<p>Hey parents, I was just wondering if any of your children go to either Boston College, Bucknell, Colgate, Villanova or UVA. If they do, could you give me any feedback on these schools. These are all my top choices and i was just wondering how your children feel about their decision to attend. Especially BC, I have heard that the school is a little overrated, do you agree? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you</p>
<p>I do not agree that BC is "over-rated." It seems to be rated right where it should be: it's a first-tier school, ranked somewhere around #40, and it is getting harder to get into than it used to be. The Honors program is fantastic and the teachers are first-rate. In fact, if anything, it is UNDER-rated - many people think it is a LAC, not a university, and it has always ranked higher than Boston U., which more people have heard of.</p>
<p>To forestall flames: I personally don't care about ranking/ratings, but that was the question the OP asked.</p>
<p>Have you looked at studentsreview.com? You might like to also hear from actual students attending those schools, rather than just parents.</p>
<p>My daughter looked for livejournal entries by students at schools she was interested in. (She actually wrote off one school because every single student who posted in livejournal was on prozac!)</p>
<p>BC is considered overrated in some areas because it is so hard to get into the school. When I lived in Westchester County, NY, it seemed everyone was applying to BC. At my son's catholic highschool, about a third of the kids were applying there, maybe more. I would imagine that this is the case, particularly with Catholic families within a few hours of Boston. So it could be as difficult to get into BC if you are in those pocket areas as it would be to get into some other school with a higher selectivity overall. Now, it's Villanova in the Mid Atlantic area that seems hot, hot, hot with the Catholic crowd. In the midwest it is NotreDame. BC wants a national presence so they are a bit more generous for kids that are not from the hot spots. </p>
<p>UVa is the toughest school of the bunch for admissions, particularly if you are not a Virginian or legacy. It gets double the apps from outstaters but can only have about a 30% out of state population, we were told. That makes it as selective as some of the ivies. UVA tends to be more formula driven and they want that high gpa with AP designated classes from their applicants. </p>
<p>Colgate is a bit more selective than Bucknell, but much further north. A slightly different atmosphere. My son applied to both but much preferred Bucknell. My neighbor's daughter applied to both as well, and she is now at Colgate. So it really depends on what you want in a school because on paper there is not a huge difference between the two of them, and in my opinion either kid would have been happy at either school.</p>
<p>Several of our friends and family members have attended BC, and it's also something of a hot school in our district. The students and parents I know love it - high-quality academics, especially in the Honors Program; excellent professional school placement for grads; top reputation in Boston and the NE; lovely campus in a ritzy suburban setting, but only a short T ride from the city; great team sports, etc. When we toured the school, I was impressed by the warmth and efficiency of the admissions office (if that's characteristic of the entire administration, great sign!). The guides and kids we spoke to were obviously very bright and took great pride in the school - maybe a bit on the prep side in dress and manner, but apparently diverse in background. There's major emphasis on community service (many opportunities both local and abroad), in keeping with Jesuit tradition.</p>
<p>A funny moment during the info session: the director of admissions directed a question to a current student about how comfortable non-Catholic students would be on campus. He told us he wasn't Catholic but didn't find the issue a big deal since he has 5 Catholic suitemates and none of them had gone to church in the past 2 years. The audience laughed, but the director did not.</p>
<p>The negatives I've heard from those who haven't attended: BCers are SNOBS (have heard this from several sources, who knows what it means?) and there's major partying (though I think that's just about everywhere now). When we visited, I thought the idea of a split campus, with half the freshmen housed a few miles up the street, sounded like a big drawback, but the guides say it's an opportunity to build spirit and that the school copes well with the logistics. No cars for anyone, either.</p>
<p>I was surprised that the last two points didn't turn off my d, who loved everything about the place. She was accepted EA into the Honors program, though we'll have to wait until April for her to see all her results. If we can put the finances together, I'd love to have her at BC!</p>
<p>Thank you parents! All of your responses were very helpful and informative! :)</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Bucknell and absolutely loves it. It came down to Colgate and Bucknell when he was making his final decision. PM me if you'd like more info.</p>
<p>My S is in the Honors Program at Villanova. Raves about the classes and the investment villanova has put into its honors program. Of all the campuses we have visited with our children, villanova probably has the friendliest students. Has great merit aid packages including full tuition rides for students who qualify including students in the engineering, nursing and business schools. Location is great as downtown Philly is 20 minutes away by public transportation.</p>
<p>My daughter went to UVA. She loved all 4 years, & claims she wishes she had it to live over again. My son's girlfriend will go to UVA next year. Daughter lives in C'ville, so went to the bookstore & bought her some UVA stuff for Christmas because she's so excited for her. If you have specific questions just ask. In 4 years time we had not one complaint.</p>
<p>Yes, BC is a great school. If you apply early action, you could be selected to be a Presidential Scholar, which is quite awesome! (avg. SAT is like 1560 or something though haha)</p>