Tufts' student body may have become significantly more diverse in the last four years, but the geographical distribution of enrolled students has not changed greatly. The University, which traditionally attracts a large portion of its student body from New England, has been making consistent efforts to diversify its enrollment by recruiting students from other areas.
Since 1997, there has been a two percent increase in the number of enrolled students from the western US. There has also been a four percent decrease in the number of enrolled students from the New England area. But other than these minor adjustments, geographical distribution has not seen much change over the last four years.
Recent advances in diversity come not in the geographic breakdown of students but in culture and ethnicity. The number of enrolling students who listed English as their second language was 15 percent in 1997 but jumped to 22.5 percent in 2000. The percentage of students identifying themselves as African-American, Latino, Asian, or Native American went from 22.1 to 33 percent during the same time period.
The University is working to maintain ties with various areas around the world in order to increase geographical diversity. While the Admissions Office strives to maintain interest in areas that regularly send applicants, it also tries to make itself known in less well-represented locations. Admissions staff members visit approximately 15 foreign countries over the course of the application period and utilize an international network of alumni in order to maintain these globe-encompassing connections.
"[We're trying to] prepare students to operate in a global community... [so that they] understand the reality of different backgrounds and experiences," Dean of Admissions Dave Cuttino said.
Some students cite this international diversity as one of their prime reasons for choosing Tufts.
"One thing that's nice about Tufts is that you see kids from all around. Northwestern [my other main choice for college in the US] had a lot less international kids, and I took that into account when
choosing schools," Abdul-Wahab Kayyali, a freshman from Jordan, said.
Other students enjoy the international diversity but still see a student body that is concentrated in particular geographic areas. "While there is a significant and active international community here at Tufts, it does seem like most of the student body is from the Northeast," said Shaunik Panse, a freshman from New Jersey.
There have been slight changes in the geographical distribution of the student body in recent years, as it has expanded to include 44 states, the District of Columbia, and 41 foreign countries and territories. The largest portion of students in the Class of 2004, approximately 38 percent, come from the New England area, and students from the Mid-Atlantic states account for 29 percent of the class.
With eight percent of the freshman class coming from abroad, the proportion of international students in the class of 2004 is higher than certain regions of the US. Students from the Southwest comprise just two percent of the class, while seven percent are from each the South and Midwest.
Global changes also affect the geographic composition of international applications. Shifting perceptions about education in Singapore, for example, have resulted in an increase in applicants from that country. In recent years, families in Singapore have tended to send their college-aged children to school in the United States rather than Britain, accounting for part of this change.
