<p>Assuming I get into all three, which is highly unlikely, I would have a difficult time deciding. I've already visited BC and UNC; waiting on Mich. Disregarding academics, could someone please compare social life, sports scene/importance (I understand UNC has basketball, Mich has football, but what about Mich bball and UNC fball; and BC??), and just a better overall experience. At first I didn't think weather was a factor, but I'm beginning to rethink that now considering it's 30 in Ann Arbor right now...</p>
<p>You think it’a the tropics in Boston over the winter?</p>
<p>UMich bball and UNC football are both pretty decent, much better than average D1 teams</p>
<p>Michigan:
Decent sports environment, though their sports teams have not been very good in a long time. I don’t remember when they last one a national championship in either Bball or football. However, they have a beautiful campus with a great alumni base. Michigan is one of the few midwest schools that is respected in the big markets in the northeast. You won’t face any stigma for having gone to a state school in the midwest if it is Michigan.</p>
<p>Boston College:
Second of your three in terms of academics. As with Michigan, BC has a beautiful campus. It is very competitive to get into, but once in, students really enjoy their time. BC is the only school on your list with a major market to feed into for jobs. You’ll have a much more east coast elite experience, which some people don’t like and others thrive in. The wealth of the student body can be intimidating when you are invited to your first hamptons party or trip to cape cod/Martha’s Vineyard. BC averaged 8 to 9 wins in football during the 2000s, but since losing their head coach, they are now in a downward sprial. BC is the most successful football program in your list of three over the last decade or so. It is decent in basketball (sweet sixteen appearances), but not dominant. However, it is probabely the best hockey school in the country with multiple national championships over the years.</p>
<p>UNC
Not as good academically or reputation-wise as the other three, but a fantastic school. Nice campus, but very different from the gothic buildings of Mich and BC. More of a suburban feel with great weather. The student body is very local, mostly coming from the Carolinas, so southern accents are something you’ll become comfortable with. While it doesn’t have a big city nearby (DC and Atlanta are pretty far, Charlotte is hardly a big city), UNC is near Raleigh which is a decent sized city with some good jobs. Charlotte is doing well with Bank of America. UNC sports are fantastic. It is one of the best basektball programs in the country, and has a very competitive football team. I don’t think they’ve made it to the ACC champsionship game as many times as BC in recent years, but their football program is very good. </p>
<p>All in all, these are three great schools. Be careful with cost though. If you are in-state at UNC or Michigan, it would be hard to turn down those opportunities at reduced cost.</p>
<p>Btw, it’s 45 degrees in Chapel Hill today…</p>
<p>Michigan:</p>
<p>NC football 1997</p>
<p>NC basketball 1989</p>
<p>“However, it is probabely the best hockey school in the country with multiple national championships over the years.” referring to BC.</p>
<p>Michigan has 9 NCs in hockey, the last one being in 1998. The most of any university in the country btw.</p>
<p>The collegiate world of sports has existed more than the past ten years informative.</p>
<p>Um, BC’s first hockey national championship happened in 1949…sorry, I should mention that Michigan won the first NCAA title – in 1948. BC won the second (beating Dartmouth).</p>
<p>
Both teams have the best records in ice hockey –</p>
<p>NCAA championship: Michigan is first with 9; BC is 7th with 4
Frozen Four: Michigan is first with 24, followed by BC with 22</p>
<p>How about you actually get into college first and then fret?</p>
<p>UNC doesn’t necessarily have a bad reputation. Their J-School is one of the best in the country. Basketball at UNC is crazy and you can expect people running around the dorms at 1am, but that may be true elsewhere. But you don’t need to worry about that because Duke is going to beat them.</p>
<p>US News: Michigan 28th, UNC 29th, BC 31st. </p>
<p>College town feel is very similar at Michigan and UNC. BC is much more urban than those two. Depends on what you are looking for.</p>
<p>
For the last three years, yes; for the decade, no. Michigan had three bad years under former coach Hot Rod. Other than that, they had more quality wins in a better conference and was invited to major bowl games. Michigan has since bounced back under new coach Hoke. BC, on the other hand, seems to be starting a downhill spiral.</p>
<p>See for yourself:</p>
<p>BOSTON COLLEGE
2011 1-6
2010 7-5 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
2009 8-4 Emerald Bowl
2008 9-4 Music City Bowl
2007 10-3 Champs Sports Bowl
2006 9-3 Meineke Car Care Bowl
2005 9-3 MPC Computer Bowl
2004 8-3 Meineke Car Care Bowl
2003 7-5 San Francisco Bowl
2002 8-4 Motor City Bowl</p>
<p>MICHIGAN
2011 6-1
2010 7-6 Gator Bowl
2009 5-7
2008 3-8
2007 8-3 Capital One Bowl
2006 11-1 Rose Bowl
2005 7-4 Alamo Bowl
2004 9-2 Rose Bowl
2003 10-2 Rose Bowl
2002 9-3 Outback Bowl</p>
<p>When was the last time BC invited to a BCS bowl or a new year day bowl?</p>
<p>From what I can see, 2002-2010, BC has a better record than Michigan according to the stats you posted. But yeah, Michigan certainly seems to be on a better track now and could end up good again in a few years. BC seems to be going the other way around. UNC is stuck with violations as of late.</p>
<p>If you play in a weaker conference, you will get more wins. That’s why BC was never invited to any major bowls in the last 10 years. Aside from the 3 years under Hot Rod, Michigan had more quality wins. Over the same period, Michigan played in 6 new year days bowls, 3 of which were BCS bowls.</p>
<p>From 2002-2011, BC’s regular season record is 76-40 (65.5%), compared to Michigan at 75-37 (66.9%).</p>
<p>Carolina offers the complete package-academics, sports, weather.</p>
<p>UNC is good but lacks the academic reputation of Michigan or BC</p>
<p>Academic reputation if measured by USNWR Peer assessment, or world rankings would put BC way behind Michigan and UNC. USNWR rankings put them at equivalence.</p>
<p>USNWR Peer Assessment Scores (x.x/5.0)</p>
<p>Michigan 4.5</p>
<p>UNC 4.2</p>
<p>BC 3.6</p>
<p>USNWR Rankings</p>
<p>Michigan 28th</p>
<p>UNC 29th</p>
<p>BC 31st</p>
<p>Times Higher Education academic rankings in the world (worldwide academics)
[Top</a> 400 - The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011-2012](<a href=“http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/top-400.html]Top”>World University Rankings 2011-12 | Times Higher Education (THE))</p>
<p>Michigan 18th</p>
<p>UNC 43rd</p>
<p>BC 195th <----</p>
<p>Shanghai World Rankings (ARWU)
[|ARWU</a> 2010](<a href=“http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010.jsp]|ARWU”>http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010.jsp)</p>
<p>Michigan 22nd</p>
<p>UNC 41st</p>
<p>BC 401-500 <------</p>
<p>GoBlue,</p>
<p>BC is in the ACC with the likes of Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and several others that play ‘strong’ football, so saying that it is in a “weaker” league is a bit of a stretch. In fact, the league champion automatically goes to a BCS bowl. Needless to say, BC has yet to win the league although it has come close a couple of times.</p>
<p>BC has had a long streak of bowl games – true, all were ‘minor bowls’, however the reason for no invites to better bowls has nothing to do with the schedule it plays but everything to do with the perception that BC fans don’t ‘travel well’ – there aren’t enough of them to make it economically practical for the various top bowls.</p>
<p>Now, if BC were ever to win the ACC championship then they would have to be invited to play a BCS game. At that point, I believe the fans would come!</p>
<p>From my perspective I happen to like that BC doesn’t beat itself up over the whole bowl business. It reminds one that it is an academic institution primarily, not an athletic one – football being the god of athletically oriented colleges.</p>
<p>Getting rid of Jeff Jagodzinski was a huge mistake</p>
<p>“It reminds one that it is an academic institution primarily, not an athletic one – football being the god of athletically oriented colleges.”</p>
<p>So I guess that you feel that Notre Dame is an athletically oriented college.</p>