NYU, Northeastern, University of Virginia, and Tufts.

UNC Chapel Hill Admissions Essay Example

The student that wrote this essay was admitted to University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. College Confidential is sharing this essay with his permission

Picture this: A small, 13-year-old boy soaked in sweat, throwing his body onto a handrail in the blistering heat. Whereas the initial thought of this seems jarring, the reality was that everyone nearby continued to go about their business, not really noticing the kid.

That boy was me — on one of the most memorable days I had ever experienced.

As a beginner to the skateboarding world, I was trying repeatedly to master a trick that would allow me to take my board down a handrail and onto a ramp. Each time I attempted the trick, I landed on the hot concrete with a thud. However, the sound of my body hitting the pavement didn't rattle those around me — they'd probably tried the same trick themselves and had definitely seen newcomers like me working diligently to master it.

When I decided to take a break, I watched from the sidelines as the more experienced skaters made their way effortlessly across the ramps, performing kickflips and ollies with the ease of someone who was simply walking. But another dichotomy also struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, my brand-new skateboard and shiny new helmet were practically gleaming in the light of the sun.

When I had decided to try skateboarding earlier that month, I'd dipped into my allowance savings and picked up the equipment I needed. However, the most experienced skaters at the park were skating on the shabbiest boards that looked like they might splinter at any moment.

As I was making this observation, one of the gods of the skate park glided toward me. Everyone knew Steve — he was sponsored by a skate company and knew every possible trick. "Nice work," he said. I looked around to confirm he was talking to me. I couldn't believe he had noticed my attempts at working the handrail.

"I'm trying," I said, slightly embarrassed that he had seen me falling to the ground repeatedly. "Do you have any tips?"

He shook his head. For a minute I was feeling dejected, as if he didn't want to help me. "You're doing it the only way there is, man," he told me. "Just keep trying."

He patted me on the back and grabbed his worn-down board, hopping on it to drop back into the skate bowl. I looked back at my brand-new board. Ever since I was a child, I had always thought that skateboarders were some of the coolest people out there, and Steve's encouragement only solidified that belief.

It became clear to me that this was one sport where it didn't matter if you could afford coaches or fancy equipment — there was no way to get a leg up in skating without putting in the work. Skateboarding is the great equalizer — if you practice, you'll succeed — that's all there is to it. Even if I came from more of a place of privilege than some of the other skaters, the reality was that I was privileged just to be part of this community.

My experiences in the skating world have now spanned more than four years, and I have spent upwards of 12 hours at a time at that skate park. I've learned all the tricks I set out to master, but more importantly, I have developed a diverse and extensive group of friends. We may be from different backgrounds and neighborhoods, but what unites us is that we are all working toward the same goals, and we've forged deep connections along the way.

I have taken the lessons from the sense of community in the skating world into my other pursuits as well. Where there may be a group of very different people in any gathering, there will always be a thread that unites us, and I will consistently be looking for that connection.

Stanford Admissions Essay Example

The student that wrote this essay was admitted to Stanford University . College Confidential is sharing this essay with her permission.

When my parents met, my mom was a 16-year-old, straight-A student from Indiana and my father was a 26-year-old convenience store employee. "Don't date him," they told her. "He's too old for you, and it will be nothing but trouble." My mom didn't listen. But those people were right. He was nothing but trouble. He isolated my mother from her family and convinced her that things would be better if she moved in with him. Before long, she was pregnant with me. "Don't have the baby," they told her. "He'll just leave and you'll be raising the baby on your own." My mom didn't listen.

But those people were right. My father left shortly after I was born, and she was alone with me at 17 years old. "Don't drop out of school to raise the baby," they told her. "It will be too hard and you won't be able to make to make it work without an education." My mom didn't listen.

But those people were right. By the time I was in middle school, my mother was selling drugs to pay the bills, and she used them as well. She thought I didn't know, but she wasn't very good at hiding it. "The daughter is going to end up just like the mother," they said. "Her father's gone and her mom's a drug dealer, she'll never amount to anything."

But those people were wrong.

I may not have had parents to guide me, but I had books that showed me a better way. I could see myself in the characters and experience the same range of emotions that I read on each page. I learned about things that were possible with hard work, and envisioned worlds that existed only in fantasy. But in every book, I got inspiration.

Whereas some people saw tragedy when they read about Anne Shirley being sent to Green Gables, I saw a young woman who put in the work to achieve her goals and disprove everyone who made assumptions about her. And when I read about Mary Lennox's quest to find the Secret Garden, I didn't see a spoiled rich girl. Instead, I saw a young woman who used imagination and inspiration to create her own happy endings.

Reading was the one thing I could do without having to ask for money, or a ride to the bookstore. I could check out an eBook from my library and download it right to my phone as I sat on my front porch. I was able to tune out everything else going on in my life and focus on what was possible. And it wasn't just the characters who inspired me, but the writers as well. I decided that if these strangers could create stories that captivated and motivated readers, then I could do it too.

Instead of reading every day, I started writing. Paragraphs became pages, which became chapters. By the time summer arrived, I had written an entire book with 36 chapters and an array of adventures. I hope to share the book with young adults in the future so they can be as inspired by my words as I have been by the writing of others.

But my book isn't ready for its debut yet. It sits in a file on my computer, waiting for the right time to bring it to light. What's important is that it's there, telling the story of a young girl who overcame her challenges and went on to life of strength. Her family's situation didn't pre-define her, and the opinions of others didn't shape who she became.

It's a story that I'm proud to have written, and I'm not worried about whether anyone ever reads it. What matters is that it's possible for a girl like me to create my own ending.

NYU Admissions Essay Example

The student who wrote this as his essay was accepted to New York University , and we are sharing it with his permission.

"It's a mammoth tusk," my friend said.

I held up the item that I'd just dug out of the ground and examined it against the light. It was only a few inches long, beige in color, and hard as a rock. "Mammoth tusks would be huge," I told him, stuffing it into my pocket to examine later.

When I got home that day, I set the item on a shelf in my room where I stored all of my artifacts. Even then, in second grade, I had at least 25 different things in my collection. Some of them were simple to identify: A marble, a plastic comb, some fake coins from Chuck E. Cheese. But all of them were mine – dug from the ground in the woods around my neighborhood and cleaned off by me for later inspection.

My tools weren't fancy. I had a small metal garden shovel that my parents no longer needed, an old paintbrush, and a metal tool that I assumed was a stainless steel chopstick (found previously in the dirt at a playground). My method was pretty simple: Use the shovel to dig a hole, and if it hit anything, I'd use the chopstick to pry it out. After that, I'd dust it off with the paintbrush and take it home.

My best finds were the things I couldn't identify. Did I dig up a piece of an old parachute? Or was it just someone's sock that fell out of a backpack during a hike? Is someone looking for this item, or was it purposely discarded? I would go over these unidentifiable objects repeatedly, touching and polishing them to try and get their history to flow into my body. Sometimes I'd have a dream where I definitively diagnosed my items. I'd wake up and say "Oh that's right, the rusted metal I found on Tuesday wasn't an old beer can – it was discarded war ammunition." Then I'd realize that this insight came from my dream, not from real life, and I'd be back to square one.

My hobby continued for years, and eventually my grandparents bought me a metal detector. I took it out on a dig in sixth grade, eager to bring up a tub filled with gold and silver coins, but the only things I detected with it were a belt buckle and an old crucifix pendant, which my brother assured me was cursed, so I put it back where I'd found it.

Even though those were decent finds, I felt like the metal detector was taking part of the fun out of my digs. After a few weeks, I put it in the garage and grabbed my previous tool bag. Armed with my shovel and other materials, I could once again dig holes throughout the woods, with or without my friends, and make discoveries.

My collection of archeological items is smaller now. When we moved, I had to part with a few things, but I was sure to keep the ones I couldn't identify. Into the trash went the marbles and belt buckles. Onto the shelf in my new house went the tusk, the parachute, the ammunition and other items that had been ambiguously ID'd by me.

Last year, while cutting through the woods to my friend's house, I lost a soapstone keychain. I looked for days, but never located it. Sometimes I wonder if a second grader out digging may have found it.

"Is it a tusk?" he asked his friend.

Then, in my dream, he proudly put it on a shelf to fuel his own sense of wonder, never knowing who left it there or why, only to create his own stories about it.

Northeastern University College Essay Example

The student who wrote this was accepted to Northeastern University , and we are sharing it with the student's permission.

Successfully creating this source of warmth and light has eluded even the most skilled survivalists from time to time, due to the delicate balance of fuel, oxygen and ignition required.

Despite the knowledge that creating a fire was a well-known challenge, it was my job to generate one out of the materials I could find on my grandfather's farm, and I only had one night to make it happen.

"You're gonna do what the cavemen couldn't," my father told me. I didn't point out that he was actually incorrect. Cavemen had successfully built fires, I'd learned in school — but if I shared that information, it would only make me look worse if I was unable to create one on my own.

Some kids learn how to make a fire in Boy Scouts or on Outward Bound excursions, but that wasn't going to be my experience. "We aren't joiners," my dad liked to tell people. "We do things on our own."

That meant learning to swim in nearby lakes and rivers. While other kids participated on swim teams, I would be at the edge of an algae-ridden pond, clinging to a tree root as water snakes slipped past my feet. It also meant I'd spent my afternoons building a horse pen with my brothers while my classmates made shoe racks in the after-school woodworking club. Whereas the "joiners" came home with a sanded, stained and varnished Father's Day gift to proudly offer their dads, I worked with my father on unexpected first aid concepts as I came into contact with thorns, stray staples and rusty nails during my building project.

After telling me that my new task was to create a fire and ensure that it burned all night long, my dad disappeared back into the house. The only tool I had was the knowledge I'd gained from watching my parents and grandparents make fires for the prior 15 years of my life.

I gathered leaves, sticks, dried grass and logs from around the property and took them to a rock-encircled area where we'd made many fires before. I set up my tepee of materials over the black stain that showed me where our previous fires had burned. I organized my tinder, kindling, logs and leaves in a perfect formation.

I walked into the woods to seek material that might work as a fireboard when I saw something unexpected. A small stream of smoke was rising from a part of the woods we'd always described as "no man's land." It was where local teenagers would gather, and from the looks of the trash they often left behind, to drink beer and smoke. They'd obviously done exactly that this very night, around a fire, which they'd since abandoned.

The fire was clearly winding down to the "nearly just embers" stage. I sat down and threw some leaves on it, and then blew on it to ensure that the new flames would grow. After that, I put a branch with dead leaves into it. Once it lit up, I took that flaming torch and walked back to the logs I'd set up around our family fire pit.

Back on my family's property, I held the torch against my tinder and watched it ignite, blowing on it and rearranging my setup to ensure that my fire would take hold. As the flames traveled from the dry grass to the leaves to the kindling to the logs, I leaned back to watch it.

I kept that fire burning all night long, and the next morning, when my dad asked how things went, I told him the truth, although I knew there might be a chance I'd have to start over again.

He stared at me for a few seconds and then smiled before he spoke.

"We may not be joiners, but we're not idiots either."

UVA Admissions Essay Example

The student who wrote this as her essay was accepted to the University of Virginia , and we are sharing it with her permission.

I once made the mistake of sitting down during ballet class. My thighs were quivering from the petit allegro combination, my forehead stung from the unyielding pull of my excessively hair-sprayed ballet bun, and the raw skin on my toes was peeking out all bloody and tender from being shoved in wood pointe shoes for the past two hours. My ten-year-old body throbbed off-beat to the pianist's Prokofiev. I slid my sweaty back down the wall of my ballet classroom, and sat. Big mistake. Although my attempt for physical reprieve was evanescent, my Hungarian teacher experienced an ardent, even possessing, rage because of it. This fairy-like woman transformed into a red-faced banshee who lectured me vehemently about the disrespectfulness of my action. Sentenced to the corner, I was instructed to reflect on "what I had just done."

Sitting down during ballet class may seem trivial to most people, pretty much all people actually, but ballet enjoys a historic strictness that includes classroom etiquette. The austerity of the art is not limited to a ten-year-old-sitting policy: Ballet is rules -- complex, detailed, and painstaking rules. Laymen may not believe there is a right way for me to position my pinkie during a pirouette, but I assure them there is. Weirdly, the stringent intricacy of ballet is what made me fall in love with dance. The structured consistency provided me with comfort during times when everything was changing. When I moved from London to Ohio, I was faced with myriad cultural differences that were unsurprisingly unsettling. Ballet, however, was not one of them. A plié was still a plié. The consistency of dance was a soothing reminder of home in a foreign place.

Ballet continued to play an anchoring role in my life, but by seventeen it was less solace inducing and had taken on the more literal properties of an anchor. Training pre-professionally was all-encompassing. The time commitment alone was immense, topping twenty hours weekly, but beyond that I dedicated my physical, emotional, and mental self to ballet because the art demanded I do so. Ballet was in charge; I performed as it instructed: think color-by-number painting. This rigidity that once brought me peace grew dull and monotonous, even suffocating. Eventually, dance lost its color. As time went on, ballet increasingly conflicted with the independent and open-minded woman I was becoming. It exacerbated a paradox in my life: what was pushing me the hardest was also holding me back. High school to me meant student government, team sports, and art club. Ballet disagreed; it became jealous and possessive. I resented its control, and I fell out of love with the art. It was time for us to break up.

Ballet's departure from my daily life left a void, but simultaneously freedom. I finally had time to try the extracurricular activities that characterize the high school experience. Participating in cheer and French club, as well as my other endeavors, allowed me to diversify my high school experience in a way pre-professional ballet never would have allowed.

However, the funny thing about my relationship with dance is that it is entirely cyclical. I left my ballet program to immerse myself in my high school community, but in the process of doing so I came right back to it. I started AHS Moves, a drop-in beginner-oriented dance club for any and everyone at my school. What I could not have predicted was the way in which taking ownership of this group would heal my relationship with dance. Directing and choreographing for kids who do not have formal training, and quite frankly do not care, has enabled me to enjoy dance without the pressure of a pre-professional ballet environment. I have realized that my issue with dance was not actually that I did not love it, but that I wanted to do it on my own terms. And now I can.

Tufts Essay That Worked

The student who wrote this as his essay was accepted to Tufts University , and we are sharing it with his permission.

"Do you only own one shirt? Or do you have a whole closet full of the same one?"

Over the last 11 years, I have fielded this question hundreds of times. Although it's now common knowledge that Apple founder Steve Jobs wore the same outfit every day of his professional life, I certainly wasn't aware of that when I created my "uniform" back in first grade. That was when my mom took me back-to-school shopping and I picked out just one white T-shirt and one pair of blue jeans. When she asked what else I wanted, I said that was going to be my outfit for the year.

We picked up two weeks' worth of the same shirt and pants, and that's what I wore every day, the whole year. When second grade rolled around, I changed up the shirt to make it a blue polo, but kept the blue jeans. I even slept in my uniform. Other kids may have thought it was weird, but other than asking questions, they never said anything negative about it.

Some school years, I was still so enamored with the previous year's outfit that I kept it a second year. Old class photos indicate that my black T-shirt/ light blue jeans combo endured for both fourth and fifth grades, but I shifted to a gray henley before moving to middle school. That helped me segue into the green henley I adopted in tenth and eleventh grades. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt in the heat of the summer may have seemed odd to some people. But I would even wear it to the beach without a second thought.

I have to assume my parents and teachers figured I'd outgrow this habit eventually. In pretty much every other way, I was a normal kid. But each August when the school clothes purchases were made, I went for just one look. One year, the school yearbook staff interviewed me about my fashion choice. Was it a comfort to have the same outfit all the time — almost like a pacifier or blanket?

No, I told them. It just made my life easier and gave me fewer things to worry about. I never had to decide what to wear — I always knew what the choice would be. But I also think it has something to do with my strong interest in art. As an artist, I like to express myself using the minimum number of tools. When I am trying to perfect an animation, I can tweak a character's eyebrow ever so slightly to convey sadness or elation. If I'm sketching an animal, the curve of its mouth can make the difference between it being relaxed or ready to pounce.

It's the same thing with me. The outfit is the one constant, so I can observe others while blending into the background. But if I want to stand out on a particular day, I have to consciously emote more with my expressions, my words and my movements. I can't rely on a snappy new pair of shoes to show people I'm ready to dance, since I wear the same maroon Vans on a daily basis.

As I write this essay, I'm already considering options for senior year of high school. Do I come into twelfth grade with a bang, sporting a silver jacket each day or an off-the-beaten-path pair of overalls? Should I really shock everyone and just buy a variety of clothes? As a student at an arts high school, I could probably wear a Batman costume every day with no issues.

Maybe that uncertainty every August is part of the joy of my uniform — I even surprise myself with each year's choices. Whatever prompted this decision over a decade ago is now something I embrace. I like that no matter what path I take in life, I won't have to decide which outfits to pack.

University of Michigan Essay Example

The student who wrote this essay was accepted to the University of Michigan , and we are sharing it with her permission.

"What's a seven-letter word to describe a specialist in equine hoof care?"

After I typed "farrier" into the answer key, I sat back and surveyed my work. As the final clue in the custom crossword puzzle that I created for my state's equestrian association, it took a bit of coordination to get everything right, but I was able to create enough clues to make a puzzle of intermediate complexity, just as the client had requested.

Having a job creating custom crossword puzzles is one part trivia and one part strategy. Sometimes I get so into the client's request that I'll research a topic for hours, coming up with hundreds of possible clues on the specific subject I've been assigned to cover. But then when the time comes to design the "Across" and "Down" grids, I struggle to line everything up perfectly and have to scrap my well-established intentions and start over.

But that's part of the fun of being a crossword puzzle designer, which is how I describe myself on the business card that I hand out to pretty much everyone I meet. I started out making puzzles for fun, then I offered to make one for my brother's robotics team when I was 14. After that, his teacher asked if I could make one for his bowling league's Christmas party, and word began to spread from there. Before long, I had requests coming in not only from people in my local community, but from those in other states, regarding topics I didn't know existed.

For example, although I'd never considered how asphalt was made in the past, I learned phrases like "hot mix" and "aggregate" after making a crossword for a local paving firm. While pickleball had never been on my radar screen before, I picked up terms like "chop" and "backspin" while designing a crossword for the local seniors' community pickleball team. As my business grew, so did the skepticism from those who seemed to think I was pursuing an odd method of making money. Not only that, but people began offering opinions about how my self-employment would affect my free time.

"If you keep making crosswords for other people, you won't enjoy solving them anymore," my uncle warned me one Sunday as I completed the New York Times' crossword puzzle. But as I entered the phrase "Pick up the Pacer" in response to the clue "Give a ride to an Indiana hoopster," I knew he was incorrect.

For me, creating crosswords is just as fun as solving them – maybe even more so. When I look at an empty crossword grid, it must be the same way a farmer feels when viewing an open field. I see all of the possibilities and potential before me as a challenge and a gift. The world is mine to create, and each word that I put on the page is like a seed planted in the dirt. It doesn't have just one sole purpose. It feeds into the rest of the clues, providing much-needed vowels and consonants to the words that will intersect it.

Although I haven't yet found a way to work "cruciverbalist" into a crossword, I hope to make it happen someday, because that's the word that describes me. I'd like the clue for it to be listed first when I get to design the ultimate puzzle — one for a crossword enthusiast's association. I can see it now: "1 Across: A person who is skilled at solving or creating crossword puzzles."

Certainly the crossword enthusiasts will smile as they complete that clue, content in the fact that someone "gets" them. I'm smiling just thinking about it.

This essay series was originally published in Spring 2020.

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Oliver Vonnegut, Tufts undergrad, wins top prize in Cornell journal

By kathy hovis.

Sophia Gottfried ’25 and Ethan Kovnat ’24 were a little flummoxed when one of the 101 submissions for  Logos , Cornell’s undergraduate philosophy journal, mentioned BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism) in its first sentence.

“Who am I going to assign to read this paper?” Kovnat remembers thinking.

But after reading it, they were no longer surprised, only impressed, as the paper offered “a nuanced examination of why people relinquish control.” They awarded it the top prize in this year’s journal, which will come out this summer and includes five papers. 

Kovnat knew that the submission came from  Oliver Vonnegut , a rising senior at Tufts, but he didn’t know that Oliver was the grandson of the famous author Kurt Vonnegut. And the other Logos editors didn’t even know Vonnegut’s name, as author names are removed from papers before they’re passed along to the editors, who are undergraduate members of the philosophy club. Cornell students are not eligible to submit papers to the journal.

Vonnegut’s essay, “I Do Not Want to Choose the Restaurant, Honey,” explores the dynamic between being a subject or an object in the context of BDSM and fascism. Its first line is this: “BDSM is the cure to fascism.”

“This paper embodies the philosophical values of clarity and argumentation, while also being an accessible read,” Logos editors note in their forward to this year’s journal edition. “It takes on the assumption in the wide philosophical canon that the most morally important part of being a good human being is to be a subject, and the will to objecthood is either perverted or just fundamentally not part of the human experience.”

Read the full story on The College of Arts & Sciences website.

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