While it may seem like they just arrived on the Hill, the Class of 2026 is now embarking on its final year of undergraduate studies, a year defined by fun senior events, stressful applications and lingering course requirements. For many seniors, the end feels within reach, as most of their degree-specific classes are things of the past.
“I’m pretty close to being done with everything,” John Cha, a senior double-majoring in computer science and psychology, said. “I have one more real-ish semester, and then the spring is going to be, like, a single class. So I’m quite excited … to get back into the chill mindset.”
Instead of frantically searching for openings in required courses, students like Cha are able to explore courses that excite them and may help in their future careers. For Cha, this is Computer Science 138, “Reinforcement Learning,” or as he jokingly calls it, “big boy machine learning.”
“I don’t need [to take the course], but I’m like, ‘How am I gonna go to college nowadays and not take as many AI courses as I can?’” Cha said.
Artificial intelligence, of course, is a contentious topic when it comes to the computer science job market. In August, The New York Times reported that computer science majors face unemployment rates of 6.1% due to big tech companies opting to use AI tools rather than real people. However, as an aspiring software engineer, Cha remains optimistic.
“I feel like anyone I talk to is like, ‘Oh, you think AI is going to take your job?’” Cha said. “Like, no, probably not. … As someone who uses generative AI fairly frequently, there’s a lot of limitations, and you still gotta do a lot of hand-holding. … I think people probably have a tendency to overestimate the impact of new technologies.”
It’s not just the computer science students who are feeling the job market stress. Senior biomedical engineering major Matthew Bishop is feeling similarly anxious at the prospect of starting his career.
“[I’m] excited to join the workforce, also a little scared,” Bishop said. “People at Tufts talk a lot about imposter syndrome, and sometimes I think it’s a lie, but I think other times, there is definitely this feeling of like, I haven’t ever really been tested before.”
That is not to say Tufts fails to prepare its students for the so-called ‘real world’; in fact, Bishop argues the contrary.
“I think Tufts has done an excellent job at preparing me for joining the workforce,” Bishop said. “I am anxious … but I’m going to give it my best.”
For those in a similar state of anxiety, do not despair: The Tufts Career Center has faith in your success. In an email to the Daily, Donna Esposito, executive director of the Career Center, shared her confidence in the Class of 2026.
“It’s completely normal to feel anxious about the job market, especially when the news mentions layoffs or economic uncertainty,” Esposito wrote. “Please know that Tufts students enter the workforce with resilience, adaptability and creativity, and the Tufts Career Center is an active partner in this journey. … Employers still seek strong communicators, quick learners and problem solvers — exactly the kind of thinkers a Tufts education helps shape. Even in tighter job markets, Tufts students continue to land meaningful roles.”
According to Esposito, one of the essential ways that Tufts students can obtain jobs — especially given the current job market prospects — is through alumni connections.
“Connecting with people in your desired field is often the key,” Esposito wrote. “Fortunately, through advising appointments, programs like our networking nights and resources like the Herd (Tufts’ networking & mentoring platform), the Career Center can help you make these kinds of fruitful connections.”
Furthermore, the resources provided by the Career Center do not expire upon graduation. Instead, as Nicole Anderson, senior associate director of alumni career services, wrote in an email to the Daily, Tufts provides continuous professional assistance to alumni.
“[Alumni Career Services] staff are dedicated to working with alumni from graduation through retirement and beyond,” Anderson wrote. “New grads can look forward to a monthly professional development webinar series, small group coaching sessions, funding for professional development activities like conferences and trainings, networking panels and events with 60+ alumni chapters and professional groups.”
Of course, not all seniors are planning on entering the workforce immediately after graduation. Some, like Anika Sareddy, instead aspire to continue their education at a higher level — a process that can be just as stressful as the job hunt.
“I’m planning to go to a master’s program or a Ph.D. program,” Sareddy said. “It is very stressful, and I wished someone told me to start thinking about it in junior year.”
Sareddy has already completed her class requirements for her biology degree, meaning she can spend less time studying and more time checking Handshake “religiously.” At the Career Fair, she asked potential employers about graduate school funding — something she advises other aspiring graduate students to do.
“I wish there were more jobs that were more open about … [paying] for your master’s,” Sareddy said. “When I asked people at the Career Fair last time, they were very open about it. They were like, ‘Yeah, of course,’ … and that was really good to hear, but I feel like I just wouldn’t know about it if I hadn’t asked.”
A few incoming seniors on the pre-med track — including biopsychology major Ada Yu — are able to confidently enter their final year thanks to Tufts’ Early Assurance Program. This highly selective program grants students guaranteed spots in the Tufts University School of Medicine without an MCAT score in their junior year, allowing them to focus on their studies in their final year rather than stress about medical school applications.
“Knowing … where I’m going next year, I can appreciate where I am now a little bit more,” Yu said. “That’s the foundation of the program. By removing the MCAT requirements … you have more time to do … activities that are more meaningful.”
With extra time on her hands, Yu is able to give back to her community through the Tufts Legacy Project, an organization she leads as one of the co-presidents.
“Our main goal is to foster intergenerational connections between college students and older adults like senior citizens in the Medford/Somerville community,” Yu said. “We meet every week and have guided conversations, and at the end of the year, all these conversations … about the senior resident’s life and lived experiences … [get] published in a book.”
Similarly, Bishop is looking forward to being the president of the Tufts chapter of Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honors society. One of his priorities is to encourage engineers to integrate more with students in the School of Arts and Sciences.
“I don’t think it’s in a hostile or exclusive way, but [engineers are] very cliquish, just by the nature of having all these classes that you have to take with [the same] group of people. And so it can feel very isolated … expanding that sort of circle of engineers and getting them more socially engaged on campus is really a priority of mine,” Bishop said.
When she’s not working at Tisch Library or in the lab, Sareddy plans to spend her senior year exploring the Medford/Somerville area.
“I love Tufts. I’m excited about utilizing the new building, Eaton … I’m excited to explore more places that I [haven’t gone to], and there’s a couple new cafes that I want to try,” Sareddy said.
For Cha, senior year will be spent participating in intramural sports.
“I’m a sucker for sports. I’m going to be on like three intramural sports teams this upcoming semester, so I’m super excited,” Cha said.
All in all, the Class of 2026 is coming in with high hopes for their last year at Tufts and beyond.
“I’m definitely looking forward to my last year,” Yu said. “Even though it’s a little bit bittersweet, I think it’s more sweet than bitter.”
