Dear J: I really want to do the Civic Semester program and take a gap year, but I'm worried about being one year behind and finding it hard to make friends.
J: I think you should do it! I've heard great things about gap semester programs; everyone I know who has participated in one has loved it. Socially, you will make friends at Tufts no matter what year you are in. You will also stay friends with the people that you meet during your program and will already be one step ahead of most new students upon arriving at Tufts.
Although I didn't do a bridge year (or semester) program through Tufts, I did take a gap year before coming here, and I was worried about the same things. But my gap year was very rewarding and worthwhile, and moving onto campus made me realize that there is no being "one year behind." We are all on our own schedules in life, and it won't matter to anyone whether you graduated at 22 or 23 or any other age. Follow your heart!
Dear J: Tufts is one of the schools to which I was accepted. I enjoyed the campus tour but I'm unsure about what decision to make. I hear a lot of rumors about every school. And as for Tufts, I've heard especially about the quirky culture and whatnot. Is it true? Will I fit in?
J: I promise you that once you move onto the campus of whichever school you choose, none of the rumors you heard or research you conducted will really matter. To your question about the quirky culture, I would say that Tufts students can definitely be "quirky." Like many other elite colleges, there can be rich and white spaces that I have personally felt uncomfortable in. I can't attest to whether or not you'd fit in, but I think that there are activities, clubs and friends here for anyone. The people here are kind and you can definitely find your group of people. Good luck!
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