The academics are very rigorous at BU. BU has something called grade deflation, which is both not as bad as it sounds, and just as “bad” as it sounds. Basically, BU enforces grading curves and discourages professors from grading leniently in order to boost students’ self esteem, or creating a self-enforcing feedback loop (ie: smart kids “deserve” top grades because they are smart). It means you can’t coast by in classes, that you actually have to study, and that you can’t just bullsh*t your work/essays and expect to get As. I found, as a student who found high school pretty easy, that I had to kick it into high gear at BU, which I really enjoyed (because I am a nerd XD). Occasionally it was frustrating, particularly in tiny German classes where all it took was one single student being slightly better than me making the difference between getting an A- or a B+, but it certainly meant that I busted my butt on my projects, always pushing for the better grade. I’ve retained a startling amount of information I think because of how good my professors were, and how hard I worked on my assignments. One of my most “sticky” classes I took in 2003 on Natural Disasters, and I can still talk about subduction zone volcanoes and earthquakes!
It is true that not all departments are created equal (true of most schools!), and that if one were considering money, that BU would not be worth the “investment” for certain majors–but you can say that about most schools, IMO. If money doesn’t matter and the focus is JUST academics (plus fit), BU will provide a robust academic experience in most departments. I can speak to Biology more than Psychology–I knew several bio (and chem) majors who always seemed busy, stressed (as one should be in organic chem!), studying and whip-smart. My bio and chem friends all went on to do PhDs after BU and are all working in the science field. I don’t know as much about Psychology, though I do recall that undergraduates have the opportunity to participate in research, which isn’t the case at all schools.
In terms of professors, I had a full mix at BU. Some of my professors were smart, funny, experts in their field, and incredibly effective teachers. Others not so much, but I think you get that at most places. I would say look at the faculty for Bio & Psych and see what you think of them. Some departments at BU, like journalism, film & TV, German, English, Philosophy, Women’s Studies (departments I took courses in) had all-around stellar faculties. I found my courses challenging, interesting and fun. (my duds, for what it’s worth, were in Computer Science, a Philosophy TA who was useless [though the professor was great], a Political Science class on a subject I found fascinating but the professor selected dry books and mostly taught based on required reading, a Magazine Layout teacher whose design knowledge was dated and who played favorites, and one Intro to COM class taught by a Dean who is no longer at BU–I thought he was a bit of a blowhard XD)
In terms of scuttlebutt on campus, re: which programs are the best/hardest, ENG definitely ranks as one of the ones people give a lot of respect to.