Ask a BU Student (2011)

<p>tripleneck, I’m a sophmore in the program now, so I obviously haven’t experienced everything, but so far I think it’s great. The program is not in the school of engineering, as it grew out of the Math program in CAS, so they might focus a little bit more on the math and theory more than some other programs.</p>

<p>The professor’s I’ve had so far have mostly been awesome. One professor was boring and not a very good teacher, but all the others have been super helpful and enthusiastic.</p>

<p>It’s not one of the bigger programs at BU, I think there are about 50-100 freshmen each year. I havent had a class with more than ~65 people, and some of the other classes have been a lot smaller. My Intro to CS class was around ~25 people, which included a lab with around 10.</p>

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I am currently a freshmen in a top 15 engineering program university in Virginia, I am starting to really dislike my choice of school and going so far from home. What do you know of the chances of a spring semester transfer? Is it extremely competitive, are there a lot of applicants?</p>

<p>Does anyone know where I can advertise rack raisers for sale that I no longer need? My D used them while in the dorms at BU but now she is in an apartment.</p>

<p>If you know, please send me a PM. Thanks.</p>

<p>Snowflake, post them on the 2016 Facebook page. Last year I saw lots of requests for them after they were sold out!</p>

<p>How hard is it to make it in to BU?! It’s my dream school! What’s the minimum GPA accepted?</p>

<p>Hello, in my application status, it is written "Our records currently indicate that the following credentials are still required to complete your application for admission :</p>

<p>Financial Documentation
iBT TOEFL score"</p>

<p>Does that mean they won’t read my application before receiving those two documents or they will start reading it ? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance</p>

<p>I’m applying to BU and I’m working on my essays…
there’s that generic one, it’s 250 words, and basically asks why you’re applying.
Idk what to write. I wrote one about how I visited Boston (but not BU) and it was great, blah blah blah, but my teacher told me it should be about BU specifically and what it has to offer. She said they want to know how much I know about them.
I dug around their website a little but I just got the generic college stuff they bait you with (i.e. we’re so diverse, our professors are great, our campus is beautiful, Boston is fantastic etc). Should I just base my essay off that? I felt my original essay was okay because it was actually my experience; I even had an anecdote.</p>

<p>sunshinefluff – I am not a current student (I’m an alum) and I have never served on the admissions committee (my son was accepted last year – that and having gone there are my only claims to fame.) BU is a great school that has a lot to offer. I agree with your teacher that your approach so far is a little generic. Here is how I would approach that essay.</p>

<p>Do you know yet what you might major in, at least broadly, or maybe you have a few choices? If so, say that and make sure BU has those majors. Are there any special things that BU has in those majors, like a specialty? Research that on the web. For example, they have a marine biology program at Woods Hole – there are many unique things like that in different programs and departments. Say how you would take advantage of that. Research whether there any clubs you might join in your field of interest, community service, or in athletics. How might you participate in those and thus bring something to the BU community? Is there anything that you are interested in that being in Boston would be good (sports industry, biotech industry, great teaching hospitals, US history …)? I would definitely place emphasis on BU stuff first – don’t say you want to go only because it is in Boston because there are a hundred other colleges and universities in Boston – but you can mention Boston’s assets as well.</p>

<p>How are the management programs at BU?</p>

<p>LBowie,
I’m probably going into electrical engineering, and practically every university has an ECE department.Theirs is pretty okay, not super top-notch or anything. I know their business school is pretty impressive though, so I might want to that.
Yeah I’m pretty undecided lol.
They have lots of student organizations I might want to get involved in, so I’ll look into that. Thanks!</p>

<p>CollegeGirl1995,
I’m a senior in the School of Management concentrating in Finance with a dual major in the College of Arts and Science in Economics. The management program is fair weather at best. Consistent with most undergraduate business programs, BU SMG uses teamwork extensively in pretty much all your SMG courses. Some of the professors in SMG are great but others no so much. My main criticisms as a current student is the career center and the fact that BU is a non-target school for finance recruiting. If you are interested in going into finance at bulge bracket bank and do not have extensive personal networks in place, do not attend SMG. </p>

<p>I’ll share the positives of the program too. At BU you will start taking management courses on day one-unlike other schools. SM 121/122 is a year long course with a lecture, discussion, and lab component. You have two team projects each semester and the course covers all different areas of the curriculum from accounting, finance, marketing, and operations management.</p>

<p>Have you ever done an intraunivrsity transfer? If so, how hard is it to do?</p>

<p>DD did a LOT of research before writing her essay because she was told several times that if you focus on Boston it is not considered a good thing. She did a pretty clever job imagining herself at graduation, looking out at the crowd and thinking back on what she had done and gotten involved in. She went whole hog fantasy-wise (e.g. looking through the crowd to see her old crew instructor and Dr. XYZ who lit her fire about ABC. she looked at old issues of BU Today and the Quad newspaper - forgot the actual name - as well as reading Rate Your Professor for well known excellent profs in her discipline, etc. She got in, so they must have liked it! It was actually kind of fun, and got her excited about going there even more. GREAT SCHOOL - you will LOVE it!!</p>

<p>I am currently interested in the Summer Preview by BU. Is it any good and is it worth the $1,000?</p>

<p>i got 104 in the toelf but 20 in the speaking section and 23 is required ? Is this a real problem ?</p>

<p>How hard/easy it it to find an internship for business students?</p>

<p>hi,</p>

<p>if I dont apply for honor programs when I apply to BU, can I apply for it in sophomore year or junior year?</p>

<p>I can answer a few questions. To get into the Honors College, you need to be admitted in as a freshmen, and you can’t get in if you are a sophomore or Junior already at BU. For internships for SMG, I know if you put the work in, you can definitely find them. I’m not in SMG, but I have many friends who are, and with a lot of hard work, they’re already making connections. A few are in a business fraternity which will give them even more opportunities. For the Summer Preview, I would think if you want to take classes and spend the money it will be worth it. If you want to just see and hear about BU, just visit and go to admissions receptions. Regarding TOEFL, I’m not sure about that. You make want to call up admissions, but I think you would need to score for what they require. If you have other questions let me know. I have free time because we’re on break.</p>

<p>What do you think are advantages and disadvantages of BU’s linear campus?</p>

<p>The linear campus makes things easy to find and locate. Everything is relatively close to each other, which really makes life easy. If you like being in a city setting, then it’s perfect for you because it’s right in the middle of it. The campus definitely does have a lack of green space, not like your traditional campus would, although there is some. With the campus you do have to be careful crossing the street, as dumb as that sounds, but people don’t really do that sometimes.</p>