Why Tufts?
About one year back, when I was frantically making a list of the universities I wanted to apply to, I did not think that Tufts would ultimately be my choice. I stumbled upon Tufts by accident and it was sort of a last-minute addition to my list of universities. The more I read about Tufts, though, the more I understood why it was the right fit for me.
I've always been interested in studying social issues and how they affect the economy. This is what motivated me to go to graduate school. At Tufts, there were several opportunities for me to demonstrate and grow my abilities and knowledge, including the Graduate Student Research Competition, which supports the research of graduate students by providing funding for research expenses. The Graduate Research Excellence at Tufts (GREAT) program, which aims to cultivate outstanding graduate researchers at Tufts, caught my attention because it offers a varied peer group and is taught by distinguished instructors. Tufts is ranked as an institution with "Highest Research Activity" by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education – its highest classification for degree-granting colleges and universities. Tufts is also a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a consortium of America’s leading research universities noted for their accomplishments in education, research, and innovation. This makes Tufts an ideal environment for me to hone my research skills. In the end, Tufts' financial assistance package was a deal-breaker for me. Master's students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are eligible to receive tuition scholarships to help with the cost of their degree.
After spending almost two months here, I am certain that my choice was the right one. I've already learned a ton while in the MS Economics program. I'm getting the hard quantitative training with PhD-level courses and as time passes, I become more astute and intellectually engaged. However, Tufts is more than just problem sets and quizzes and there are many opportunities to engage socially. I personally enjoy attending events through the Tufts Graduate Student Council, which hosts graduate student opportunities and activities at discounted rates.
A year ago, I was unsure of where I’d be going to graduate school. But now, I'm in a far better place than I could have ever imagined.