Alma Mater


It's Early Decision time for many colleges and universities — Tufts University, my own alma mater, included.

Beatrix did not apply to Tufts, and it breaks my heart just a little, while at the same time I know that she is on her own decision path and needs to make her own choices. Whatever school she picks will be So Damn Lucky to have her. She's had great support from her school in applications, and I'm so proud of her.

SPA had college counselors when I was there, but it was different. It was a much more self-directed search. Kids applied to fewer schools. My class, the class of 1985, was an over-achieving brainiac class, and my 3.85 GPA did not place me high in the pack; also, there was a lot less of a focus on other activities than there is now. Beatrix was even horrified to realize I had to *mail* in my application, which I typed.

I visited Tufts on a whim, of sorts. I had one college visit trip, where I accompanied my mom to Boston for a conference and did visits on my own while she was in session. I had visited Brandeis, and a few others in the area, which all seemed fine. But on an extra day, while she was in sessions, I took the Green Line to Lechmere and then a bus (there was no T out to the area at the time) and stopped by Tufts — no arranged tour or anything.

I knew the minute I stepped on the campus that this was where I wanted to be. Something about the Quad, and the general feel, hit me hard.

I honestly don't know if Tufts was as competitive then as it is now. I know that I was dissuaded from applying by my college counselor (I'm not even sure I told her when I finally sent in the application), and that there was a lot of surprise when I got in over several people ahead of me in class rank; those extracurriculars must have been more important than people gave them credit for.

What I do know is that it was exactly the right place for me. I made so many good friends, many of whom I am still in contact with now. I studied in London for a year because going abroad was expected. I navigated being in a new city and taking advantage of those resources. I learned so much — in my theater and English classes for my majors, of course, but in all my other classes too. I learned I was actually smart, and graduated magna cum laude in Drama, in English, and also in Thesis, even though a senior thesis was an optional thing that not many students did. The whole four years were transformational for me.

So today I'm a little nostalgic about my alma mater. I look forward to seeing announcements from seniors who got accepted there, and I am super-excited to see what choice Beatrix ends up making.

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