<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>I really need help in my decision between Notre Dame and Boston College. I'm not a fan of the strict, Catholic environment at Notre Dame, but I feel it may be a better school than BC. I'd also much prefer Boston to South Bend. Anyone have any info or experiences to help me out? Thanks!</p>
<p>both are excellent schools. you're not talking about a top 50 schools vs a school that ranks at 200.
they're both in the top 50, you obviously like bc more, based i can read into your post. pick the school you like the best, not the one that has most perceived prestege.</p>
<p>Notre Dame is far superior, academically, to Boston College.
It is also far more prestigious, though both have great clout among Catholic families.
Notre Dame is admittedly more conservative and religiously observant than BC, but you are right: it is a much stronger school academically.</p>
<p>All college students rave about cities, but the truth is that you would be so busy at either school that you would rarely have the time to enjoy Boston or the South Bend.</p>
<p>All the Catholic universities and colleges are ranked lower than they should be due to the prevailing WASP establishment.</p>
<p>personally, I would choose BC. i think ND is more "prestigious" but it just doesn't really suit me/if i wasn't going to school in manhattan i would want to be in boston.</p>
<p>I looked into applying to both, but in the end only ended up applying to BC. Notre Dame is a great school, but its too conservative and strict for me, and the Nowhere, Indiana location was a huge minus. </p>
<p>Then again, Boston is my top-choice college city, and I loved BC when I visited. </p>
<p>Both are strong schools academically, and you should be fine at both. ND is a bit stronger, but BC has a better shot at an internship, which may be important depending on your major. I suggest you visit both schools and then think of what you REALLY want out of college. You can't go wrong with either one.</p>
<p>If all of you want to attend a school in proximity to Boston, why not choose Harvard over BC?</p>
<p>I contend that ND is so much better than BC, in regard to the factors that count, that one would only choose the latter in a case of extreme personal preference, i.e. "fit."</p>
<p>e.g. turning down Princeton for Columbia, because NJ is awful and NYC is awesome, and many assume that there are plentiful internships in the city while forgetting that Princeton's prestige-power is an unbeatable plus factor when it comes to obtaining prized internships.</p>
<p>While I hate both schools with a fiery passion, who the heck would want to go to school in South Bend, Indiana?</p>
<p>I rarely post on this board, but whatever you do, DO NOT make a decision based on what user KWU says. ND is not, by any means, far more prestigious than Boston College...at least from a factual standpoint, if that's your thing. Both are highly selective, religious schools, where you will get a top 30-40 education. Cite rankings based on arbitrary factors like alumni donation rates all you want...and the difference is what, like 15 spots? That's like the difference between Duke and Vandy, and no one would freak out if someone chose the latter in that selection. The difference in the schools is minimal at best. In fact, one could argue the slight edge ND has in the rankings is offset by BC's premier location. </p>
<p>I respect both schools, have friends at both schools (of equal intellect and stats), and have visited both schools. Personally, I'd rather Boston, but to each his own. Good luck with the decision...</p>
<p>I live in Cambridge for my entire life and my family actually rent our apartment out to BC and BU upperclassmen students.</p>
<p>I think ND is more prestigious (a bit more nationally) than BC. I think ND is better academically tho they are both fine schools...</p>
<p>You will not find yourself in a bad situation in terms of job opportunities come out from either of these two schools, I'll tell you that. :D</p>
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<p>Absolutely agree. The campus community is where you will find yourself 99.9% of the time... </p>
<p>I don't know why you guys find Boston so special. I lived in Cambridge all my life and I don't find any reason why Boston could be attractive to a college student except for the restaurants. I go with my Harvard, Tufts, and MIT friends to burger joints in Boston all the time...They are often so busy, they rarely have the time to enjoy what is going on campus let alone what Boston has to offer. You can find quality restaurants nearby any college you go to...</p>
<p>Phead128. Have you ever been to South Bend? It's no Boston I can assure you.</p>
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<p>"Factual standpoint?" Facts leave no room for reasonable doubt. They are indisputable, universally accepted truths grounded in reality. That I can challenge your assessment means you are not stating a "fact." Please pay more attention to your choice of words and phrases.</p>
<p>All factors "soft" and "hard" considered, I contend that one would receive a top 10 experience at the University of Notre Dame. While I wouldn't argue that it could compete with the Big Five, it is as superb as institutions like UChicago, Duke, Columbia, and Penn.</p>
<p>Both are rank decent, sport teams etc....</p>
<p>ND advantages
-Near boarder of Michigan
-Lake Michigan
BC advantages
-Boston
-Atlantic</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your responses!</p>
<p>While Notre Dame is ranked higher, I did get into the BC Honors Program. Do you think that evens the schools out a little? And as far as bustling college campus life, I've heard that after football season, all the students do is drink in the dorms (granted, I'm sure that's a slight exaggeration). I've been told that the Notre Dame environment also fosters a less mature student body. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I know it sounds like I prefer BC over ND, but I'm still pretty unsure. I just have more questions about Notre Dame.</p>
<p>Also, anything to say about Georgetown or UPenn? I'm waiting to hear back from them as well.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much!</p>
<p>ND is much better than BC academically... but ND policies are a little restricting. I heard that it is bad at first, but then it can become quite fun, because the dorms act as "rivals" like frats almost, which makes things fun. The truth is you will probably have more school spirit at ND and better academics, but more fun at BC at first. But as soon as your 21 if your idea of fun is drinking, then it is in your hand whether when and where you can have fun. If you think a restricting life style is the life style not for you, just don't go to ND, simple. It's not for everybody.</p>
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I've heard that after football season, all the students do is drink in the dorms
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<p>They get drunk and attempt to cheer on their silly hockey team.</p>
<p>as a BC student, even I can admit that ND academics are better.. especially if you want to go into engineering because BC doesn't have engineering. there is a certain national prestige and if you want to go solely by rankings or whatever you should pick ND. but like other posters say.. its not THAT much of a difference and you would not be doing a detriment to yourself if you picked BC.</p>
<p>i have a friend from HS who goes to ND and the strict rules really bum him out sometimes. n ot to say he doesnt have fun.. but ND is much more strict than BC. after freshman year at BC, RAs really dont care what you do. the idea of staying in one dorm for 4 years also is kinda weird to me too. i dont go into Boston that much but it is a nice option. sometimes we go out to eat, go shopping, go to sports games, and once youre 21 the bars are a great option. at ND all you get is cornfields for the most part.</p>