Many students come to Tufts to experience the wonders of Boston like the North End, clubbing, shopping, museums, and historical sites. Some Tufts students are also attracted to the university by the prospect of meeting students from other Boston area schools. Although Boston is a very college-friendly city--its population increases by the thousands each fall as students arrive on college campuses-many Tufts students do not consider themselves part of the intercollegiate Boston scene.
At first glance, cross-registration seems to be one of the easiest ways for Tufts students to meet other Boston-area students. According to the 2000-2001 Bulletin of Tufts University, "up to twenty course enrollments are available at Boston College, Brandeis University, and Boston University" each semester for full-time undergraduates. However, Tufts students can only enroll in a total of two courses at the aforementioned schools, and these courses must be in "departments for which there is no Tufts equivalent," like business.
Despite the information about cross-registration published in the Bulletin, some Tufts students are unaware of the option. Senior transfer student Tamar Jeknavorian said, "I was never informed that we could cross-register."
Other students are aware of the cross-registration option but don't know much about it. Sophomore Maggie Pastuszak said she remembered hearing about cross-registration but never received specific information about it. "It was probably in something I read about the school," she said.
Lack of information is not the only factor that hinders Tufts students from cross registering. Tufts'unique block schedule system is different from other schools' systems so it is difficult for Tufts students to fit cross-registered classes into their schedule. Also, according to Senior Class Dean Jeanne Dillon, Tufts students "don't really need to" cross-register. "They pretty much find everything they need here," she said. However, she added that cross-registration is "wonderful to have" because it allows students to reinforce their studies at Tufts with unique courses at other schools.
In addition to cross-registering at BC, BU, and Brandeis, Tufts students may also enroll in art courses at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. This semester, sophomore Irina Rozovsky is taking a Super 8 filmmaking class at the Museum School. She said she enrolled in the course because she "wanted to take filmmaking but they don't offer anything like that at Tufts." Although she hasn't made many close Museum School friends--many Museum School students take day classes, so mostly Tufts and other non-Museum School students are in her night class--she has enjoyed the class thus far. She said it has allowed her to experience learning in a different environment. "It's really nice to get off campus and branch out," she said.
However, she admitted that transportation time between Tufts and the Museum School can be a hassle. Depending on the Tufts shuttle and the T, it can take an hour or longer to commute.
Last year, sophomore Chris Cao registered for a Children's Book Workshop at the Museum School, but dropped it after the first session. Like Rozovsky, he said the commuting time between Tufts and the Museum School was frustrating. "With transportation, a three-hour class turned into a five-hour class," he said.
Tufts students can also experience the intercollegiate scene through student organizations. Junior Jamie Crawford is involved with the Intercollegiate Literary Society (ILS), an organization she founded in November 1999 as a forum for student writers. Although the group has already facilitated activities between Tufts, MIT, Harvard, and BU students, Crawford said it is difficult to keep a multi-school organization thriving. "Geographical separation makes it hard to interact," she said. Also, since many schools value a close-knit university community, students interested in ILS are often already very involved with literary groups at their home school and don't have time to coordinate intercollegiate events. Crawford said one possible way to improve ILS would be to establish a virtual, online literary community. "It's been really frustrating this year because we don't have any really good means of communication," she said.
Although coordinating ILS events has not been smooth sailing, Crawford that her involvement with students and professors from other Boston-area schools has shown her that "the literary world outside the university is thriving."
Other student groups have also been involved in intercollegiate events. Jeknavorian said, "The Armenian club here has done things with other Armenian clubs in the area," such as dances and board meetings. A capella groups also participate in concerts with other schools in the Boston area and beyond. According to sophomore Erin Turner, a member of the Jackson Jills, this year the group has performed with other a capella groups from Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Brandeis, Amherst, and SUNY Buffalo. She said she enjoys visiting differents kinds of schools and different areas of the country. "It's good to get off campus," she said.
Some Tufts students also meet other Boston-area students through the club scene. "Clubs are good to meet people from other schools, but you find it's hard to meet with them on a regular basis," said sophomore Sarah Brasslett. She said most people she meets at clubs "aren't interested in relationships."
Although she has met students from Harvard, Brandeis, and Wentworth there, she has found that she is usually too busy with activities and classes at Tufts to keep in touch with them.
However, sophomore Kevin Coyne said he has been able to maintain friendships with people he has met at Boston clubs. "I have a good deal of friends from surrounding colleges," he said.
