tufts university why tufts essay

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Current tufts students, inside admissions, personal statement--writing the 'why'.

Writing your personal statement might seem like one of the most overwhelming parts of the application process. I am not here to tell you that it is easy and that you don’t have to put a lot of hard work into it. What I am going to tell you is that it doesn’t have to be as tedious as you imagine it to be. In fact, this is one of the components of the application where you will have a lot of control, so I encourage you to have some fun with it!

You will likely hear this more than once, (whether it’s coming from a parent, guardian, or a counselor)--writing your personal statement is a time for you to write your story. Keep in mind that this does not mean we are looking for an essay with your full life story and all its details. It also doesn’t have to be on a topic that everyone already knows about you. Your topic can be an important event in your life, it can be about something meaningful to you, it can be about a person that’s made an impact in your life. All of those are important stories and we know they are important because you are choosing to write about them. But what we need to know and what your personal statement should focus on is the “why”. In other words, why did you choose to write about that topic?  What does this reveal about you and how does it help us to get to know you better?

So, don’t just think about an important event in your life or don’t just think about that person that has created a major impact in your life. Focus on why you are choosing that topic first and then begin to write. When you write about the “why,” your essay will take shape.  You will begin to show your story versus telling it us. There’s a lot of power in showing the reader your story and helping them understand a meaningful experience to you.

Another simple piece of advice I would like to share is to avoid clichés. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines cliché as “a trite phrase or expression” or “something that has become overly familiar or commonplace.” That definition alone should explain why you should avoid clichés! The whole purpose of your application is that you want it to be unique to you -clichés will do the opposite of that.

Finally, make sure that whatever you are writing is authentic. In other words, is the topic true to yourself and does it sound like you? Sometimes it helps having someone close to you read your essay just so they can verify that it sounds like you. Believe me, I know this is a process that is easier said than done. But everyone in the admissions committee is rooting for you. We know you have a lot to say–a lot of important things to say!  And if it is important for you then it will be important for us. So, make sure it’s honest and make sure you mean it. We are excited to get to you know better!

Photo: Flickr, Dani Vasco

Tufts Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

July 13, 2023

Tufts University has long been a highly-selective school. Yet, the Class of 2027 was the second time the acceptance rate dipped into the single-digits at 9.5%. As at any college that rejects more than 9 of every 10 applicants who apply (the overwhelming majority of whom are supremely qualified), aspiring Jumbos need every single component of their application to shine brightly. The Tufts supplemental essays are one such area of focus.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Tufts? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Tufts University: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Given this unprecedented level of selectivity, Tufts University’s supplemental section offers applicants a crucial opportunity to showcase their writing ability by generating powerful and detail-rich essays that will stand out to an admissions officer.

Tufts Supplemental Essay Question #1

Which aspects of the tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application in short, “why tufts” (100-150 words).

Tufts University is getting right down to business with this prompt. View this essay as akin to ending up in an elevator with a potential investor with 20 seconds to sell your million-dollar idea. In this “elevator pitch” essay, you only have 150 words to communicate why Tufts is a perfect match for you. As such, this one is going to require a fair amount of school-specific research. Further, plan on a good deal of editing in order to tighten up your essay enough to stay under the word limit.

How to write a winning “Why Tufts?” essay

• How will you take advantage of the university’s vast resources both inside and outside of the classroom?
• How will you become an active, contributing member of the student body?
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto the Tufts campus.
• Address a) why Tufts is the perfect fit for you and  b) why you are the perfect fit for Tufts.
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc. (as in the examples below).

Tufts Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Below are some examples of unique facts about Tufts University that you may find helpful as you brainstorm your response:

• There are 41 arts and performance groups on campus for the artistically-inclined.
• There are 300 total student organizations in which you can participate—pick one or two to elaborate on.
• Students are able to double major across colleges.
• With a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, two-thirds of undergraduate sections are kept under 20 students.
• There are numerous undergraduate research programs and scholarships at Tufts. Which one appeals to you and what would you research?
• 40% of juniors study abroad and Tufts boasts a number of notable programs in Beijing, Chile, Ghana, London, and more.
• There are more than 70 undergraduate majors to choose from.
• The Experimental College is a one-of-kind program.
• Tufts offers internship grants to a number of non-profit and government posts.
• An annual Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium presents an exciting opportunity to present your original work to faculty.

Of course, these are just 10 out of the countless features that could be part of a successful essay. As you enter the prewriting stage, you’ll want to decide which elements will provide the most needle-moving value.

One last note on this essay—Tufts is nice enough to actually provide examples of their favorite “Why Tufts?” essays from the last admissions cycle.

Tufts University Supplemental Essay Question #2

Now we’d like to know a little more about you. please respond to one of the following three questions. (200-250 words):, a) it’s cool to love learning. what excites your intellectual curiosity.

In our experience, this is the prompt that applicants tend to select most often, primarily because the “Why Tufts?” essay is so short, students don’t feel they have enough space to talk about the academic discipline they hope to study at the university.

Whether it’s a general love for math/science or literature or a specific interest in aerospace engineering or 19th century French novels, use this opportunity to share what makes you tick, the ideas that keep you up at night, and what subject inspires you to dream big. What topic makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? Share the manner in which you relentlessly pursue knowledge. Whether it’s falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about the nature of time or consuming thousands of hours of podcasts on game theory, this is a chance to illustrate the ways in which you are an obsessive learner with an endless thirst for information.

The admissions reader should emerge with the sense that you are a sincerely curious person with a strong intellectual drive. If that curiosity can be tied into your intended area of study, all the better!

B) How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?

This essay encourages you to describe how your environment/community has shaped you into the present version of yourself. Community can be a “community” in any form: an ethnic, religious, family, or neighborhood community, or a group of individuals who gather for a club, sport, or service project. You are the captain of a team, the editor-in-chief of your school paper, the president of a club… but don’t just rest on those laurels—instead, bring your involvement to life. Use your writing ability to show the admissions officer the impact your community has had on your dreams rather than merely telling them. If your family/home (parent, grandparent, sibling) was a powerful force in your growth and development, that can be the sole focus of a successful composition here as well.

C) Where are you on your journey of engaging with or fighting for social justice?

Some students may have more direct experience with social justice than others, but—no matter your background—this is an opportunity to demonstrate that you care about justice and fairness in your local community as well as the global community. If applicable, you can speak about a time when you spoke up for a peer in a moment of need. Or, alternatively, share an instance when you got involved in a larger cause or movement (politics, activism, volunteer work, etc.). If you don’t have a deeply personal story to tell in this realm, you’ll want to select a different prompt. While there’s nothing wrong with simply articulating your basic beliefs in the values of inclusion, equity, tolerance, and diversity, it doesn’t necessarily make for the most compelling essay.

If you do choose this essay prompt, draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in your community and speculate how that is likely to manifest on Tufts’ campus. Research and cite Tufts’ student-run organizations, local nonprofit groups, or anything else you are drawn to. Drawing the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here.

How important are the Tufts supplemental essays?

Tufts views six factors as being “very important” to their applicant evaluation process. These are: the rigor of one’s coursework, the GPA earned, class rank, recommendations, character/personal qualities, and—most relevant for our purposes here—the essays.

For all essays, we recommend heeding the advice of one Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Tufts University who stated: “Be yourself. When writing your essays, you don’t have to sound like you already have your PhD (spoiler: we know you don’t—you’re applying for an undergraduate program). Instead, employ a voice in your writing that feels authentically you, exploring the topics you actually care about. That’s the voice that will help you stand out in our process.”

Tufts Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Tufts supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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Command Education Guide

How to write the tufts university essays, updated for 2023-2024.

Please complete the following statement: “I am applying to Tufts because…” (50-100 words)

Explanation:

This short essay is a classic ‘Why this school?’ essay. It should highlight your knowledge of the unique opportunities at Tufts, and your own special interests and perspectives. A great way to approach this essay is to do some intensive research on Tufts’ website in order to find academic programs, research opportunities, extracurricular activities and student groups, and unique aspects of student life that interest you. Focus on linking your past experiences and passions to your plans for making the most of your potential time at Tufts.

For example, if you’re a high school senior who is interested in global politics, involved in Model UN, and aspires to become a diplomat, you should refer to these specific aspects of your profile and write about the resources at Tufts that will help you reach your professional goals. You might mention how Tufts’ 1+4 Bridge Year Program will broaden your perspectives on global issues and service learning, or discuss how you could complement your International Relations major with Tufts’ Peace and Justice Studies minor. If you have any other special connections to Tufts–e.g. a campus visit and tour, a friend or sibling who attended Tufts and raved about any special features of its academic or student culture–these details may also find their way into your essay.

Applicants to the School of Arts & Sciences or the School of Engineering:

Please respond to one of the following three prompts in 200-250 words:

It’s cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity and why?

Tufts admissions committee is inviting you to “nerd out.” More specifically, this essay should allow the reader to actually sense your excitement for a specific subject or to understand a foundational academic experience that provided the spark for your continued studies in college. For the former, try to hone in on a particular unique interest within your intended field(s) of study. Instead of writing about how much you enjoy reading, for example, you can distinguish yourself from other prospective English majors by writing about your love of the 17th-century Metaphysical poets, the short story that turned you into an aspiring novelist, or how you noticed that the TV series Dickinson’s cinematography parallels the mood of some of Emily Dickinson’s poems. Alternatively, if you’ve had an educational experience that was particularly powerful–e.g. an immersive Mock Trial program, attending an intensive academic summer camp, conducting research in a lab–you could write about how the experience influenced you and shaped your passions and goals.

How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?

This prompt asks you to reflect on the world you come from and how your background has shaped your worldview. According to Tufts’ Dean of Admissions Lee Coffin, the admissions committee at Tufts hopes to “bring perspectives together that are different and push you to think about your own frame of reference.” Therefore, it’s important to think about and clearly express what your particular frame of reference is, and what you can bring to campus that no one else can. This may be related to a geographic identity, a religious community, a unique intersection of identities that you occupy, a family background, a place of work, a school you attend or have attended, or any other environment that has been meaningful to you. What are the life lessons you’ve gleaned from growing up in your particular neighborhood, or in your particular family? What are the most important communities you are a part of, and how have they shaped your values?

Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.

The job of the Tufts admissions committee is to build an academic community, and in this example of what we call the “community” essay, they want to understand what kind of value-add you would be to that community. Because they are asking you for specific examples, this essay should take the form of an anecdote where you specifically describe a time when you helped bring people together for a common goal and/or found ways to unite people who were previously divided. A successful essay would demonstrate not only your abilities to work well with others but also shed some light on what you believe the value of collaboration or inclusivity to be. In brainstorming your essay, start by thinking through any time you were working towards something and were reliant on the work of others to get it done–you can’t collaborate or be inclusive if you’re all by yourself! What did that experience teach you about finding common ground with others or about the perspective of another individual or group of people?

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Tufts University Essay 2023-24

Tufts Essay 2023-2024

If you’re considering applying to Tufts this cycle, you’ve come to the right place. In order to know how to get into Tufts and impress the admissions committee, you’ll need a compelling Tufts essay. To learn more about how to master the Tufts supplemental essays, read on!

Tufts University is a prestigious university located in Somerville, Massachusetts . Tufts is ranked #32 by U.S. News, and the Tufts acceptance rate is 11% . As with most liberal arts colleges, Tufts evaluates each student holistically. Tufts is also test-optional since 2021. Because of these factors, your Tufts essay is more important than ever.

Tufts essays are crucial to your application, which is why we’re here to help you master all of your Tufts supplemental essays. These essays include the “why Tufts” essay, and other program-specific short answer questions.

Read on to read our full breakdown on how to approach any Tufts essay.

Tufts Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts

Quick facts about the tufts supplemental essays.

Tufts College Ranking: #32 in National Colleges

Tufts Acceptance Rate : 11% — U.S. News ranks Tufts University as a most selective school. 

Tufts College Essay Requirements :

• 1 (~ 250 words) required essay for applicants to the School of Arts & Sciences or the School of Engineering:
• 1 (~ 250 words) required essay for applicants to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts
• 1 (100 words) required short answer

Tufts Application : Students can submit their Tufts application through the Common Application , QuestBridge , or Coalition Application . Before you apply, make sure that your supplemental Tufts essays are prepared and thoroughly edited in a separate document.

Application Deadlines for Tufts:

• Early Decision I deadline: November 1
• Early Decision II deadline: January 4
• Regular Decision deadline: January 4

Tufts College Essay Tip: The Tufts essays consist of two short answer questions, and these questions vary based on which program you’re applying to. The second Tufts essay is your “why Tufts” essay, and it’s just one sentence! 

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

Does Tufts have supplemental essays?

So what’s everyone talking about when they talk about the Tufts essays?

Like many other colleges, especially high-ranking ones, the Tufts supplemental essays are an important part of your application. There are two Tufts supplemental essays, including one “why Tufts” essay.

You’ll prepare your Tufts supplemental essays in addition to your personal statement , the 650-word essay required by the Common App. Like your personal statement, the Tufts essays help admissions officers get to know you better as a person and an applicant. What are your values, what’s shaped you throughout your life, and what would you bring to the Tufts community?

There are two required Tufts supplemental essays. One of the Tufts essays is required of all students, while the other depends on the program you apply to. The Tufts essay that all applicants must answer is your “why Tufts” essay, which is a (very) short answer question. In these essays, you’ll show Tufts why you and the university are the best possible fit for each other. 

What are the Tufts essay requirements?

The Tufts essay requirements can be found on the Tufts website in the section describing short answer questions. Both of the Tufts supplemental essays can be categorized as “short answer questions,” because they ask for 100-250 word answers. However, just because your Tufts essay is short, that doesn’t mean it requires any less thought or planning. In some ways, short essays are the hardest, because you have to express yourself as succinctly as possible. 

The Tufts essay requirements differ based on the School within Tufts you apply to, of which there are three: 

• Tufts School of Arts and Sciences
• Tufts School of Engineering
• School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts

If you’re applying to one of the first two programs, your Tufts supplemental essays will be the same. If you’re applying to the Arts BFA or combined BFA+BA/BS, your first Tufts essay will be a little different. However, applicants for all programs must write the one-sentence Tufts essay which will serve as your “why Tufts” essay.

Now that we’ve covered the basics of the Tufts essay requirements, let’s dive into the different Tufts supplemental essays.

Tufts Essays: School of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering

Do you want to experience the nationally lauded liberal arts education at Tufts provides? Are you interested in disciplines like the humanities, pre-med, or the social sciences? If so, the School of Arts & Sciences is likely the best choice for you. The School of Arts & Sciences offers the broadest educational experience at Tufts. It’s the best choice for a student who might not know exactly what they want to study. 

Alternatively, if you are set on engineering, the School of Engineering is a perfect fit for you. There are sixteen majors under the engineering umbrella, from computer science to biomedical engineering. While lacking the breadth of the School of Arts & Sciences, it offers an in-depth, high-caliber course of study.

Luckily, whichever of the Tufts schools you choose—Arts & Sciences or Engineering—you write the same set of Tufts supplemental essays. From the Tufts website , here are your Tufts essay prompts if you’re an applicant for one of these two programs:

Please respond to one of the following three prompts in 200-250 words:

1. it’s cool to love learning. what excites your intellectual curiosity and why, 2. how have the environments or experiences of your upbringing—your family, home, neighborhood, or community—shaped the person you are today, 3. using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community., school of arts & sciences and school of engineering: a closer look.

These Tufts supplemental essays prompts allow for a lot of flexibility in your answer. They also have pretty strict restrictions because of the word limit. It can seem daunting to elaborate on your intellectual curiosity or upbringing in 250 words, but consider it a challenge! Plus, all of these Tufts supplemental essays are very common topics. You’ll likely be able to reuse your Tufts supplemental essays and their ideas for another application. 

An important thing to remember when drafting your Tufts supplemental essays is that ultimately, these essays are about you . The Tufts admissions committee wants to learn more about who you are and what you value. In light of that, the Tufts supplemental essays ask questions that will help them understand you better as an applicant. Therefore, the best thing you can do when writing your Tufts supplemental essays is to think deeply about yourself and brainstorm . 

For School of Arts & Sciences or School of Engineering applicants, the Tufts supplemental essays also include a “why Tufts” essay. The “why Tufts” essay question is a little bit different from other schools: you only have 100 words.

We’ll dive deeper into the “why Tufts” essay later in this guide under the “short answer” section. First, let’s take a look at the Tufts supplemental essays for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

Tufts Essay Prompts: School of the Museum of Fine Arts Essay Prompts

The Tufts supplemental essays are different for applicants for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, or the SMFA at Tufts. SMFA at Tufts “ offers a conceptually rigorous, interdisciplinary visual arts program.” If you’re applying to the SMFA program, here’s the question for your Tufts essay: 

Please respond to the following prompt in 200-250 words:

Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. what are the ideas you’d like to explore in your work.

Of course, applicants to the SMFA program are likely artists or have a strong interest in art. Accordingly, for their  Tufts supplemental essays, Tufts is asking these applicants to speak directly to their artistic vision. For students applying to the SMFA program, this question is more tailored to their academic intentions than the previous prompt.

Like with all of the Tufts supplemental essays, there’s no right way to answer this question. Instead, use this opportunity to be vulnerable and honest about your ideas and goals as an artist. If you have space, you can tie your intended artistic pursuits to Tufts and the SMFA program. However, keep in mind, you’ll write a “why Tufts” essay as part of your Tufts supplemental essays. In that question, you can dive into why Tufts in particular is where you want to grow as an artist.

Your Portfolio and Your Essays

If you’re applying to the SMFA, you have more components of your Tufts application than the Tufts supplemental essays. You also need to submit an artistic portfolio . This portfolio comprises 15-20 images of recent work, and/or up to 10 minutes of work like video or audio.

The Tufts portfolio is intended to demonstrate your “conceptual development” as well as your skill. Regardless of what media you submit, consider carefully whether it demonstrates your skill and potential. You should submit something that you feel best represents your skills and experiences with your artistic medium. 

Just like your Tufts supplemental essays, this Tufts portfolio is a way for Tufts to get to know you better. Your pieces should not only show skill, but also help the admissions committee better understand you. Choose pieces that you feel represent who you are and what you want to pursue as well as your abilities. 

Mentioning your Tufts portfolio

In your Tufts supplemental essays, especially the program-specific question, don’t be afraid to reference art in your portfolio. This especially applies if the pieces you submit are representative of a project you plan on expanding upon. They may also show something you’ve learned as an artist that you plan to carry into your next piece. 

Indeed, your Tufts supplemental essays and your portfolio can and should work together to deepen your personal narrative . Remember that your application should build a personal brand that draws a thread through your high school experiences. By the same token, your Tufts portfolio and Tufts supplemental essays together should create a clear, complex picture of you for admissions officers. 

Now that we’ve covered the program-specific Tufts supplemental essays, we’ll move into some tips on how to write the best Tufts supplemental essays—including the “why Tufts” essay.

How to “Think Outside the Box” for your Tufts Essay

Tufts receives over 30,000 applicants each year—and the Tufts acceptance rate is only 11%. When writing their Tufts essays, students often wonder: how can I distinguish myself? One way to do this is to get a little creative: think outside the box! 

So what does thinking outside of the box mean in terms of writing college essays?

First, think about your topic. The most important thing to consider when deciding on your topic is whether it feels true to who you are. However, there are topics that many students tend to gravitate towards, and sometimes these feel a little overdone. Think sports victories or other extracurricular successes, a relationship with a mentor like a grandparent or parent, or service-based extracurricular activities.

These aren’t off the table entirely but should be approached with caution. Ultimately, it’s not the topic you write about, but how you write about it. An essay about a meaningful relationship can still be a fantastic essay— if it’s focused on your own personal growth. Keep the focus on yourself and how the relationship (or event, or activity) influenced you positively.

Going Even More Outside the Box

Another way to write an attention-grabbing essay is to vary the classic structure and form of your essay. Most students, especially with a word limit as small as 250 words, will write in a fairly straightforward paragraph structure. Many write narratively, starting their essay with an anecdotal hook or incorporating dialogue. Why not change up the structure? Start at the end of your story and write backwards, or write from an unusual perspective. 

You could even incorporate non-traditional forms of writing like writing the whole thing in the second person. When drafting Tufts supplemental essays about your upbringing, you might spend most of your essay talking directly to your admissions officer: “You awaken to the sound of your mom banging on your door, the same door in the same room you’ve woken up in every day since you were born. You open your bleary eyes and take in your faded lilac wallpaper, plastered with Justin Bieber posters and your highest-scoring spelling quizzes from middle school: another morning in Omaha, Nebraska.” Now you’ve got an admissions officer’s attention!

To recap: there are many ways to write a college essay. The most important thing to remember is that this essay should tell Tufts something new about you. But even the most overdone topics (upbringing, community, academic pursuits, etc.), offer ways to grab your reader’s attention.

Tufts Short Answer Response

Now we’ve made it to the highly-anticipated “why Tufts” essay. Tufts has certainly issued a challenge with this “why Tufts” essay question. Most schools provide 250–650 words for this essay. In contrast, Tufts wants you to boil down why you want to attend into a mere sentence. 

Here’s how Tufts will ask you to answer their “why Tufts” essay on the application: 

In addition, we will ask all applicants to complete this sentence in 100 words or less:

“i am applying to tufts because…”.

When writing a “why Tufts” essay, or a “why school” essay in general, it’s important to be specific. On their website, Tufts suggest that you look at the Jumbo Magazine , Tufts’ student magazine, or student blogs . Even with only 100 words, you should still be as specific about what you want to do at Tufts as possible. That is to say, why do you have to be at Tufts to follow your dreams? 

What are you planning to major in , and why? Have you always planned on researching elephants, and are attracted to Tufts because of their beloved mascot Jumbo ? Are you a Revolutionary War buff, and can’t wait to explore Boston (maybe join a reenactment club)? Whatever you say, no one should read your “why Tufts” essay and mistake it for a “why school” essay for another college.

However, don’t confuse being specific about Tufts in your “why Tufts” essay with only talking about Tufts. Your reader wants to know what you’ll bring to the campus community, and what kind of Tufts student you’ll be. The ideal “why Tufts” essay, and any “why school” essay, combines two answers: why Tufts is right for me, and why I’m right for Tufts. Link your passions and aspirations to opportunities at Tufts. 

Since your “why Tufts” essay is only 100 words, you should be concise about why you want to attend Tufts. The beauty of your writing is less important than including as much information here as you can. When you’re writing your “why Tufts” essay, don’t be afraid to write a longer essay first. Get all your ideas out first, and then condense them into the perfect sentence-long “why Tufts” essay. 

If you’re still stumped on how to write your “why Tufts” essay, try reading “why school” essays that worked. They may inspire you in your own “why Tufts” essay.

Read on for more advice on writing short responses.

Advice for writing short responses

Up to now, we’ve covered the Tufts supplemental essays that you’ll encounter when building your application. Now, let’s talk about more advice for writing short responses. In fact, both of the Tufts essays could be considered short responses, since they are both under 250 words. 

Show Them Something New

It must be remembered that short answers, as well as other supplemental essays, should include new information. Your Tufts application will already include a lot of information about you: your GPA, classes, personal statement, and extracurriculars. Don’t rehash information available elsewhere without adding depth.

Use these extra supplemental essays to highlight something about you that the Tufts admissions committee otherwise wouldn’t know. This doesn’t mean you can’t elaborate on the information you’ve already included, like an extracurricular . But in that case, try to focus on a new perspective, or go into further detail. A 50-word description leaves out a lot: how did that extracurricular change you? What will you carry with you from that experience?

Analyze Successful Essays

Another way to prepare is to look at Tufts essays that worked and break them down. Why do you think that the Tufts essays that worked, worked? Was it the structure of the essay, or the prose itself? Was the topic especially unique, or did the applicant just do a great job of making a common topic their own? By reading Tufts essays that worked, or other college essays , you can learn tactics to write your own stellar essay.

You may even read the admissions blog from Tufts, which may yield insights into the admissions process. And of course, since it’s written by Tufts students and staff, you’ll learn more about Tufts. That could become the inspiration for your own essays.

Just Write!

If you’re stuck and can’t think of a topic, or know your topic but don’t know where to start, try free writing. Sometimes the best way to start writing is, well, to start, without any pressure to write something good or even intelligible. No-stress writing exercises like free writing can help you get those creative juices flowing. 

Free writing is for you to get out all your ideas, without editing or stopping. Set a timer for 30 minutes and answer one of the short answer questions. If that’s like pulling teeth, you could also make a mind map or do word association to generate ideas. If you can’t choose a prompt, or if you have too many topics on your mind, repeat the process as needed. Now that you’ve got a few pages of brainstorming writing done, review your writing. Find the points that feel important to include in your answers and go from there. 

For more detailed advice on how to tackle the Tufts essays, check out this guide on Tufts essays from years past. 

How important is my Tufts essay?

Your Tufts essay is only one part of your application. Everything, including your GPA , your letters of recommendation , your personal statement, and your extracurriculars , are considered by Tufts. With that said, the essays are you at your most direct and expressive, so they matter a lot .

Tufts is also test-optional , so if you choose to include SAT / ACT scores, they will be taken into consideration. If you choose not to include test scores, you will not be penalized. However, without test scores, each other part of your application increases in importance—and that includes your essays.

Overall, you should consider your Tufts essays very important parts of your application. You’ll never know how exactly the admissions officers weigh your essays in comparison to the other parts of your application. Therefore, you should act as if these essays could make or break your chance of admission to Tufts. College essays should always be taken seriously. Even if they’re only 100 words long, each of those 100 words matters. 

More key Tufts admissions requirements

What other Tufts admissions requirements should you take into consideration?

Make sure to remember deadlines when you’re working on your Tufts application. Tufts has Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. ED I is due November 1 st , and ED II and Regular Decision are both due January 4 th . 

Should you apply ED or RD to Tufts? That depends on a few factors. First, is Tufts your dream school ? If Tufts is your first choice and you’re 110% confident of that, you should consider applying ED. If you get into Tufts ED, your enrollment is binding—so you should be confident that Tufts is the school for you.

However, applying early means that you don’t have the opportunity to compare financial aid packages from different schools.  If financial aid is a significant factor for you and your family you should take that into consideration. Also, applying early isn’t a good enough reason to rush your application. If you feel like your application isn’t as good as it could be, don’t submit it before it’s ready.

Tufts Essay – Final Takeaways

Writing college essays can be daunting, and that’s true even for short answer essays like the Tufts supplemental essays. The Tufts acceptance rate is 11%, so your essays are crucial to making sure that your application stands out .

Here are some key takeaways to remember when writing your Tufts essays:

Five Tufts Essay Takeaways

1. Every student applying to Tufts must answer two required supplemental essays.

2. The supplemental essays you will answer depend on the program you’re applying to. If you’re applying to the School of Arts & Sciences or the School of Engineering, you will choose from three prompts. If you’re applying to the SMFA at Tufts, you’ll answer a different first question than the other applicants. 

3. All applicants have to write a “why Tufts” essay. This essay is quite short, at only one sentence.

4. The most important things to remember about writing your Tufts essays are to be honest and specific. Include information that the admissions officer couldn’t find anywhere else in your application.

5. Tufts has Early Decision and Regular Decision—do your research to find out which deadline is right for you. Whichever you choose, prepare your essays ahead of time so you have time to write and edit multiple drafts! 

We hope that after reading this article on Tufts essays you feel more confident tackling your Tufts app. For more advice on how to get into Tufts, check out our guide !

This article was written by advisor, Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 key tips for writing successful tufts supplemental essays.

College Essays

Tufts University has a selective acceptance rate— less than 10% in 2022 . You'll need a strong application to stand out from other applicants, including stellar essays. Luckily, this guide is here to help you out!

In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know about the writing portion of Tufts University's application, including what prompts are available and how to answer them.

Feature Image: Jellymuffin40 /Wikimedia Commons

If you want to study at Tufts' Ginn Library, you'll need strong essays. Nurcamp /Wikimedia Commons.

What Should You Know About the Tufts University Essays?

Tufts University uses either the Common or Coalition Application, so choose the one that works best for you . Each one has unique essays, so be sure you follow the correct prompt for whichever application you're using.

Both applications have their own writing sections that you'll need to respond to. These essays are more general than the Tufts essays, but it's still important to follow guidelines and aim to impress with them . They're part of your application, and deserve your best effort! The Common Application has one set of prompts to choose from and the Coalition Application has another , so do some reading ahead of time to plan for which one you'll answer if you need to fill out both applications for different schools.

What Prompts Does the Tufts University Application Have?

Tufts University requires you to apply to a specific school within the university during your application. This shouldn't be a problem if you already know what major you'll be applying to, and Tufts recommends not applying as undecided .

The application should give you the correct set of prompts for whichever school you apply to, but you can also check on Tuft's website .

If you're applying to the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, or 5-year Tufts/NEC combined degree, you'll have two essays. One is a classic "Why Tufts?" essay with a Tufts-specific twist, and the second prompt allows you to make your choice of two options.

For applicants to the BFA or 5-year BFA+BA/BS combined degree program, you'll also have two prompts. The first is, again, a classic "Why Tufts?" essay question, while the other asks you to to respond to one of three questions. 

What Are the Tufts University Prompts?

Because the prompts vary between different schools, there's a lot of information to cover for how to write the ideal Tufts essay. But Tufts does provide some helpful advice —"Think outside the box as you answer the following questions. Take a risk and go somewhere unexpected. Be serious if the moment calls for it, but feel comfortable being playful if that suits you, too."

In short, be yourself . Tufts doesn't just want to hear your academic qualifications, nor do they want to hear their qualifications as a good school recited to them—they already know!

For School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, and Tufts/NEC Degree Applicants:

You have two essays to write for this section. Both are required, but the second prompt offers you three potential choices.

Prompt #1: The "Why Tufts?" Essay

The first prompt, which you have 100 to 150 words to answer, reads:

Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short, "Why Tufts?"

This is a pretty straightforward question—it's a version of the popular "Why This College?" essay . You wouldn't be applying to Tufts if you didn't already know that you wanted to go there, right? But always be aware that every other student applying to Tufts also knows that it's a good school. You can't just list qualifications back them; you have to dive a little deeper than that.

Tufts wants to know here is not just what attracts you to the college, but also what you'll bring to it . Let your enthusiasm and fresh ideas shine!

Having said that, a great essay is going to show admissions counselors that you've done your research. Be sure you point to specific parts of the "Tufts undergraduate experience" in your writing! For example, maybe there's a specific professor you want to work with, or a unique program that only Tufts offers that's a great fit for you. The more specific you are, the more you'll show admissions counselors that you're serious about becoming a student at Tufts.

Prompt #2: The Free Choice Essay

The second prompt is a little more complex. It also has a word count of 200 to 250, but includes three options you must choose from:

Now we'd like to know a little more about you. Please respond to one of the following three questions.

A) It's cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity?

B) How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?

C) Where are you on your journey of engaging with or fighting for social justice?

These three prompts are a great way to tell the admissions office more about yourself, particularly if you have extracurricular interests that you haven't had the opportunity to discuss yet.

Any of these prompts is a great choice, but you can only choose one. Here's a breakdown of who each prompt is a good fit for:

• Prompt A: If you're an intellectually curious person, this is a great fit for you. People that fit this mold will engage in learning opportunities outside the classroom and constantly be on the hunt for knowledge. If you're the type that reads news before school or watches documentaries for fun, this is a good prompt for you!
• Prompt B: This is a good all-around prompt! Generally speaking, most people will have some experience that helps them answer this prompt well. Having said that, this prompt requires you to be thoughtful and introspective. You'll need to understand how your experiences and background have shaped the person you are today.
• Prompt C: Social justice is an important topic in 2021, and Tufts admissions officers are interested in students who fit with the university's mission of an "inclusive and collaborative" environment. If you have been part of the social justice movement, this would be a great prompt for you.

Keep in mind these are just suggestions. If one of these prompts jumps out to you as a perfect fit, run with it.

If you can't find this key on your keyboard, you'll have to invent it!

How to Answer Prompt A

In this prompt, Tufts wants to hear about your curiosity and interests. There are two ways you can approach this essay, each of which has its benefits and drawbacks.

First, you can choose an intellectual interest you have that relates to your future major. For example, say you're majoring in biology because you want to be in drug development. If that's the case, you can talk about a specific aspect of drug development that gets you excited. Maybe it's developing new vaccine production methods that use plants instead of animals, or maybe you want to develop new drugs to treat chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis.

The trick here is being specific and letting your passion shine through, then tying all of that back to your future studies at Tufts. Don't be afraid to talk about a class you can't wait to take, or a project you hope to explore while you're in school. Just make sure that you're balancing talking about why you're curious with your academic plans. You don't want this to sound exactly like your "Why Tufts?" essay!

The second way you can approach this topic is by choosing something you're curious about that's a passion of yours, even if it isn't related to your major. This has the benefit of showing you're curious about more than just your major field, which is something admissions counselors are looking for.

For example, maybe you want to major in kinesiology, but you love social media and you're curious about how it impacts the ways we behave. You don't have to be majoring in psychology or computer science to write about this topic if you're passionate about it! The trick — and drawback — to going this route is making sure you're still connecting this passion back to your plans as a potential Tufts student. Maybe this curiosity has made you want to join the Tufts Psychology Society so you can learn more about how you can use human behavior and social media to help motivate people in your future career as a physical therapist.

How to Answer Prompt B

This prompt is asking you to write about how your background has shaped your character. Admissions counselors are looking for essays that showcase your thoughtfulness, especially in terms of how your experiences impact you as a person. This is a chance for you to highlight parts of your personality and identity that might not otherwise come across in your admissions materials.

If you choose this essay prompt, you'll want to spend some time figuring out which aspect of your background you want to focus on. Luckily, the prompt gives you a few ideas (family, home, neighborhood, and community) to start with, but you're not limited to those! Maybe you want to talk about an after school program you were a part of, or a sports team you played on for your entire childhood. As long as this experience or environment played a substantial part in your upbringing, it's fair game.

Whatever you choose, make sure you're choosing one thing . Don't talk about your family and your neighborhood and your community. This essay isn't long enough to cover all of that material! Instead, pick one thing and get specific. Explain why was this experience or environment important to you, and go into detail about how it impacted you as a person.

The best answers to this prompt are going to tell a story about your experience that helps readers connect with who you are. Perhaps one of the things that most shaped your character was growing up with five siblings. Tell a story about a specific moment that will help admissions counselors understand what that was like!

And finally, don't forget to connect this back to being a Tufts student by explaining how your character is a good fit for the university. For instance, let's go back to having lots of siblings. Maybe that's taught you to value everyone for their unique personalities because no matter how different you are, everyone brings something special to the table. Because of that, you're excited about making new friends and bringing people together as part of the Tufts community.

How to Answer Prompt C

This prompt is all about social justice. If you're not sure what social justice is, the National Association of Social Workers defines it as "the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities." Put another way, social justice is the fight for equality for everyone regardless of their race, class, or economic status.

To answer this prompt, you'll need to explain how you're learning about, involved in, or fighting for social justice. What steps are you taking to help further this cause in your own life? Note that the prompt uses the term "journey," here. That means admissions counselors aren't expecting you to have this whole "social justice" thing figured out! So don't worry if you haven't arranged a march in your community or taken up donations to help with the Black Lives Matter movement. Admissions counselors are more interested in how you're learning about the social justice movement and making changes in your life to support that cause.

Here's the thing: if you're not part of the social justice movement or aren't comfortable with the idea, do not write this Tufts essay. You're given essay options for a reason! Admissions counselors are trained to sniff out falsehoods, so the worst thing you could do is fib about your social justice work. It's okay if this isn't a good topic for you!

If you do choose this prompt, make sure you start with a story. Did you participate in a march? Have you volunteered with a social justice oriented organization? Telling a specific story about your experience will help readers connect with you as a person. It's also okay if your experience with social justice was talking with a friend about it and realizing that you can do more to support the cause. Like the old saying goes: it's not about the destination — it's about what you're learning in the process.

Also, be honest about what your journey so far. It's okay to say you're still learning, or that the journey has been tough. Admissions counselors value authenticity, and the truth is that fighting for social justice can be hard. Just make sure you're keeping your discussion as positive as you can! Focus on what you've learned and how hard you're trying to make a difference.

And of course, be sure you tie this all back to Tufts. Explain how your understanding of social justice will affect how you participate in your classes and on-campus events. Make it clear that you're going to bring a spirit of equity with you to campus since that's what admissions counselors want to see in future Tufts students.

For BFA, 5-Year BFA+BA/BS at SMFA Applicants:

This section has two required essays. You don't have any choice over which prompts you'll be answering, which eliminates some of the struggle to choose the best option for you.

Prompt #1: The "Why SMFA at Tufts?" Essay

The first prompt, which must be answered in 100 to 150 words, reads:

Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? Why SMFA at Tufts?

This prompt is similar to the "Why Tufts?" essay prompt, but with a slightly different focus. SMFA at Tufts is the School of the Museum of Fine arts program at Tufts , so it's definitely for those interested in the arts.

The admissions office wants to see you demonstrate what exactly draws you to this school over others, and what specifically drives you to seek an art degree . What will you get out of Tufts that you couldn't get elsewhere? How will an art degree enrich your life, and how will you use that degree in the future?

Colleges want to foster intellectual growth in their communities, which is why they ask for more than a standard "this is a good school" answer. They want to know why you want to attend, but they also want to know what you're bringing to the community .

Browsing Tufts and SMFA at Tufts galleries are a great way to get some inspiration. Can you see your artwork fitting in there? What will you offer that isn't already represented?

Think about art that you've created or art that you want to create . How will Tufts help you get there? What makes you want to pursue an art degree, rather than art as a supplement to another field? Clearly articulating your interest and commitment will demonstrate that you're a good fit for Tufts to the admissions office.

Prompt #2: The Art Prompt

The second prompt, also with a 200 to 250 word count, reads:

Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. What are the ideas you'd like to explore in your work?

This question dives a little bit deeper into your artistic mind. It's not enough to create art that is beautiful on a surface level—Tufts wants to know that you're thinking about your art meaningfully, too .

This prompt is essentially an artist's statement , though it's focused more on your artistic intent on a large scale rather than on an individual piece. Look through some of your favorite art you've created and think about common themes and recurring ideas, even if you didn't intend for them to be there . What concepts are you trying to explore, even subconsciously?

Consider not just what your art looks or sounds like, but also what it's made of and why you chose to make it that way. Think beyond availability or ease of use—always keep the question of "why" in your mind.

Themes are good, but try not to go too general or invent something that isn't there. Much of art is about capturing beauty, so try to think deeper than that. And if you're going to claim that your art critiques or represents something, you need to be able to demonstrate that— analyze what you've created to show how it connects to your themes, don't simply project something over the top and hope that admissions officers don't notice it wasn't really there .

What Do Tufts Essays That Worked Look Like?

Thankfully, Tufts University isn't shy about putting accepted essays online for applicants to browse. While some of these essays apply to older topics, they'll still help you get a sense of what admissions counselors are looking for in excellent students (and their essays).

"Why Tufts?" Essay That Worked

I vividly remember stepping onto the roof of Tisch Library and seeing a group of kids sitting in hammocks, overlooking the Boston skyline. I briefly tuned out my tour guide's presentation and began to eavesdrop. The students covered everything from physics to what they had for lunch that day. When they spoke about physics, they did not speak with pretension; instead they spoke with passion. Likewise, when they spoke about something as simple as lunch, they did so with witty intrigue. Tufts students are as interesting as they are interested. This description not only resonates with me, it defines me.

This essay does an excellent job of answering the questions at the core of the "Why Tufts?" essay. The writer channels an experience they had while at Tufts, detailing how listening in on other students solidified their desire to attend. They use words like "passion" to describe Tufts students, showing traits they also want to channel.

The ending really hits on something important: this student wanted to be part of the student body because the students they overheard were not only interesting people, but also interested . Remember the prompts mention of being "intellectually playful?" This is the perfect way to demonstrate curiosity, interest, and love of learning int he specific context of Tufts .

"What Have You Created?" Essay That Worked

This essay applies to an older prompt that asked students to talk about one of their creations. Here's what this student had to say:

When people talk about building something, creating it, they most often mean something physical. Engineers, architects, and laborers, these are the professions that I think of as making things. I've never been much of a builder, I lack that particular understanding of the world that is required to envision what you will build, and have never been coordinated enough to make much of anything with my hands, but I can create. What I have made is not something you can hold or touch, it spans no gaps and holds no weight, and I can't even claim to have laid a single finger on its construction. My creation is a poem, or rather, poems. Series of letters symbolic of sounds strung together to make words, which are in turn collected into lines and stanzas, pieces of a whole. My poems cannot be touched, but they can touch you; though they won't form a bridge, they can cross a divide; and while you'll never be able to weigh them on a scale, the weight of the ideas they hold can be felt the moment you read them. So I may not be an engineer or an architect or a laborer, but I am a creator. I craft words into meaning, forge lines into rhymes, and sculpt imaginations. So even if I can't hold what I make, I can watch it take shape and see its impact on the world.

This essay does an excellent job of answering the question not just by stating the answer, but by embodying it . It's clear that the student is a writer; their language is vivid, immediate, and playful, demonstrating how strong their grasp is on word meanings and sentence structure.

Importantly, this essay doesn't disparage other disciplines—it interprets poetry using language physical creators might use, such as "spans," "bridge," and "weight.

There's a great deal of creativity and intellectual play in this essay, which serve to set the writer apart from students who might have focused more on the existence of the thing they'd built (a souped-up car engine, for example) than the function of the thing they'd built (a souped-up car engine that reduces carbon emissions, for example).

When tackling this prompt, think about how you, too, can exemplify your creation in your essay .

Think like a dolphin: smart and playful!

Key Points for Your Tufts Essays

Best practices for Tufts essays are similar to other schools, but there are some special considerations to keep in mind.

Pay Attention to Tufts' Intellectual Bent

Tufts makes a point of using words like "playful" and "intellectual." These suggest a curiosity about the world that goes beyond wanting to attend a good school because it's a good school. Keep them in mind as you're writing— how can you demonstrate your own curiosity and interest in the world?

Remember That Tufts Is a Research University

You'll be interacting more with graduate students than you would in other settings . Not only will this give you a leg up in applying to grad school, but it will also grant you the opportunity to think more deeply than if you were only exposed to other undergrads.

Demonstrating an interest in learning from other students and participating in a learning community is a great way to show that you're interested in the unique experience of attending a research university.

Choose the Prompts That Are Right for You

Because Tufts has two different sets of prompts depending which school you'll be attending, be sure you select the right ones. Further, be sure you really maximize each prompt's potential— the rest of your application covers academics, so use your essay to showcase what really makes you stand out .

What's Next?

Before you get started on writing your essays, you'll want to know what kind of admission requirements Tufts has . Great essays are important, but you should also demonstrate academic success!

Plan to get the best scores possible on your standardized tests, too. Reading about ACT and GPA requirements ahead of time can help you plan your academic strategy, as can reading about SAT requirements . Use these guides to get a head start!

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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How to Write Tufts University Essays 2019-2020

Set in idyllic Medford, MA, Tufts University was founded in 1852. As a research university, Tufts boasts both graduate and undergraduate schools ⁠— ranging from the School of Arts and Sciences to the School of Medicine. Known for its strong programs in international relations and medicine, Tufts primarily draws students for its academics. However, the Jumbos field over 25 Division III athletic teams with 15 national championships won since 2010 ⁠— making it no slouch when it comes to athletics. 

Tufts University is ranked #27 by U.S. News and World Report with an acceptance rate of 14.6% for the Class of 2023. Tufts allegedly practices yield protection, meaning that the school rejects or waitlists “overqualified” students they believe won’t ultimately enroll. Yield is the percentage of accepted students who matriculate, and higher yield is associated with greater prestige and desirability. Yield protection is actually also known as “ Tufts Syndrome ,” since the school is frequently accused of using this practice. 

To avoid falling victim to yield protection, you’ll want to demonstrate your genuine interest in Tufts. One of the best ways to do that is through your essays. The college applications process may seem overwhelming, but don’t worry ⁠— Collegevine is here to help you tackle Tufts’ 2019-2020 application! Want to know your chances at Tufts? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what Tufts University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Tufts University needs to know.

Tufts University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Applicants to the school of arts and sciences, and the school of engineering:, prompt 1: which aspects of the tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application in short, ‘why tufts’ (150 words).

Prompt 2: Choose one of the following options and respond in 250 words:

2A. From recognizing break dancing as a new Olympic sport, to representation in media, to issues of accessibility in our public transit systems, what is something that you can talk about endlessly? What do you care about and why?

2B. Whether you’ve built circuit boards or written slam poetry, created a community event or designed mixed media installations, tell us: What have you designed, invented, engineered, or produced? Or what do you hope to?

2C. We all have a story to tell. And with over 5,000 undergraduate students on our campus, that is over 5,000 stories to share and learn. What’s yours?

Applicants to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts ( BFA or 5-Year BFA+BA/BS Combined Degree)

Prompt 1: Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? Why SMFA at Tufts? (150 words)

Prompt 2: Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. Whether you think of Ai Weiwei’s work reframing the refugee crisis, Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald’s portraits of the Obamas reimagining portrait painting on a national scale, or Yayoi Kusama’s fanciful Infinity Mirrors rekindling our sense of wonder, it is clear that contemporary art is driven by ideas. What are the ideas you’d like to explore in your work? (250 words)

Applicants to the school of arts and sciences and the school of engineering.

If you are applying to the School of Arts and Sciences or Engineering, you can’t skip out on this question. First, take a step back and think about why you added Tufts to your school list. Simply seeking out a prestigious university isn’t sufficient. Reflect on your life and interests to tie it back into Tufts’ values and traditions. Maybe you’re a passionate environmentalist who is drawn to Tufts’ Food Systems and Nutrition minor, as you want to learn more about ways to increase sustainability in the food industry. Or, maybe the 1+4 Bridge Year caught your eye, as you want to live and intern abroad in Mexico before beginning your studies at Tufts, to better understand the border crisis and explore your interest in immigration law. Or, perhaps the Traveling Treasure Trunk theatre group caught your eye, as you love putting on imaginative plays for children.

With only 150 words, you won’t have a ton of space to list everything you love about Tufts. Be sure to pick just 2-3 relatively unique factors, and avoid generalities such as a “great location near Boston” or “strong math major.” You want to make it clear that you genuinely want to attend Tufts by doing your research. 

Finally, remember that attending college is not only about academics, but also what you do outside the classroom. So, sure to mention at least one extracurricular/social factor that drew you to Tufts, along with at least one academic aspect.

Choose from one of the three following options for Prompt 2

Prompt 2a: from recognizing break dancing as a new olympic sport, to representation in media, to issues of accessibility in our public transit systems, what is something that you can talk about endlessly what do you care about and why (250 words).

You have a lot of freedom with this prompt, so feel free to show some personality. The key to writing a strong response is picking a specific topic; take note of the examples given, and aim for that level of precision. A common pitfall will likely be discussing something too general, such as a sport. You can start by brainstorming wider topics, but then try to refine them and put spins on them that show more about who you are. Take the example of “running.” That in itself is much too broad, as many students could pick this topic and discuss how it’s a democratic sport that doesn’t require fancy equipment, or how it brings people together. Instead, look at this topic from a personal angle. Maybe you faced several running injuries but persisted to finally run your first marathon. A stronger example of a topic would be: “how running isn’t actually innately bad for your body, contrary to popular belief.” You could then discuss your personal experiences, how important it is to use proper form and build adequate strength, and how you want more people to experience running, as it’s been empowering for you .

Prompt 2B: Whether you’ve built circuit boards or written slam poetry, created a community event or designed mixed media installations, tell us: What have you designed, invented, engineered, or produced? Or what do you hope to? (250 words)

This prompt is perfect for creative students, but is also open to those who have a creative vision that isn’t yet realized–note the final part of the prompt, which asks what you hope to create. Writing about what you hope to create is also valuable, as it gives admissions officers further insight into your goals and how you might use a Tufts education.

If you have created something, here’s a way to outline your essay: 

1. Briefly tell us the story behind your creation. What inspired you? How did you build the skills to create what you did?

2. Walk us through the process of creation. How long did it take? Was it grueling? Did you work with other people?

3. Show us the impact of your creation. Did your writing resonate with others? Did the community event raise lots of money for charity? Did the computer you build run super quickly and make for a better gaming experience?

For those who hope to create, you can follow a similar outline, but in a more hypothetical sense. Tell us what inspired your desire to create, what you envision the creation process to be like, and what you hope the results to be.

Prompt 2C: We all have a story to tell. And with over 5,000 undergraduate students on our campus, that is over 5,000 stories to share and learn. What’s yours?  (250 words)

This is the most open-ended prompt of the three, and resembles the Common App prompts. To get started, you should reflect on the experiences in your life that made the person you are today. It could be growing up in a border town, which allowed you to meet people from all walks of life and become more open-minded. Maybe you’re an expert Rubik’s cube solver, but it took you months to finally master the skill. Or, perhaps you have a massive stamp collection, with help from people around the world.  

Whatever your story, be sure that it complements the rest of your application. If you already discussed your love of tennis in another essay, pick another topic for this prompt. If there’s an aspect of who you are that isn’t represented yet in your application, this is a great space to discuss it. 

Prompt 1: Which aspects of the Tufts curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? Why SMFA at Tufts? (150 words)

The first question is very similar to the “Why Tufts?” essay. However, this one asks you to tie your experiences back into why you want to enroll in SMFA. 

Your goal here is to make admissions officers clearly see you maintaining a presence in their SMFA program. If you don’t like being bound to the restrictions of having to be shuffled into a major, write about how the SMFA program’s freedom of delving into a specific medium or exploring a variety of options caters to your goals. Let’s say that you are interested in both the arts and doing research in a STEM field. Instead of having to choose between one or the other, at Tufts, you can take the shuttle to SMFA in the morning and research the impact of certain elements on human cells in the evening. 

Tufts is one of two schools in the nation that is affiliated with a museum. If you want to gain more insight into art history and see paintings for yourself, SMFA will allow you to do so. SMFA’s Morse Study Room even gives SMFA students access to papers that are not available to visitors. Therefore, those who wish to seek more than what is offered in the classroom and explore ranges of art will be well-suited to the program.

If there was a specific instance where you realized that you didn’t necessarily “fit in the box,” this prompt would be a good one to address that. But if you want to knock this question out of the park, ask yourself what you can contribute to the program. Tufts looks for students who want to add to the intellectual vigor of its campus. If you can convey the kind of person you will be on campus, Tufts will be able to visualize the impact you will make more clearly.  

As an artist, you have most likely developed some kind of theme or style that is recurring. Look back through your past works. Is there a pattern that seems to repeat itself? If so, write about that pattern and why it comes across your work so much. Did you grow up in New York City? Maybe your art reflects the bustle and diversity of the countless people you see every day. Or perhaps your art could signify the tranquility you seek away from the honking cars and glistening lights. If your work does not have a common theme, or if you are gravitating towards a different theme in your work, explain why this is. Tie your work back to Tufts and explain how a Tufts education will break the current limits you face as an artist. 

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Tufts University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Why this college short response.

Please complete the following statement: "I am applying to Tufts because..."

SMFA Short Response 1

Please complete the following statement: "I am applying to SMFA at Tufts because..."

Select-A-Prompt Short Response

Please use one of the short-answer prompts below to tell us more about yourself, your interests, and your experiences. We care about the ways in which your interests and experiences and will contribute to the Tufts community. Pick one of the following.

It’s cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity, and why?

How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?

Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.

SMFA Short Response 2

Please answer the following question – we encourage you to think outside the box. Be serious if the moment calls for it but feel comfortable being playful if that suits you, too. Your response must be between 200-250 words.

Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. What are the ideas you’d like to explore in your work?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Tufts University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 4

You Have: 

Tufts University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements:  1 essay of 100-150 words; 1 essay of 200-250 words.

Supplemental Essay Type: Why , Oddball

Think outside the box as you answer the following questions. Take a risk and go somewhere unexpected. Be serious if the moment calls for it, but feel comfortable being playful if that suits you, too. 

Applicants to the school of arts & sciences or the school of engineering:, please respond to one of the following three prompts in 200-250 words:, it’s cool to love learning. what excites your intellectual curiosity.

Tufts wants to accept intellectually curious applicants, so why not use this opportunity to rant and rave about your current obsession? Maybe you find marine life to be absolutely fascinating, and you’ve been reading up on the most dangerous creatures in the deep dark sea (and their preferred prey, of course). Or maybe you are super interested in Greek mythology and have been voraciously reading every book you can find on Poseidon and his many adventures. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What was the last fact or skill you learned outside of school that truly captured your imagination? The bottom line here is to discuss examples of what truly fascinates you, while also reflecting on what these examples say about your personality traits, interests, or learning style.

How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?

This is a classic community essay, through and through. Admissions wants to know what or who has made you into the person you are today. Where do you come from? What has shaped you as a person, and how has that made your perspective unique? What you focus on here can be reflective of larger cultural constructs or specific to you and only you. Tufts is looking to add diverse perspectives to the melting pot that is their student body. Is there anything you can teach your classmates about your hometown, traditions, culture, cuisine, orientation, identity, race, or ethnicity that they might not already know? Were you raised in a Muslim family in a small southern town? Do you identify as trans or queer? Were you adopted as a child? What has influenced your identity? What do you believe and how will your worldview bring something of value to the community at Tufts?

Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.

First of all, let us remind you that your “community” can be just about anything, from your neighborhood to your family to your comedy troupe. Pick a community that means something to you and the diversity narrative will fall into place. Maybe your progressive church welcomes people of all sexualities and gender identities, and you developed a brand new youth group for queer and questioning teens. Perhaps your school is incredibly homogenous and isolated, and you helped your Spanish class organize Skype chats with a school in Guatemala to learn more about different parts of the world while developing your Spanish skills. No matter your starting point, be sure you tell a clear story with a beginning, middle, and end that demonstrates your commitment to creating inclusive environments. It might be tempting to pen a vivid description of your community and leave it at that, but the point of an essay like this is to tell a story about you and your contributions.

Applicants to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts:

Please respond to the following prompt in 200-250 words:, art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. what are the ideas you’d like to explore in your work   .

Tufts wants to know what kinds of ideas keep you up at night. Your response doesn’t need to have static answers that will stay with you, of course; your ideas will change over your evolving life as an artist, but now is the time to try to pin down a basic explanation of what your art means to you, what it addresses, and for bonus points: why you want to spend the rest of your life immersed in it. Ultimately, like with all written components of your application, it’s integral to be highly specific and use personal details to bring your essay to life. This isn’t the place to be modest or undersell yourself; present your work proudly and succinctly, and admissions is sure to be impressed. Inspiration can be infectious, so be passionate and take them on a journey into your mind.

In addition, we will ask all applicants to complete this sentence in 100 words or less:

“i am applying to tufts because…” .

Well, well, well… the admissions department wants to know why you hope to attend Tufts University next fall. What a surprise. Start by browsing the Tufts website and reminding yourself why this school is on your list to begin with! Does Tufts offer a specific major that’s hard to find at other institutions? Is there a professor you’d really like to learn from or a club you want to join? What do you have to offer Tufts’ community? Maybe your favorite classes are the ones in which you and your peers discuss literature and debate symbolism. Perhaps you are the punniest person you know and think this core part of your character will help you assimilate into Tufts’ playful culture smoothly. Whatever your reasoning may be, share it with admissions—and be concise! 

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Why Writing? 

In an essay on the future of writing for the Chronicle , Corey Robin argues that “academic writing has never simply been about producing good papers.  It’s about ordering one’s world, taking the confusion that confronts us and turning it into something intelligible, wresting coherence from chaos.” Emphasizing process underscores how writing helps us to grapple with complexity: to articulate ideas, to analyze arguments, and to deepen reflection. Following are suggestions for reflecting on, defining, and communicating the role of writing in your course.  

• Reflect on and clarify the value of writing in your course. What do you value about writing? What knowledge and skills will students gain by engaging in the process of writing? For ideas about the benefits of writing for learning, see the Teaching@Tufts blog post on Reconsidering and Revaluing Academic Writing in the Age of A.I .
• Identify and distinguish goals for different types of writing. What types of writing do you include in your class, and how does each type of writing help students to work towards the learning objectives for the course? Low-stakes, informal writing poses different benefits than high-stakes, formal writing: for example, a final research paper prompts students to develop an argument and support it by analyzing evidence from multiple sources, whereas weekly discussion board posts invite students to stay engaged, develop their ideas, and connect the content to their interests.
• Invite students into a conversation about the value of writing for their learning. Creating space for students to articulate, for themselves and with their peers, the benefits of writing for their intellectual growth will increase their internal motivation. This conversation may be usefully held at the start of the semester, or each time you introduce a new type of writing or assignment.
• Share your experiences with the process of writing. In addition to sharing these experiences verbally, you might consider showing students examples of how your ideas develop through multiple drafts. 
• Encourage reflection along the way. Whether through class discussion or through private, informal freewriting, invite students to consider what they learned at each stage of the process.   

References & Resources 

Aikens, Kristina. (n.d.). Reconsidering and Revaluing Writing in the Age of AI. Teaching@Tufts. https://sites.tufts.edu/teaching/2023/08/15/reconsidering-and-revaluing-academic-writing-in-the-age-of-ai/  

Robin, Corey. (August 24, 2023). The End of the Take-Home Essay? Chronicle of Higher Education . 

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Tufts’ institutional approach to DEIJ on campus

On-campus offices and policies aim to implement tufts’ institutional deij strategy..

The FIRST Resource Center is pictured on February 1, 2023.

In the wake of recent Supreme Court  rulings impacting affirmative action, Tufts University  finds itself at a pivotal juncture. As legal constraints reshape admissions procedures, the necessity to foster diversity and inclusion on campus is incredibly pressing.  A previous article covered  the repercussions of these court rulings, spotlighting Tufts’  commitment to a holistic admissions approach. This article will discuss Tufts’ mission  as an institution to foster diversity and inclusion across campus for matriculated students.

Recent admissions data for the Class of 2028 is a signal of the diversity of the university's student body, with representation from all 50 states and over 100 countries. Furthermore, 11% of accepted students are first-generation students .

As Tufts seeks to continue supporting a diverse student body , it’s paramount that students feel welcome and have adequate resources available to them on campus. Key resources at Tufts include the Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Center , the Office of Institutional Inclusive Excellence  and p re-orientation programs.

Tufts University restructured its student-facing divisions within the Schools of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering in 2019, which included the formation of the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion.  Under the guidance of the a ssociate dean of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Success, the DSDI staff works across the schools to foster diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.  This division oversees various identity-based centers, including the Africana Center, Asian American Center, Center for STEM Diversity, FIRST Resource Center, Indigenous Center, Latinx Center, LGBT Center and Women’s Cente r .

These centers operate both collaboratively and autonomously, with the common goal of cultivating diversity at Tufts. They welcome all students and host numerous activities throughout the year such as field trips, lectures and social events.

Additionally, the StAAR Center  serves as a central resource hub for students seeking additional support. The  Office of Equal Opportunity  also works with the  StAAR Cente r on Title IX issues.

Jill Zellmer,  the  e xecutive director and Title IX coordinator of the OEO, expanded on this collaboration.

“I can say the OEO collaborates closely with the StARR Center to be sure students with accommodation requests based on disability and religion are appropriately accommodated — we do this with all the other campuses at Tufts as well,” Zellmer wrote in an email to the Daily.

Recognizing that faculty success contributes to student success,  this year Tufts has further intensified its efforts to foster a more inclusive environment through various initiatives. Monroe Franc e, v ice provost  f or IIE, highlighted these efforts.

“This year, we have also increased our faculty recruitment and retention efforts by launching a new cluster hiring initiative designed to attract faculty whose work centers on race and equity,” France wrote in an email to the Daily. “And to support our current faculty, we have been enhancing our mentoring programs; as faculty (especially junior faculty and faculty from underrepresented groups) grow and succeed at Tufts, so do our students.”

In addition to faculty-focused initiatives, the IIE is committed to increasing access and identifying areas for growth through data-driven assessments.

“The university is embarking on an accessibility study of our Medford/Somerville campus which includes participation of campus leaders from across the university, including my office,” France wrote. “Moreover, earlier this winter, after meeting with Tufts’ campus accessibility workgroup and incorporating feedback from the StAAR Center, [the IIE] administered an Accessibility Data Collection Form in the hopes of learning more about ongoing efforts and sharing them more widely with the entire Tufts community.”

As offices on campus conduct the accessibility study, the university concurrently emphasizes student-centered initiatives su ch as Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts and Voices, which play a crucial role in supporting underrepresented students before and during the application process. For accepted students, the BLAST  program supports first-generation college students and those from under-resourced high schools. Taking place the summer prior to their first year at Tufts, this six-week residential program  is manag ed by th e FIRST Resource Center with a goal of fostering academic excellence and inclusivity.

Voices is another institutional pre-college program that provides high school seniors with insights into diversity and community at Tufts, even before they apply.   Through panel discussions, interactions with current students and faculty, and engagement with resource centers , Voices aims to empower students and lay the groundwork for future mentorship .   Christina Nguyen , a junior, participated in Voices  when she was in high school.

Nguyen spoke about the importance of mentorship for first-generation students.

“I have a really good research mentor in the lab [I work in], but then it also transitions as a mentor outside of classes,” Nguyen said. “I think a lot of undergrad college students don't really fully understand what mentorship means and that sense of being able to know that you have someone to go ask [for] advice … and really putting a picture like who I can be in the future. I think that's so valuable.”

Once on campus, the four-day Building Engagement and Access for Students at Tufts pre-orientation program stands as another resource for admitted students stepping onto campus. The program focuses on addressing the unique experiences of first-generation and low-income students . BEAST  provides participants with essential support in acclimating to college life. Together, Voices, BLAST and BEAST  represent Tufts’  commitment to inclusivity and provide support to underrepresented students in their transition to college life.

There are also many student-led initiatives designed to cultivate diversity on campus.  The STEM Ambassadors program  is one example. Stemming  from the DSDI, STEM Ambassadors are student representatives from the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering . These ambassadors engage in outreach missions, visiting local schools to deliver presentations and conduct hands-on activities aimed at making STEM fields more accessible and inclusive, thereby encouraging students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in these areas.

I n  the STEM department s at Tufts, Nguyen also i dentifies accommodation for diverse learning styles and backgrounds as a significant barrier.

“Sometimes, you start off with a different playing field, and that’s sometimes not acknowledged by teachers,” Nguyen said. “They tend to just jump right in and assume that everyone can just best learn … the way that they teach.”

Despite these challenges, Nguyen  perceives the cultural climate within STEM departments at Tufts as generally positive, as faculty and advisors in the biology department have been welcoming and often try to do their best to be supportive. She particularly appreciates when professors take the time to acknowledge the contributions of scientists from underrepresented backgrounds.

“[It] really is meaningful for students, and especially as a woman and someone interested in science ,” Ngyuen said.

Within the sciences, Nguyen  also appreciates the emphasis on hands-on research opportunities, which contribute to an enriching academic experience.

“Staff and advisers have [all] been welcoming and amazing, and they do their best to make sure whatever questions or concerns students have are addressed,” Nguyen said. “Being an undergrad research institution, a lot of the labs on campus are geared towards training undergrads by giving them the opportunity to do research, so I like the hands-on aspect of things.”

However, she acknowledges that some underrepresented students may still feel marginalized or isolated within the classroom, particularly if they are the only person of color or minority present.

As for suggestions for improvement, as an upperclassman, Nguyen  felt that the resources allocated to helping students in life after Tufts were lacking. She described a feeling of bouncing back and forth between the Career Center and the FIRST Resource Center, also noting the disconnect between the faculty in the centers  and the lived college experience. As such, she struggled to find career professionals who she could relate to. Nguyen suggested a few areas for improvement.

“One aspect is maybe hiring more diverse people that have experience in different fields, so they have their own personal experience that they can speak about,” Nguyen said. “Or maybe there could be a system where an upperclassman, like a senior, can be able to talk to a [first-year] or sophomore about their internship programs. ”

As of late, there has been no shortage of debate in the broader public sphere about the increasingly large role that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and J ustice programs play in our educational institutions. Critics lambast such policies as divisive and unnecessary, whilst proponents cite demonstrably proven benefits .   Tufts  University is no stranger to these discussions.

However, as far as Tufts  is concerned, DEIJ is clearly here to stay.

“From the classroom to the library to the places that our staff, students, faculty, and administrators work in, it is important to promote a culture of inclusion, equitable opportunities, accountability, and a diversity of people and perspectives,” France wrote .

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2024 phd graduate – ontologist.

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Do you love to build ontologies?

Are you passionate about semantic information systems?

If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking an ontologist. As a member of our team, you’ll contribute to ontologies in a variety of domains. You will be joining a hardworking team of engineers and scientists who craft and implement novel methods for solving meaningful national security challenges. We are passionate about applying knowledge representation techniques to draw insights from and enable computational analysis of large sets of structured and unstructured data.

As an Ontologist

• Your primary responsibility will be to build ontologies.
• You will engage stakeholders to determine ontology requirements.
• You will work with subject matter experts to craft ontology content.
• You will contribute to quality assurance and validation practices.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you…

• Possess a PhD degree in a field related to Applied Ontology (e.g. Philosophy, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Logic, or Linguistics)
• Are proficient with Web Ontology Language (OWL2), Resource Description Framework Schema (RDFs), and Resource Description Framework (RDF)
• Are proficient with SPARQL
• Have a proven track record of conducting independent research within the field of ontology and knowledge representation
• Have excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work with a wide range of collaborators
• Have experience building domain ontologies
• Are proficient with ontology editors (e.g., TopBraid Composer, Protégé)
• Have experience with formal representations of logical reasoning and inference
• Have experience eliciting, defining, and communicating modeling requirements for domain before crafting ontologies that meet those requirements
• Have experience with multi- or intra-disciplinary collaboration.
• Are able to obtain a Secret security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You’ll exceed our minimum requirements if you have…

• A Doctorate degree in a field related to Applied Ontology (e.g. Philosophy, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Logic, or Linguistics)
• Experience working with a software engineering team to deliver ontology-driven software features
• Experience building domain ontologies based on a top-level ontology
• Comfort with weighing tradeoffs between semantic expressivity and project-specific implementation strategies
• Experience with any of the following: Basic Formal Ontology (BFO); The Common Core Ontologies (CCO); W3C standards such as SOSA/SSN and the Time Ontology; ontologies in the Open Biological and Biomedical (OBO) Foundry; as well as other semantic web standards, such as Dublin Core, SKOS, QUDT, and GeoSPARQL
• Experience with triple stores or graph databases (e.g., GraphDB, Stardog, Jena Fuseki)
• Experience with semantic software packages and frameworks (e.g., Jena, Sesame, RDF4J, RDFLib)
• Experience with semantic validation languages (e.g. SHACL, SPIN)
• Experience with software version management using GIT
• Experience with Python
• Experience applying ontologies in natural language processing, image processing, or in the normalization/integration of heterogeneous data sources.
• Coursework in data structures, databases, metaphysics, knowledge representation, algorithms, mathematical logic, mereotopology, or software programming

Why work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [email protected]. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.

Study at Tufts keeps patients ‘locked up’ for two weeks to unlock the mysteries of food

Jon Hamdorf is a free spirit who lives for adventure. His latest was a little different .

It started in mid-January when he checked into a 12th-floor room in a drab brick building in Boston’s Chinatown. At age 70, Hamdorf has no permanent address and spends his days traveling or living on his boat in Maine. But for this jaunt, this intrepid soul was confined to a rigid schedule, required to eat specific meals that were handed to him, and forbidden to go outside without a chaperone — all in the service of science.

“This, to me, is like going to Nepal or going to Israel. It’s like another adventure,” said Hamdorf, a retired CPA.

The thrill, he said, lay in the purpose. For three two-week stints, Hamdorf had agreed to become a study subject in a project seeking to answer questions that have troubled nearly every person who brings fork to mouth: What will happen in my body after I eat this food? Will it make me fat, raise my cholesterol, mess up my gut microbiome — or perhaps extend my life?

The Nutrition for Precision Health Study, a $170 million national research project seeking to enroll 10,000 people nationwide, aims to develop a way to pinpoint the optimal diet for every person. The study is being carried out by six clinical centers across the country, including the New England Clinical Center, run by Tufts University and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Current nutrition advice is based on averages, on what seems to work best for most people. But in many studies, people eating the exact same mix of nutrients have differing responses in measures like blood glucose or blood pressure, explains Holly Nicastro, the national study’s program director.

The study will try to find out exactly why, so that someday — it is hoped — people will be able to consume a diet tailored to their unique biology.

The study is also seeking to overcome the challenges that have long dogged nutrition research. Typically, nutrition data relies on asking people what they remember eating. But memories are notoriously inaccurate, and often biased by, say, embarrassment over having eaten that entire sleeve of Oreos. Nutrition for Precision Health is testing other methods of documenting what people consume, including with an app, a questionnaire, or a tiny camera mounted on eyeglasses that is activated by chewing.

“We have the technology to actually get away from the reliance on memory,” said Sarah L. Booth, director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “This is one of the exciting aspects of this study. We may be completely revolutionizing how we study nutrition.”

Participants first complete a “module” in which they follow their normal diet for 10 days and report what they ate. If they want to continue, they choose either to pick up prepackaged meals to eat at home or to enroll in the “live-in diet” module, the tightly controlled sojourn that Hamdorf selected. By keeping people inside and under watch, researchers can track — with precision and certainty — what people eat, and what effects those foods have throughout the body.

Hamdorf was among an inaugural group of four participants in the live-in diet phase in Boston. All had previously signed up for the All of Us Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, which aims to enroll 1 million or more participants to contribute their health data, including genetics, to build a database that can inform thousands of studies. Only existing All of Us members are invited to take part in the nutrition study.

On the first day, the participants gave blood and saliva samples, had their bones scanned, their metabolic rates measured, and their fat-to-muscle ratio documented. They were also equipped with blood-glucose monitors attached at the waist to continuously track fluctuations in blood sugar, and wrist bands that tracked activity and sleep.

The next day, the daily routines kicked in: 6:30 a.m. weight and vital signs taken; 8 a.m. breakfast; 12 p.m. lunch; 3 p.m. snack; 6 p.m. dinner; 11 p.m. lights out.

The strict schedule proved more liberating than confining, Hamdorf said. “It feels very good to be structured like this,” he said. “You just show up for the meals, and you don’t have to go shopping or anything.”

Between meals and tests, participants were free to use the exercise equipment on the 13th floor, stretch on the mats in the yoga room, gather in the game room, or relax in their spacious private rooms with picture windows. They loved interacting with many of the 150 people working in offices, laboratories, and the kitchen at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

Occasionally, they took a stroll outside, but only when a staff member could accompany them, lest anyone get an urge for an ice cream cone; the researchers must be able to attest that the participants ate only what they were served inside.

And what were they served?

Precisely at noon near the end of their first two-week stint, the four participants trooped to the 11th-floor dining room, accompanied by Paul J. Fuss, clinical research manager, who stayed to keep an eye on them as they ate.

The kitchen staff brought them plates wrapped in plastic and labeled with their names. Each meal is tailored to the individual’s calorie needs; participants are not supposed to gain or lose weight.

Each also has a tiny rubber spatula to scoop up every crumb. “We’re pretty much asking you to lick the plate without licking the plate,” said Kayla Airaghi, a dietitian. If they can’t finish, the staff will weigh the leftovers, tracking consumption down to a 10th of a gram.

On this day, Lori Mattheiss, 60, of Andover got a hamburger, peaches, and potato chips; her husband, Tim Carter, 63, was served two hamburger sliders. Jane Cashell, 75, of Clinton, ate broccoli, chicken nuggets, and mac and cheese. Hamdorf got Spanish rice, chicken with taco seasoning, and cheddar cheese.

“It’s not the food we normally eat,” Mattheiss said. “I’m eating things I haven’t eaten since I was a kid.” On other days she’s had a Yodel, Kool-Aid, canned fruit cocktail, Fritos.

In this two-week session, participants consumed what they called the traditional American diet. The researchers, however, resist labeling it; officially it’s described only by its contents, high in refined grains and sugar-sweetened drinks and low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish.

In the second and third two-week visits — which were spaced apart with at least two weeks in between — the participants ate high-fat and high-protein fare, and, finally, a diet replete with fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and fish (the four liked this one best).

The three diets were chosen not because they’re recommended but because they are the most common diet patterns in the United States, said Sai Krupa Das, a senior scientist at the center and principal investigator for the New England branch of the study. “They are reflective of what we consume as a nation,” she said.

And the goal is not to determine which diet is best, but rather to measure individuals’ varying response to the different components.

The researchers acknowledge that it will be difficult to attract a diverse population to this phase of the project. How many people can put their lives on hold for two weeks at a time? Carter and Mattheiss, who trade stocks online, worked during their stays, and other remote workers might be able to do the same. But bus drivers? Restaurant owners? Parents of young children? Even the $6,200 stipend for completing all three two-week sessions may not be enough to compensate for lost work.

Despite the challenges, the NIH’s Nicastro said, “We do have ambitious diversity goals,” which they expect to achieve at least with “Module 1,” in which participants eat what they normally do and record it. But even for the more demanding modules — the prepackaged meals or the live-in diet — research sites are working with churches, barbershops, community centers, and other places to sign people up for All of Us, and then recruit them into the nutrition study, Nicastro said.

Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, a professor at the Yale School of Public Health, who is not involved in the study, believes the Nutrition for Precision Health will probably answer some fascinating scientific questions — but, he said, it won’t do much to improve people’s health or reach those suffering the worst effects of a poor diet.

“We live in a country where about 70 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, and 70 percent or more of their calories are coming from ultraprocessed or junk foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages,” he said. “The problem is heavily concentrated among the poor.”

Pérez-Escamilla would much prefer to see a similar investment in efforts to increase access to healthy foods, such as “produce prescription programs” that supply debit cards to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

Christopher Gardner, a Stanford professor who has studied the health benefits of dietary components but is not involved with the Nutrition for Precision Health study, called it an “incredibly ambitious” project. He predicted that the researchers would identify the key good and bad bacteria in the gut, and which foods promote them.

Gardner serves on the scientific advisory board for a private company, Zoe, that is offering personalized nutrition advice based on biological information. People take at-home tests and get instructions on what to eat based on the results.

This is exactly what the NIH study eventually hopes to offer, but Das, the principal investigator in Boston, said the results will have stronger scientific backing. “The market’s always ahead of the science,” she said, when asked about Zoe.

At the end of their two-week stay, the participants face two full days of testing, every aspect of their biology measured. On the last day, they drink two cups of vanilla Ensure and then sit in a chair from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving blood samples at set intervals to measure how nutrients are metabolized.

The “live-in diet” sessions are expected to wrap up in mid-2026. Then, with a trove of data from each individual, multiplied across thousands of participants, the project will deploy artificial intelligence to come up with proposed algorithms for determining who should eat what. But that’s not the end: A series of studies will have to be conducted to validate those algorithms.

Nicastro is eager to learn what factors are driving individual responses. “It could be genetics, it could be microbiome, it could be something about the environment, and or probably a lot of these things mixed together,” she said. The ultimate goal is to enable doctors or dietitians to test for certain factors and then produce a personalized eating plan.

Meanwhile, the first four participants, settled back at home with their lime-green souvenir water bottles, are already finding themselves making changes in their diet. Cashell loved the third diet so much she’s trying to re-create the recipes in her kitchen. Hamdorf noticed that during the experiment he never felt hungry, yet looked forward to each meal — and realized he needed to eat more, and drink more water. Matthiess and Carter are trying to eat less in the evening and include more fruits and nuts.

All were gratified to have been part of the study.

“You don’t have many opportunities to contribute to important scientific research,” Carter said. “And I feel lucky that I am able to do that.”

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Home  /  News  /  EconoFact: A Rich Tufts Resource for Quick, Accessible Economics Digests

EconoFact: A Rich Tufts Resource for Quick, Accessible Economics Digests

Wednesday, April, 10th, 2024

When inflation peaked at 8.9 percent on a year-over-year basis in June 2022, many predicted—or even expected—a recession. However, between August 2022 and August 2023, consumer prices rose only 3.7 percent. The rapid deceleration surprised many, and left even experts wondering why we haven’t yet needed a recession to curb inflation.

Luckily, there are some answers—very accessible ones. That’s thanks to EconoFact , a website that focuses on distilling research into highly readable memos that explain the connections between complex research findings and a range of current economic conditions.

Founded and edited by Michael Klein and published by The Fletcher School’s Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World, the site offers answers to questions like the ones raised by the surprising rapid deceleration of inflation. In that particular case, a recent memo, “ Taming Inflation: No Pain, No Gain? ” draws on original research to show that expectations of inflation operate differently now from the way they operated during the last big disinflation in the early 1980s. People are now much less likely to think that current inflation will continue in the future, writes Kenneth Kuttner (Williams College). This tempering of expectations helps bring down inflation because, he notes, if inflation is expected to cool rather than continue apace, individuals don’t demand higher wages and prices are set lower.

Klein, the William L. Clayton professor of international economic affairs at The Fletcher School and a former chief economist (from 2010–2011) in the Office of International Affairs of the United States Department of the Treasury, launched the site in 2017, on the heels of the previous year’s presidential election.

“There was a lot of misinformation at the time,” he says. “I thought about what economists could do to help. I was teaching a course where students would translate what they learned about economics into something explainable in memo form—because that’s much more useful in a professional setting than writing a thirty-page academic paper. It struck me that something like that could appeal to a broad audience.”

Helping Readers Make Well-Informed Decisions

EconoFact , consists of several elements. At its core is the collection of memos on specific topics, such as labor markets, inflation, fiscal and tax policies, debt and deficits, climate change, inequality and poverty, and much more. Each memo delineates a specific topic in an accessible, nonpartisan manner, drawing on carefully conducted research, statistics, and economic reasoning.

For example, a recent EconoFact memo, “ Addressing Rising U.S. Debt ,” by Karen Dynan (Harvard) considers policy changes needed to tame the federal government’s ballooning debt, expected to rise over the next three decades to historically unprecedented levels. The memo lays out the economic and political disadvantages of instituting such policy changes but argues that those changes are necessary for narrowing the federal deficit.

Another memo, “ What Explains China’s Economic Slowdown? ” by Hanming Fang (Pennsylvania) examines the factors that have contributed to China’s stalling economy, including demographic headwinds that were slowing growth even before the country’s COVID shutdowns, an emerging slowdown in the real estate sector, and a re-emergence of state-led economic policymaking.

The nuances of such issues often get lost in academic jargon or are buried in long articles that aren’t conveniently available or that simply require too much of a time investment, Klein says. “There are a lot of subtle ideas from top researchers that we make accessible,” he adds. “We serve as a bridge for people’s understanding of the economy. Financial professionals, especially, need a deep understanding in order to make well-informed decisions.”

In addition to memos, EconoFact includes a weekly podcast in which Klein interviews top economists and researchers. Recent guests have included Larry Summers, speaking about today’s economic challenges ; Binyamin Appelbaum, Scott Horsley, Greg Ip, and Heather Long, speaking about the U.S. economy’s prospects ; and Alberto Cavallo discussing insights on inflation from an analysis of more than a billion prices .

The website also offers a video series targeted at students and an educators’ page that curates the website’s contents for economics courses by topic area.

A Reputable Resource

With more than 350 memos (since the site launched in 2017) and an ever-growing number of participating economists, EconoFact has established a loyal following. Klein—along with his team, including editor and Fletcher graduate Miriam Wasserman—keeps tabs on how highly valued the site is. Between September 2021 and the end of November 2023, the group published 77 memos that had more than 2 million views.

Major media outlets—and smaller ones too—rely on the site for information and also as a source of experts who can be interviewed and quoted in articles. A recent CNN article cited Klein in an interview about the value of the dollar, for example. An article in The Washington Post referred to an EconoFact memo about steel tariffs . MarketWatch , Investopedia , and NPR’s Planet Money have all relied upon EconoFact for data and analysis in recent articles and podcasts.

While it’s relatively easy to find references to the website in the media , until recently it’s been difficult to gauge how much politicians rely on it. Then, an intern at EconoFact got a job in Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office. “I spoke with the chief of staff there,” Klein says, “and she mentioned how much she appreciates and uses EconoFact .” Klein later learned that politicians’ staffers refer to it regularly, citing it in the analyses they produce because, in his words, “it’s nonpartisan, it’s short, it’s accurate, and it’s useful.”

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“These attacks can have massive consequences on both hospitals’ finances and patient outcomes, highlighting the need for more stringent requirements and oversight of hospital computer systems and security controls,” says Josephine Wolff. Photo: Shutterstock

Why Are Ransomware Attacks Targeting Health Care Providers?

Hospitals and other health providers are under threat from criminal gangs, and finding a fix is difficult

This article was originally published on  Econofact ,  a non-partisan publication designed to bring key facts and incisive analysis to the national debate on economic and social policies.  EconoFact is overseen by Michael Klein, a professor of international economics at The Fletcher School.

Data breaches and cyberattacks on hospitals and other health care facilities are on the rise . Hospitals and other health care organizations are highly susceptible to cyberattacks, including ransomware and data breaches, due to their vast collections of sensitive and valuable patient information , limited resources, legacy software, and need to interface with specialized medical technologies. 

Additionally, hospitals’ need to resume operations as quickly as possible following attacks to continue caring for patients has meant that they often pay ransom demands, causing more criminals to target them with similar such attacks. The resulting attacks on health care systems have caused major disruptions to patient care as well as massive financial losses for health care institutions.

Reports of costly and disruptive cyberattacks on health care facilities have been rising over the past few years. During a ransomware attack, malicious software encrypts data on a computer system making it unusable. The criminals will often steal the data from the system and hold the data hostage until a ransom amount is paid. 

Of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors tracked by the FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime report, health care had the highest number of organizations fall victim to ransomware attacks in 2023. The number of reported ransomware attacks directed at U.S. hospital systems nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, indicating that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting health care institutions. 

Reported ransomware attacks aimed at hospital systems nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023.

While it is difficult to know exactly how many hospitals paid the ransoms demanded in these cases, or how much those ransoms were for, charges filed by the US Department of Justice in 2023 against Russian cybercriminals indicate that hospitals paid more than $100 million in ransoms to just one group of cybercriminals. 

This suggests that hospitals are perhaps more prone to making ransom payments than other types of institutions and may therefore be more likely to be targeted by criminals.

There are several significant security challenges posed by hospital computer systems. One is that hospitals often have limited resources and expertise to devote to cybersecurity, but this is true at many other types of organizations as well. Another critical challenge for health care institutions is that they are often forced to run software that is compatible with older equipment and systems that they rely on for patient care. 

Trying to update operating systems or other software may cause problems in their systems’ ability to interoperate with older equipment, forcing hospitals to stick with older versions of software to enable compatibility with legacy systems . This makes it harder to install updates or upgrade hospital computer systems, creating major security vulnerabilities.

Ransomware attacks can cause significant disruptions to patient care. For instance, a 2021 ransomware attack on Scripps Health in San Diego resulted in a loss of electronic health records, imaging systems and telemedicine that impacted hospital operations for four weeks. Clinicians had to revert to manual processes including the use of paper medical records and ambulance traffic had to be diverted to other facilities. 

Adjacent hospitals that were not directly targeted by the attack were also impacted: They experienced increased emergency department and ambulance arrivals with a concomitant increase in waiting room time for patients and an almost doubling of the number of patients who left without being seen. 

Hospitals also face more dire consequences in the face of cyberattacks than many other institutions. In some cases, hospitals may have to shut down, or stop admitting new patients , forcing patients to travel further to another facility. 

In 2020, a hospital in Dusseldorf, Germany, suffered a ransomware attack and was unable to treat patients, so it sent a woman to another city for treatment and she died while being transported to the other hospital. 

In 2019, a baby born at the Springhill Medical Center in Alabama during a ransomware attack died nine months later. The mother later filed a lawsuit alleging that her child’s death was due to medical complications that resulted from the delivering doctor’s inability to access timely patient data because of an ongoing ransomware attack. 

These types of stories indicate the very high stakes that hospitals face when deciding whether or not to pay ransoms, and the reasons that they may often decide to make such payments in spite of the risk of inviting more such attacks in the future.

Health care cyberattacks can also have massive financial impacts, even when they do not directly impact patient care. For instance, in 2024 a ransomware attack on the company Change Health care that provides billing software to health care providers, cost hospitals billions of dollars because they were unable to use the software they needed to file claims with health insurers. 

These financial losses can further strain health care providers’ IT budgets and make it even more difficult for them to find resources for upgrading and updating their computer systems. Moreover, insurance coverage for cyberattacks can be difficult for hospitals to claim in cases like the Change Health care incident where they are not the direct victims of the attack, but are instead suffering the consequences of their vendors’, or in some cases even their vendors’ vendors’, vulnerabilities.

There are still relatively few regulations and rules that govern health care data security, leaving cybersecurity decisions largely at the discretion of individual health care providers and organizations. The Biden administration has shown some indications of wanting the Health and Human Services Department to set baseline cybersecurity requirements for health care providers, but those efforts are still in their early stages. The administration has also requested $800 million in funding in its proposed budget for 2025 to help provide resources to hospitals that need to improve their cybersecurity.

What this Means

Health care institutions remain extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the combination of storing lots of valuable information, supporting many insecure, legacy systems, and needing to get their systems back up and running as quickly as possible, making them especially susceptible to offering large ransom payments in response to extortion demands. 

While regulators have proposed some funding and cybersecurity requirements to help hospitals improve their security postures, these efforts are still in development, and for now, criminals continue to target health care institutions with increasing frequency. 

These attacks can have massive consequences on both hospitals’ finances and patient outcomes, highlighting the need for more stringent requirements and oversight of hospital computer systems and security controls. 

Josephine Wolff is an associate professor of cybersecurity policy at The Fletcher School, associate professor of computer science in the School of Engineering, and director of the  Hitachi Center for Technology and International Affairs. 

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