Hello!
I've mostly just been skulking around the forums for the past few months, but I visited Tufts this past weekend so I feel as though I have a bit of insight.
I've been accepted at BU, NYU, Pitt, and Tufts, and I am currently leaning towards Tufts. I believe you're right about Tufts not having a second fieldwork II, but there are opportunities for some specialization through the program. The student I spoke with said that is is possible to take electives in order to receive a certificate for upper extremity, school-based practice, or pain management. She also told me that there were options throughout the two years to take practicums, which sounded like a potentially briefer but self-directed fieldwork opportunity in addition to the other placements. In addition to that, there is also a "service learning" component to a lot of the classes, which mostly seems to involve exposure to the population and interventions being covered in coursework.
The class I sat in on was great--the professor was very accessible and engaged, and the students seemed to have good rapport with each other as well as a firm grasp of the material in both a theoretical and practical context. And the class size is very small, generally 30-40 students.
The campus was very distinctive, and while I found it charming, I can imagine that someone looking for bustling city life might be frustrated. It was only about a 30-40 minute trip for me from the Tufts campus to downtown Boston, and even closer is Harvard Square and Cambridge which also have plenty of cultural things going on. But, yes, the areas right around Tufts are more residential. Victorian style houses, a fantastic coffee and pastry shop called "The Danish Pastry House" right down the street from the OT building (which, like many of the peripheral building on Tufts campus, is also housed in a large converted house) a small center of activity in Davis Square, then easy access to the T for transportation to Boston. The campus itself is just beautiful. The large library is the focal point of the campus, and is located near the top of a hill with a great view of Boston.
As far as diversity? I think that the surrounding area might not be as diverse as Boston proper, but that is easily accessible. And I imagine that the student body might be more diverse than in programs that feature in-state tuition or a 5 year BS to MS program. The student I spoke with said that her classmates came from many very different backgrounds, and that one of the things she appreciated about the program was the access to the insight and perspectives of her peers.
Well, I imagine this post will only be of interest to students who are very interested in Tufts' OT program. If anyone has any additional questions feel free to send me a message.
