Which is better for internships: Tufts or Northwestern?

For internships, Northwestern usually has the edge, mostly because of its scale, alumni reach, and access to both Chicago and a very established on-campus recruiting ecosystem. Students there can tap into a large alumni network, strong employer relationships across fields like consulting, media, journalism, engineering, and finance, and proximity to a major city with a huge internship market. Evanston is not downtown Chicago, but it is close enough that many students intern in the city during the academic year as well as over the summer.

Northwestern tends to work especially well for students who want a broad, high-volume set of internship options and who may be exploring fields that recruit heavily through formal channels. If you value structured recruiting, recognizable national brand reach, and a large alumni base spread across major cities, Northwestern is often the smoother path.

Tufts is still very good for internships, especially for students drawn to healthcare, biotech, public policy, education, nonprofits, and Boston-area opportunities. Its location near Boston matters a lot: students can access internships at hospitals, research labs, startups, and mission-driven organizations during the school year. Tufts also has a more intimate feel, and some students prefer that because advising and networking can feel more personal rather than more institutional.

Tufts may appeal more to a student who is comfortable being proactive and building opportunities through relationships, faculty connections, and the Boston ecosystem. For someone interested in medicine, life sciences, international affairs, or civic-minded work, Tufts can be an excellent launch point. But if the question is simply which school tends to provide the easier and broader internship path across the most industries, Northwestern comes out ahead more often.