Tufts US News Ranking

[SilverItchyMous]

Does anyone know why Tufts is ranked so low on US News research rankings? I feel that the medical school name doesn't even come close to its undergraduate prestige. If I remember correctly its ranking fell from 46 to 51 in just one year last year. For the people who already attend the school, is the leadership aware of this and what are they doing to fix this problem?

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[aSagacious]

Moving to the school-specific discussions forum.

 

[235788]

There are "too many" good medical schools.

 

[SilverItchyMous]

There are "too many" good medical schools.

Damn, why can't Tufts be good among the great schools? like USC or NYU for instance. The three unergraduate counterparts are on a par with each other, but their medical schools surpass Tufts in almost every way, starting from the research ranking. Why haven't a rich ass billoanaire donated gazillions of dollars to Tufts like Langone or Perelman in return for having his name juxtaposed to the school name.

 

[RedSox10]

I'm not sure why this is so concerning to you. The jump doesn't seem that significant and I wouldn't say that Tufts has better undergraduate prestige. That being said, I don't know why it dropped at all--my guess is that US News needs to change things up from year to year and perhaps some other schools expanded their facilities, got new SIM centers, etc. which brought them up and by default moved Tufts lower. That being said, I'm from Boston and recently read that Tufts just got Trauma Level 1 approval (from a level 2) so I wouldn't be shocked if it jumps back to 46 next year.

 

[ialwayslose]

I really don't think you should be concerned with whether your school of interest is ranked 46th or 51st. I don't think Tufts undergrad really has that much name prestige either, but maybe that is just me.

 

[Whatyousay]

I really don't think you should be concerned with whether your school of interest is ranked 46th or 51st. I don't think Tufts undergrad really has that much name prestige either, but maybe that is just me.

For a few years of my life, Tufts and Hupplepuff were basically interchangeable in my vocabulary.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

OP must have gone tufts undergrad

 

[SilverItchyMous]

I really don't think you should be concerned with whether your school of interest is ranked 46th or 51st. I don't think Tufts undergrad really has that much name prestige either, but maybe that is just me.

Are you from the West Coast? How would the people from the Midwest judge the name prestige of USC vs Tufts (just curious).

 

[Chrome19]

The obsession with rankings on SDN is a tad too much. Most rankings are derived from research and research grants, and if you are not doing research or making it your career what's the big deal? As long as you pass your boards and get good clinical grades you'll be fine.

Tufts is a good university. Roderick Mackinnon, M.D. a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, went to Tufts for medical school, and then did a postdoc at Brandeis with Chris Miller, Ph.D. I guarantee Prof. Mackinnon would still be a top researcher even if he went to Hopkins or Podunk Medical School. Good people are everywhere and the experience is what you make of it.

 

[gloeotrichia]

Are you from the West Coast? How would the people from the Midwest judge the name prestige of USC vs Tufts (just curious).

I am from the Midwest, and I had never even heard of Tufts until I moved to New England a few years ago. I had, however, heard of USC. So, name prestige of Tufts for me was zero, while I did consider USC to be a good school.

 

[raltima07]

I am from the Midwest, and I had never even heard of Tufts until I moved to New England a few years ago. I had, however, heard of USC. So, name prestige of Tufts for me was zero, while I did consider USC to be a good school.

I think that you might be slightly affected by the sports of USC. It is much more of a household due to sports and thus it stands out a bit more (not bashing tufts or anything)

 

[gloeotrichia]

I think that you might be slightly affected by the sports of USC. It is much more of a household due to sports and thus it stands out a bit more (not bashing tufts or anything)

Yes, it was a poor choice for comparison. I'm sure there are plenty of small private schools in California I've never heard of.

 

[pp77]

Somebody posted the Residency Director rankings and Tufts was ranked significantly higher their (~30 IIRC). At my interview the current students said the Match List was a big draw for them. Intuitively, I would guess that Tufts punches a bit above its weight in the Northeast, but probably does less well in the South and Midwest?

I don't know about name recognition; I would imagine that it's about the same as any school not famous in its own right (Mayo) or affiliated with a famous university (the Ivies etc.).

 

[tarheel2011]

I think someone already mentioned this on the Tufts thread, but Tufts' US News residency directors assessment score is a 3.6 out of 5, compared to 3.4 BU (#34), 3.4 NYU (#30), 3.7 USC (#36). Personally, I find that to be actually relevant and encouraging. Tufts is absolutely "known" and viewed positively by the people that actually have a bearing on your career! Have you seen Tufts' latest match list? It's very nice in a wide range of specialties (like 15/15 matched ortho, if I remember right from my interview day). And isn't that what's important? Being able to do whatever specialty you want to do (as long as you take care of your own business)? So, I guess my point is that Tufts is indeed "ranked" very well compared to other programs where it actually counts for most students.

 

[tarheel2011]

Somebody posted the Residency Director rankings and Tufts was ranked significantly higher their (~30 IIRC). At my interview the current students said the Match List was a big draw for them. Intuitively, I would guess that Tufts punches a bit above its weight in the Northeast, but probably does less well in the South and Midwest?

I don't know about name recognition; I would imagine that it's about the same as any school not famous in its own right (Mayo) or affiliated with a famous university (the Ivies etc.).

Ha, we were on the same page at the same time.

 

[pp77]

Ha, we were on the same page at the same time.

Great minds 😉

As far as Tufts vs USC vs NYU, while there probably is a hierarchy (NYU>USC>Tufts, I would think), I don't know that it's so significant as to actually impact graduating students in a meaningful way. But maybe I'm just saying that since Tufts is the only one to give me an interview 😉

 

[tiedyeddog]

How can anyone afford to go to tufts?!

 

[EBTrailRunner]

How can anyone afford to go to tufts?!

Best point so far.

 

[ialwayslose]

Are you from the West Coast? How would the people from the Midwest judge the name prestige of USC vs Tufts (just curious).

I am actually from Boston, and I have worked at Tufts. I also knew many students who went to Tufts undergrad, which perhaps sways my opinion of the school in a negative way. Tufts is located in Chinatown, but that itself isnt really that bad in Boston. Tufts is also extremely expensive. California sounds much more pleasant (ignorant as to USC's location), so I would probably choose USC over tufts based on my very subjective reasoning.

As another poster mentioned, I only know USC for its football, and my impression (lets see how wrong I am) is that its a large school with lots of West Coast kids that is about average. I don't think being a graduate of either medical school would give you an advantage over a better performing student from another. 3.6 vs. 3.4; what does that even mean? (I know its a residency director ranking, but srsly - could that just be a result of a lower STEP I average at USC?). Just some food for thought.

 

[drizzt3117]

Residency director rankings might be third only to step 1 and us news in useless metrics for evaluating the quality of medical schools. Randomly selected program directors from random specialties? Think any surgery PDs hsve time to even fill out that BS? LOL...

 

[pp77]

Residency director rankings might be third only to step 1 and us news in useless metrics for evaluating the quality of medical schools. Randomly selected program directors from random specialties? Think any surgery PDs hsve time to even fill out that BS? LOL...

What are some good metrics?

 

[Alejandro]

LOL, I second the cost question. Who cares about the school itself....what about the freakin tuition/cost of living!?!??!?!?

 

[Slack3r]

I really don't think you should be concerned with whether your school of interest is ranked 46th or 51st. I don't think Tufts undergrad really has that much name prestige either, but maybe that is just me.

Yuuup.

 

[drizzt3117]

What are some good metrics?

The only objective metrics that I find useful are NIH funding, COA, and presence/absence of residency programs of interest. This is a subjective process abd pretending otherwise is deluding yourself.

 

[mipp0]

Residency director rankings might be third only to step 1 and us news in useless metrics for evaluating the quality of medical schools. Randomly selected program directors from random specialties? Think any surgery PDs hsve time to even fill out that BS? LOL...

The best advice ever.

Not even 20% of those surveys are filled out.

 

[mipp0]

Yuuup.

From NorCal, never even heard of Tufts until last year when applying.

 

[mipp0]

I am actually from Boston, and I have worked at Tufts. I also knew many students who went to Tufts undergrad, which perhaps sways my opinion of the school in a negative way. Tufts is located in Chinatown, but that itself isnt really that bad in Boston. Tufts is also extremely expensive. California sounds much more pleasant (ignorant as to USC's location), so I would probably choose USC over tufts based on my very subjective reasoning.

As another poster mentioned, I only know USC for its football, and my impression (lets see how wrong I am) is that its a large school with lots of West Coast kids that is about average. I don't think being a graduate of either medical school would give you an advantage over a better performing student from another. 3.6 vs. 3.4; what does that even mean? (I know its a residency director ranking, but srsly - could that just be a result of a lower STEP I average at USC?). Just some food for thought.

When did rank #23 university with one of the best business alumni networks and medical school affiliated with LA County become average? No, the results of the residency director ranking are unreliable, because we have no idea which RD filled out those surveys and not even 20% are filled out. Like drizzt mentioned, it is a useless metric.

 

[ialwayslose]

When did rank #23 university with one of the best business alumni networks and medical school affiliated with LA County become average? No, the results of the residency director ranking are unreliable, because we have no idea which RD filled out those surveys and not even 20% are filled out. Like drizzt mentioned, it is a useless metric.

As another poster mentioned, I only know USC for its football, and my impression (lets see how wrong I am) is that its a large school with lots of West Coast kids that is about average.

So I guess I was wrong - I am from the East Coast, so I am ignorant to the exact level of USC compared to other large schools elsewhere in the US.

IMO beyond a certain point - say top 10 (arbitrary) - and before a certain point - say before top 50 - all schools will be considered "good schools." If you tell someone, "I go to USC" they will say, "Oh, thats a good school." If you tell someone, "I go to Tufts" they will say "Oh thats a good school." Neither school, ranked 23 or 43 or 32 what have you, is going to make someone fall out of their seats in admiration of prestige.

 

[pp77]

So I guess I was wrong - I am from the East Coast, so I am ignorant to the exact level of USC compared to other large schools elsewhere in the US.

IMO beyond a certain point - say top 10 (arbitrary) - and before a certain point - say before top 50 - all schools will be considered "good schools." If you tell someone, "I go to USC" they will say, "Oh, thats a good school." If you tell someone, "I go to Tufts" they will say "Oh thats a good school." Neither school, ranked 23 or 43 or 32 what have you, is going to make someone fall out of their seats in admiration of prestige.

I agree. USC probably wins the majority of the cross-admit battles with Tufts, but there's not some great yawning chasm separating the two schools imo.

 

[hopeful22213]

OP why are you so concerned about it? Do you attend Tufts? Both are solid schools even if neither carries the same type of cachet as some more prestigious universities. Neither Tufts nor USC is even close to the best school in their respective states but most people would also be perfectly happy attending either, issues like cost aside.

 

[drizzt3117]

If you talk to sometime not from the NE and say you went to tufts, they'll be like you went where??? I never even heard of it till I did UG in Boston.

So I guess I was wrong - I am from the East Coast, so I am ignorant to the exact level of USC compared to other large schools elsewhere in the US.

IMO beyond a certain point - say top 10 (arbitrary) - and before a certain point - say before top 50 - all schools will be considered "good schools." If you tell someone, "I go to USC" they will say, "Oh, thats a good school." If you tell someone, "I go to Tufts" they will say "Oh thats a good school." Neither school, ranked 23 or 43 or 32 what have you, is going to make someone fall out of their seats in admiration of prestige.

 

[eagle34]

If you talk to sometime not from the NE and say you went to tufts, they'll be like you went where??? I never even heard of it till I did UG in Boston.

Number 2 state represented when I went to Tufts was Jersey and number 3 was Cali. So I think some people from other states probably have heard about it. Plus I think it's one of undergrads with a large amount of International student body. It's division 3 and not known
For sports, but it's known very well in academic circles, also with one of the best diplomacy grad schools. Just because some people from Midwest or west eastern states haven't heard about it, I'd bet that people who count like admissions and residency directors know it fine.

 

[MT Headed]

Number 2 state represented when I went to Tufts was Jersey and number 3 was Cali. So I think some people from other states probably have heard about it. Plus I think it's one of undergrads with a large amount of International student body. It's division 3 and not known
For sports, but it's known very well in academic circles, also with one of the best diplomacy grad schools. Just because some people from Midwest or west eastern states haven't heard about it, I'd bet that people who count like admissions and residency directors know it fine.

I think your California statistic says more about the repulsive effect of California's medical schools than the attractive effect of Tufts' reputation. The fact that California wasn't the #2 represented state (like they are at most medical schools in the USA) speaks volumes about Tufts' obscurity, really.

Tufts is well known out here in the Montana hinterlands, but that's on account of their excellent veterinary school.

 

[drizzt3117]

I guess, Tufts is an ok school but it's certainly 3rd fiddle in Boston and IMO an afterthought for residency programs there...

Number 2 state represented when I went to Tufts was Jersey and number 3 was Cali. So I think some people from other states probably have heard about it. Plus I think it's one of undergrads with a large amount of International student body. It's division 3 and not known
For sports, but it's known very well in academic circles, also with one of the best diplomacy grad schools. Just because some people from Midwest or west eastern states haven't heard about it, I'd bet that people who count like admissions and residency directors know it fine.

 

[eagle34]

I guess, Tufts is an ok school but it's certainly 3rd fiddle in Boston and IMO an afterthought for residency programs there...

I was talking more about Tufts undergrad than medical school. I went there for undergrad but ended up choosing BU over Tufts for medical school. I'm not sure what their state distribution for students is for med school. I guess my bigger point was that it is ranked higher as an undergrad than as a med school - in the end, it's a fine medical school that it is overshadowed by Harvard and BU, but does have its own merits in its hospital location/population, 4-year MD/MPH program, etc

 

[eHombre]

Well Tufts just moved back up 7 spots to #44, so congrats, people!






(Though, of course, still, rankings don't matter 🙂 )