dualcolor

i was also accepted at tufts for a phd in chemistry, and i went to the campus visitation two weeks ago. though i do not know very much about rpi, i can tell you that i think tufts would be a great choice. at the beginning of the visit, the current students led a poster session. they were all very nice and enthusiastic about their research, which i think is a great sign. the students also really understood what they were doing and why. the faculty members that i met with were all very nice and seemed to have a good attitude about their students and the department. as far as reputation, i would say tufts has a stronger reputation than rpi, but both are considered very good schools. one aspect of tufts' reputation that i would also consider is that it is located so close to many other schools in boston (and other close-by parts of massachusetts), and well as tons of industry/biotech companies in cambridge. because many of your job prospects post-graduation may very well be in the boston area, tufts would be a very well-respected and recognized school to come from. i can also comment on what it is like to live in the area around tufts, as i have lived just one train stop away for two years now. you should definitely be able to have a comfortable life on the stipend that they will be providing. tufts is just outside boston, but not directly in the city. in my mind, this is perfect, because tufts is not in a hectic/busy location, but you can easily get in to boston and cambridge and enjoy all the city has to offer. public transportation in the area is awesome-- the subway (red line) is about a 10-15 minute walk from the tufts campus. after talking with the students, it seemed like many of them decide to live right in medford/somerville (within short walking distance of campus), but there were also some who live in other parts of boston and cambridge and take the subway in. i also just wanted to mention that although i am not an international student, i did notice that there do seem to be a pretty large number of international students in the chemistry department. i spoke with a few of the international members of the department and they did say they felt welcomed and happy at tufts, so that is a great sign too!