<p>Just got to both these schools off the wait lists and have to decide in a few days. It is a tough call for an outgoing athletic male, potential walk on, who is generally interested in the science. I know Boston is a much better place to go to school but I think Colgate’s education maybe more personal. I am also not too excited about forced triples and getting only 3 years of housing. I also hear BC is pretty strict. Can anyone help out?</p>
<p>Great question. I would like to know what dreambig101 thinks.</p>
<p>@dreambig101, I mean.</p>
<p>Two significantly different experiences: small, rural LAC vs. medium sized Uni in a suburban location.</p>
<p>For a walk-on, I have to believe that chances are better at 'Gate. Big time D1 at BC.</p>
<p>Classes will be larger in the Sciences, pretty much wherever you attend. BC has an up and coming chem department. It just revised its Bio curriculum such that Bio 1 offers real research during lab time. OTOH, BC has plenty of small seminar style lit/hume classes, just like 'Gate.</p>
<p>Only three years of housing is a PIA, but everybody makes do. </p>
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<p>Not sure what this reflects but no, ‘strict’ is probably not a fair term. Plenty of parties.</p>
<p>Boston is of course, the quintessential college city. And for a STEM major, the surrounding area has a gazillion opportunities for off campus research and/or internships. </p>
<p>BC made the choice easy. During a visit after getting off the wait list they didn’t make it feel like you were wanted there. Admissions couldn’t answer the forced triple question and referred us to student housing who said wait listed admits most likely would be put in forced triples on the main campus. They couldn’t answer the question whether all the students in forced triples would come off the wait list iding you as wait listed. We also were asked several times whether we were offered 3 or 4 years of housing. Apparently if you are in the top 15% of admits you are offered 4 years and everyone is offered 3 so your classmates know if you are coming in as a strong admit or not. There is also the honors designation who get different treatment. They couldn’t offer a tour and just gave us a map. It felt like a school with stratified layers of admits with those off the wait list on the bottom. None of this “we are all in this together”. We were actually even told we should have taken a tour earlier because they gave 35000 this year making it feel like it was our fault we weren’t able to take an official tour. We live near BC and have been on campus a few times but never went to the pitch and wanted to see it because it was a tough choice. So the choice is Colgate.</p>
<p>@jlp254- both BC and Colgate are wonderful schools. Most BC students have three years of housing. Junior year is when you move off campus but keep in mind that most students spend a semester of their junior year abroad. Living in an off campus house is actually quite fun!!! BC is a dry campus so the BC police tend to be strict. I am sorry you did not get a good feeling from admissions. BC is really a warm and welcoming campus. Good luck at Colgate!!! </p>
<p>@jlp254: I agree with @dreambig101.<br>
It’s unfortunate a few people whom you encountered gave you a poor impression of an otherwise awesome college. And understandably it triggered you to walk away from four great years of your life.</p>
<p>Three years of housing is not a problem at all - actually many would say it’s a plus and they’re glad they did it. Also, it’s common to study abroad for a semester, and students trade their off campus room/bed with their friends who go abroad the other junior year semester.</p>
<p>I’m sorry you got a truly inaccurate view of BC.</p>
<p>jlp254,</p>
<p>I am very pleased that you have chosen Colgate. This is a school where you will truly belong- as has been demonstrated by the Admissions Office and your personal experiences elsewhere. As an alumnus I can vouch for the relationship Colgate engendered then and now with our hundreds of alumni club functions globally and active involvement in campus matters when we are invited back to this magnificent campus in its restorative setting. </p>
<p>Large schools by their institutional nature can be very impersonal with competitive pressures from the schools and departments within them and difficult about matters such as housing. Who needs that? And so it’s vital that applicants take their campus visits seriously, ask those hard questions and check their sources. </p>
<p>Best of luck during your four years and as a member of the 'gate family!</p>