Tufts Words of Tufts Words of Wisdom!Wisdom!FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

12 September 201112 September 2011

Tufts has a problem shared by most Tufts has a problem shared by most competitive universities: After it competitive universities: After it rejects the weak and admits the rejects the weak and admits the geniuses, too many decent geniuses, too many decent applicants remain – about three for applicants remain – about three for every spot.every spot.

Recommendations and polished Recommendations and polished essays “all pretty much say the essays “all pretty much say the same things,” says Lee Coffin, dean same things,” says Lee Coffin, dean of undergraduate admissions. of undergraduate admissions.

Shared ProblemsShared Problems

Valued Qualities Valued Qualities So for the second year, Tufts is So for the second year, Tufts is

inviting applicants to write an inviting applicants to write an optional essay to help admissions optional essay to help admissions officers pinpoint qualities the officers pinpoint qualities the university values:university values: Practical IntelligencePractical Intelligence Analytical AbilityAnalytical Ability CreativityCreativity Wisdom Wisdom

These attributes make students These attributes make students intellectual leaders, according to intellectual leaders, according to Tufts’ dean of arts and sciences, Tufts’ dean of arts and sciences, Robert J. Sternberg – a psychologist Robert J. Sternberg – a psychologist whose work on measuring whose work on measuring intelligence inspired the experiment. intelligence inspired the experiment.

Applicants choose one of eight Applicants choose one of eight unlabeled questions, each designed unlabeled questions, each designed to home in on a different attribute. to home in on a different attribute.

Questions will change every year. Questions will change every year.

Intellectual LeadersIntellectual Leaders

In the last admissions cycle, Mr. In the last admissions cycle, Mr. Coffin says, only Coffin says, only a thirda third of the of the essayists demonstrated one of the essayists demonstrated one of the four qualities. four qualities.

They were They were twicetwice as likely to be as likely to be admitted as other applicants. admitted as other applicants.

What follows are examples of each What follows are examples of each quality, as illustrated by members of quality, as illustrated by members of Tufts University’s most recent Tufts University’s most recent freshman class. freshman class.

Advantage to the BoldAdvantage to the Bold

Tufts’ Definition: Can implement an Tufts’ Definition: Can implement an idea, i.e., gather the necessary idea, i.e., gather the necessary resources, attract others to the resources, attract others to the cause and lead them to a solution.cause and lead them to a solution.

Question: Describe a moment in Question: Describe a moment in which you took a risk and achieved which you took a risk and achieved an unexpected goal. How did you an unexpected goal. How did you persuade others to follow your lead? persuade others to follow your lead? Which lessons did you draw from this Which lessons did you draw from this experience?experience?

Quality One: PracticalityQuality One: Practicality

My family owns a vacant town home, so at My family owns a vacant town home, so at our weekly family meeting I suggested we our weekly family meeting I suggested we offer it to a Katrina family. offer it to a Katrina family.

When my father contacted the homeowners’ When my father contacted the homeowners’ association, we received a certified letter association, we received a certified letter from them stating that a Katrina family was from them stating that a Katrina family was prohibited from living in our town home prohibited from living in our town home because the bylaws prohibit “transients.”…because the bylaws prohibit “transients.”…

I called the local newspaper and talked to a I called the local newspaper and talked to a family reporter about the Katrina family…family reporter about the Katrina family…

When the board considered their racist When the board considered their racist position being printed in the newspaper, the position being printed in the newspaper, the morality of the issue was forced on them. morality of the issue was forced on them.

Quality One: ExampleQuality One: Example

She does not sit back and watch life She does not sit back and watch life go by. go by.

Academically, she is not the Academically, she is not the strongest applicant from this school, strongest applicant from this school, but she has very compelling personal but she has very compelling personal qualities, initiative and drive. qualities, initiative and drive.

Quality One: FeedbackQuality One: Feedback

Tufts’ Definition: Can assess an idea Tufts’ Definition: Can assess an idea for its feasibility and logic.for its feasibility and logic.

Question: An American adage states Question: An American adage states that “curiosity killed the cat.” If that that “curiosity killed the cat.” If that is correct, why do we celebrate is correct, why do we celebrate people like Galileo, Lincoln and people like Galileo, Lincoln and Gandhi, individuals who imagined Gandhi, individuals who imagined longstanding problems in new ways longstanding problems in new ways or who defied conventional thinking or who defied conventional thinking to achieve great results?to achieve great results?

Quality Two: Analytical AbilityQuality Two: Analytical Ability

While we celebrate the great While we celebrate the great thinkers who challenged thinkers who challenged predominant beliefs in the past, we predominant beliefs in the past, we hypocritically criticize those who do hypocritically criticize those who do the same today. the same today.

Gay marriage advocates are Gay marriage advocates are criticized today as threatening the criticized today as threatening the institution of marriage…institution of marriage…

This ironic situation emanates from This ironic situation emanates from the fact that human nature finds the fact that human nature finds comfort in conformity. comfort in conformity.

Quality Two: ExampleQuality Two: Example

His teacher recommendation says he His teacher recommendation says he embraces critical thinking. embraces critical thinking.

His essay highlights that. His essay highlights that. It reveals a well-reasoned, It reveals a well-reasoned,

opinionated and grounded student. opinionated and grounded student.

Quality Two: FeedbackQuality Two: Feedback

Tufts’ Definition: Can think outside Tufts’ Definition: Can think outside the box.the box.

Question: Create a short story using Question: Create a short story using one of these topics: “The End of one of these topics: “The End of MTV,” “Confessions of a Middle MTV,” “Confessions of a Middle School Bully,” “The Professor School Bully,” “The Professor Disappeared” or “The Mysterious Disappeared” or “The Mysterious Lab.”Lab.”

Quality Three: CreativityQuality Three: Creativity

Confessions of a Middle School BullyConfessions of a Middle School Bully ““Hey, Ugly,” I think I called her…and Hey, Ugly,” I think I called her…and

the laughter rolled softly like twin the laughter rolled softly like twin tympanies behind me, and she tympanies behind me, and she hiccupped. hiccupped.

But now I felt a beat – I knelt in the But now I felt a beat – I knelt in the seat, and started to preach “Ugly!” to seat, and started to preach “Ugly!” to the assembled crowd, walking, playing the assembled crowd, walking, playing the bus, like Louie A on a red-hot horn, the bus, like Louie A on a red-hot horn, burning right through the solo of Opus burning right through the solo of Opus 1. 1.

Quality Three: ExampleQuality Three: Example

Her essay takes the form of an opus, Her essay takes the form of an opus, a very original construct. a very original construct.

She weaves her orchestral She weaves her orchestral experience in as she turns the bus experience in as she turns the bus into a faux orchestra pit. into a faux orchestra pit.

Quality Three: FeedbackQuality Three: Feedback

Tufts’ Definition: Can assess an idea Tufts’ Definition: Can assess an idea for service to the common good.for service to the common good.

Question: A high school curriculum Question: A high school curriculum does not always afford much does not always afford much intellectual freedom. Describe one of intellectual freedom. Describe one of your unsatisfied intellectual your unsatisfied intellectual passions. How might you apply this passions. How might you apply this interest to serve the common good interest to serve the common good and make a difference in society?and make a difference in society?

Quality Four: WisdomQuality Four: Wisdom

I love Shakespeare not only for the I love Shakespeare not only for the deliciousness of its language, but for its deliciousness of its language, but for its applicability to current events. applicability to current events.

Political instability and rapidly changing Political instability and rapidly changing current events in the Congo? current events in the Congo? MacbethMacbeth draws shocking parallels. draws shocking parallels.

Race relations in South Africa causing Race relations in South Africa causing unrest? Sounds like unrest? Sounds like Othello.Othello.

Since many people in India, Africa, and Since many people in India, Africa, and Latin America can’t afford to read or Latin America can’t afford to read or attend plays, I want to take Shakespeare attend plays, I want to take Shakespeare to them. to them.

Quality Four: ExampleQuality Four: Example

Quality Four: FeedbackQuality Four: Feedback She personifies the concept of She personifies the concept of

intellectual citizenship. intellectual citizenship. She’s taken what she knows and She’s taken what she knows and

loves and formed a creative and loves and formed a creative and unique idea she hopes to use to unique idea she hopes to use to enrich the lives of others.enrich the lives of others.