Features
5
tuftsdaily.com
Class of 2017 student narratives embody “Tufts-y” qualities by
Emily Bartlett
Daily Editorial Board
The Class of 2017 has been breaking records from the beginning, and the statistics will prove it. This year, Tufts admissions officers saw the largest applicant pool, lowest acceptance rate and largest yield on record. You can’t argue with the numbers, which show an 11 percent increase in applicants — to a total of 18,420 — and the lowest-ever acceptance rate of 18.7 percent. Now that the incoming freshman class is on campus, though, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Lee Coffin said that there is
still much to be excited about — beyond statistics — when it comes to the next four years. “I’m always struck, in August when I review the class one last time, by the student narrative, what comes through the files again,” he said. “It’s the sparkle of the people, which is harder to capture in a data point set. In all of those measurable, institutional areas, the class of 2017 is terrific.” Coffin went on to pinpoint what it is that we truly care about when it comes to incoming students each year. “We’re in this rhythm of matriculating people who are very ‘Tufts-y,’ and who embody all the attributes that we love
about this place,” Coffin said. So what are the attributes that make the student body “Tufts-y?” It comes down to how these 1,318 incoming students were chosen once academic requirements had already been taken into account. “They’re people who are engaged, engaging, and they’re not bystanders ... there’s a spirit of being ... [willingness] to stand up and get involved. Whether that’s in science or politics or activism or the arts — you see students with an openness to being engaged and to being part of a community that’s got a global view,” Coffin said. see ADMISSIONS, page 6
Tufts Glossary
A
lex’s Place: The library roof, dedicated to a former Tufts student, Alex Mendell. Go here for a stellar view of Boston’s skyline for a photo opportunity. You can even use it as a place to study when the sun is out since it has outlets.
B
rown and Blue: Perhaps one of the most unfortunate combinations of colors a school could have. Legend has it that students were given the freedom to choose Tufts’ colors and since they thought it was a joke, they selected this odd combination of sky and mud. Maybe it means that Tufts kids are down to earth?
B
ubs: Short for the Beelzebubs, the all-male a capella group on campus. Correct pronunciation: Bee-el-zuh-bubs, emphasis on the ‘el.’
B C
oston accent: When losing your khakis really sounds like you lost your car keys.
ookie Guy: John Piermarini, founder of Sweet Idea. Those people riding around campus in orange jumpsuits are, in fact, selling cookies — until 3 a.m. Your mouth will be watering for more once you try the snickerdoodle, and you can even order them for delivery by texting 424-241-2825. What a sweet idea.
D
aily: The independent studentnewspaperthatisranked No. 12 college newspaper in the nation by the Princeton Review. Tufts is the smallest research university to have a daily newspaper.
E
x-College: Where all the interdisciplinary classes are organized if they are not under the umbrella of a major ... yet. Topics of upcoming classes this semester range from Harry Potter to rape aggression defense to marketing.
G
oSafe: The system that allows you to call campus police if you’re feeling unsafe late at night and want a walk or ride back to your dorm. Call 617-6273030 and leave your information.
H i
ill Hall: So uphill, it’s downhill. You’ll get it soon, especially if you live there.
SIS: The Integrated Student Information System, launched earlier this year, supposed to streamline all student information for every Tufts school. Easily register for classes view your schedule or bills at this online portal. Or, not so easily. You decide.
courtesy undergraduate orientation office
This year’s winning shirt was designed by freshman Ben Averill.
T-shirt, banner contest make for immediate class bonding by Victoria
Rathsmill
Daily Editorial Board
Walking around campus, it is nearly impossible to miss students wearing their freshman orientation T-shirts. One student in each class gets to wear the shirt that represents not only his or her class, but design as well. Director of the Office for Campus Life Joe Golia
explained that the orientation T-shirt design contest is a long-standing tradition dating back to before he began working at Tufts in 2008. This year’s shirt was designed by freshman Ben Averill, with the words “Tufts University” bending into the shape of an elephant’s head and “Class of 2017” spanning the trunk. Seniors Mitch Mosk and
CJ Graham, Undergraduate Orientation coordinators, sent a notice to the Tufts Orientation Facebook group in June asking incoming freshmen to submit designs for their orientation T-shirt. The designs had to include the Tufts University logo and class year, and a maximum of three colors. see T-SHIRT, page 6
J
umbo: Tufts’ mascot, Jumbo the elephant, is the only mascot to appear in Webster’s Dictionary. Jumbo was a male African elephant that belonged to P.T. Barnum. When a train hit Jumbo in Ontario, Canada, Barnum donated the elephant’s hide, which was eventually put on display in the Barnum Museum of Natural History (now Barnum Hall). After a fire at Barnum Hall in 1975, Jumbo’s ashes were put in a peanut butter jar, and athletes have been rubbing the container for good luck since 1975.
J
oey: Short for Joseph’s Transportation, the buses that run from Davis Square and back to campus. Seldom on time, but extremely useful when you need to get off campus in a hurry ... or if you’re lazy and don’t want to walk uphill.
L
CS: Short for the Leonard Carmichael Society, the umbrella organization for community service at Tufts. With 32 different programs and approximately 1200 volunteers annually, you’ll be able to find your niche here.
M
oe’s: The popular spot for a quick late-night bite on weekends, “Moe’s BBQ Trolly” at the corner of Professor’s Row and Packard Avenue, serves burgers, hot dogs and so much more.
P
urple Hallway: A popular meeting spot in Tisch Library — just walk past the initial reference books and the first few hallways of fourperson tables. No promises about how much studying you will get done here.
R
ape Steps. The steps at the intersection of Winthrop Street and Capen Street. Legend has it that there was a competition for the engineers on campus to design a set of steps for this hill so that women could use the stairs to get back on campus more easily than men could, thereby avoiding harassment.
T
EMS: Tufts Emergency Medical Services, providing prompt and emergency medical attention to the Tufts community since 1985. Students can become a member of the team once certified as Emergency Medical Technicians. How does one use it in a sentence? “She got TEMSed, dude!”
T
rick turn: Head over to Hodgdon Hall and down the stairs to Hodgdon Good-to-Go to get free snacks (for those of you with unlimited meal plans) after you swipe in for a meal at Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center or Carmichael Dining Center. Yum.
T U V
UPD: Tufts University Police Department. Yes, we have our own!
ltimate: Ultimate Frisbee. Join the team, or throw around with your friends on the quad. arsity athletics: Is that something that exists here? Yes! The softball and field hockey teams both won the NCAA Divison III Championship this year.
W
alnut Hill: In other words, the hill you climb up and down all day on campus ... Get used to it, even though nobody uses its actual name.
Y
OLO: You Only Live Once. The Admissions Department has a brand new supplement question for Class of 2018: What does #YOLO mean to you?
Z
ip code: Campus is split into two zip codes. Depending on where you are you could be in 02155 or 02144. Pay attention if you really do want to get those care packages from home!
Editor’s note: This article contains information used in previous Matriculation issues. —compiled by Shannon Vavra