<p>i’m applying to BC, and i know i have a fairly good shot at getting in. i would HARDLY say it was a safety, but my dad is an alum who has donated money and even my brother, who had lower stats than me, was at least wait listed last year (just in case i’ve offended anyone, i know BC is an amazing school academically and has become extremely competitive recently, and that no one could ever call it a safety)</p>
<p>basically, my problem is i don’t know if it is the right place for me. i live in a suburban town full of very wealthy, preppy white kids, and i was hoping to get away from that in college. i’m applying to a lot of really small liberal arts schools (like pomona, carleton and haverford).</p>
<p>i’m a very liberal, politically active person who wants to major in international relations. i love diversity and debating and talking to people with different perspectives. i hang out with all types of people; from preppy to punk</p>
<p>would i be able to find a place at BC? it is SUCH an amazing school in a great location, but i’m scared of winding up in my high school all over again. is everyone super preppy, or is that just a group? and how cliquey is it?</p>
<p>BC is a very, very different type of college experience than the small liberal arts schools that you mentioned. It's at least 4 -5 times as large as the LACs, and you certainly won't get that personalized, "everybody knows everybody else and we're all friends" kind of vibe at BC. Also, BC is a big-time sports school, which certainly influences the campus culture..</p>
<p>But because BC is larger, the student body is much more diverse than any LAC can be. Yes, there are lots of preppies at BC and yes, it is predominantly white, but there are lots of other people there too, so you're sure to find friends with similar interests. There are liberals, there are international students, there are even some funky, creative arts types, and BC is working to recruit more minorities.</p>
<p>But perhaps Tufts is more like what you are looking for than BC?</p>
<p>It sounds like Tufts might be a better fit for you. BC has some diversity but you're going to have to look really hard for it. I've noticed that while there is a noticable amount of racial/ethnic diversity, economic diversity is definitely lacking. It is true that preppy rich white kids comprise the majority of the student body, but this is going to be the case at any top college. If you like debating, however, I'm sure you could find plenty of conservatives on campus to converse with.</p>
<p>While you may find a number of conservatives they will primarily be among the student body not the faculty. Condi Rice spoke at a recent graduation over the objections of the faculty and many of the students.</p>
<p>Not sure what the OP means when they say "diversity" but diversity comes in many different forms. Is the school religiously diverse, no, it is about 70% Catholic. Is it ethnically diverse, well, I suspect that you would find a segment of the population that is Latino but not Asian. There are over 8000 undergraduates at the school along with over 4000 graduate students. There are all types.</p>
<p>While Catholic, the school is run by the Jesuit order. Within the Catholic church they are viewed as liberal. Many of the students graduate and go into the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. The JVC is what President Kennedy and Sargeant Shriver used as a model in developing the Peace Corp.</p>
<p>Finally, while there is a larger undergraduate population than say Williams College, there is a good amount of students that apply to both schools. If you are looking for a school with more of a liberal arts feel but has some of the same characteristics as BC then Holy Cross is a closer match than Tufts.</p>