I have about a month to make my decision and I’ve narrowed it down to these five schools. As background, I want to major in either economics or marketing, ideally I would like to be in Boston or Providence but NYC or Philly isn’t out of the question if I decide on Fordham or nova. I’m in the business schools at PC and Fordham, the marketing program at Bentley and an economics major in the arts and sciences colleges at BC and Nova. Being the the business school at my college doesn’t matter too much to me as I would like to receive some sort of liberal arts education to be as well rounded as possible.
As of right now, Providence is my favorite school, but they offered no merit aid or financial aid. Boston College also offered no merit or financial aid, but I know it is my strongest option and it’s hard for me to justify going to PC for the same price as BC when BC is a nationally ranked school with a really strong alumni network in Boston where I ultimately want to work and live. Fordham offered a decent amount in merit money and Bentley would be my cheapest school by far, so I am seriously considering Bentley as well. I would be paying full price for Villanova and am going to visit it for the first time in the near future. I like all of the schools (not sure about Villanova yet), but like I said Providence is my favorite now.
My biggest concerns are
-academics (I want to be challenged but I don’t want to be studying every second for 4 years)
-students (I want driven students who have school spirit, are friendly, looking to meet new people and know how to have fun. It’s not a necessity but nationally diverse campuses are cool because you get to know people from all over the US)
-social scene (I want to have a variety of on and off campus activities available like parties, bars, restaurants, fairs, parades, etc.)
-sports (I’d like a strong spirited student fan base that actually goes to the schools sporting events)
-alumni connections/job placement (I’d like to be able to get a good job in Boston for after college)
-location (in a city, preferably Boston or prov like I said, but Philly or NY are okay)
I would really appreciate any input on my decision
Can you list how much in loans you would have to take out for each school? It’s ok to take out a little bit in loans but if some of these are more expensive than others they may not be worth the difference.
I was told that you can’t take Business courses at Villanova if you’re not a Business major. You can take Economics courses, but not Business courses. You might want to check on that at the schools you’re considering.
Wow. I don’t see people mentioning that Bentley is the cheapest option too many times. Sounds like you got a great package from Bentley. My son did not get any Merit Aid at all. $67K is a bit too rich for us.
Providence is a fantastic school with a fantastic social scene on campus. They really rally around their D1 teams. If your parents can afford Providence then why not go to your top choice? Bentley is my son’s top choice and I doubt it will happen for him.
Congrats on getting into all of these schools! I would totally choose BC if I were you (unless money is a big concern), but that’s just my opinion. BC is the most academically renowned of the 5, plus it has the best sports, location, alumni, etc. Good luck with your decision!
I’ve heard this too, but I’d be fine majoring in Economics in the Arts and Sciences instead. Do you Know anything else about Villanova student life or anything? Obviously their student pride and sports are top notch.
Thank you for the response! I had pretty much decided on PC about a month ago, but I’m honestly pretty unhappy with them considering I was able to get into schools ranked much higher and similar schools with significant aid, and I would still have to pay full price for PC. I really like the overall feel of the school but I’m hesitant to put the deposit down because I know that BC is a stronger school for the same price and Bentley is an arguably similar school for a much cheaper price. I guess I’m just lost because I love PC, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to got there if I have to go for full price and I have other options.
Thank you! Yeah BC definitely seems like my best option academically, athletically, alumni and proximity to Boston. My only hang up is the size, which feels a little big for me at roughly 9k undergraduates. I am most comfortable around 4k-6k undergraduates. The BC student body often gives off an elitist vibe too which I’m not necessarily into, but I have down to earth friends who have gone and found great groups of friends so ¯_(ツ)_/¯
BC is not that big. Don’t think 6 vs 9,000 students is that many more.
Friend who went to BC undergrad took a course at PC and couldn’t believe how low level it was compared to BC courses. She didn’t think she worked that hard at BC but the switch from high school to college work is always there. I’d rule out PC.
BC football can’t be beat. Villanova vs BC for same cost? BC. National name, great access to party scene on and off campus in Boston.
Bentley is a great niche school especially for finance and $25K less a year is a big difference, $100K over 4 years.
Fordham is a good school and $15K a year or $60K overall is not a small amount either.
IF your parents are not educating another 2 kids after you or would be willing to help you with grad school given you save them $100K by going to Bentley, I’d take a serious look at them. Go over on a Friday night and see what the party scene is.
Certainly not BC for football or Villanova for basketball IF that matters much to you. But top finance students do go onto Goldman Sachs from Bentley, or they always did.
Go visit, especially on their Welcome Days in April to get a feel for the campus and see other accepted students.