<p>My daughter is currently a junior and has decided BC and Vanderbilt are at the top of her “more realistic” list. (She will apply to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Dartmouth but recognizes that these are reach schools.) She should be competitive for admission to both BC and Vanderbilt (Straight A student; 10 AP courses/2 Dual Credit courses; 2200 SAT – will continue to try to improve score and will take the ACT, etc.). We have visited both schools and have made a pro/con list. Could you provide insight into one or the other (or both) that perhaps she’s overlooked that might help her make more informed decision?</p>
<p>Well, that would all depend on what aspects of BC you would want to know of. There are a wide range of pros/cons about BC as well as the many other schools you and your daughter are looking into. Could you possibly be more specific on the areas you want to know? or perhaps you can list the pros/cons you have already generated and maybe the people on this forum can help you expand your list.</p>
<p>It really does depend on what you are looking for, but I would say both have strong reputations, each one would beat out the other in its respective region. The biggest difference in terms of student life would the New England vs Southern people/culture, so that all depends on your preference. If your daughter likes the feels of the ivy schools, she may prefer BC. The other big difference is the Jesuit emphasis on service learning and BC’s large core curriculum. Given her AP classes, she’s probably just thinking about the Jesuit service learning aspect. It’s an obvious thing to say, but I would thoroughly explore both school’s websites and do an official visit with each to learn a bit more and get a feel for each place.</p>
<p>As a BC acceptee, and someone who was interested in Vandy before she realized it was too far away, I’d suggest Vanderbilt. It has a better academic reputation. Given you daughter likes the cultural aspects of both schools, Vandy is better.</p>
<p>As a BC acceptee, better academic rep to whom? In Northeast doubtful Vanderbilt would be considered stronger but it does depend on what programs you are referring to.</p>
<p>Not big enough of a difference to go there solely because of the academic reputation.</p>
<p>Actually, we’re visiting Vandy right now for the second time. (We flew up last April for Black and Gold Days.) My daughter is currently spending the nt with some girls from her hs. She’s spent most of the day with them in hopes they could share personal insight that’s often not provided on the tours. Let’s see…things she likes about BC: SUPER friendly kids (We went there a couple of weeks ago for the 2nd time and have never been on a friendlier campus. That says a lot coming from TX.); INCREDIBLE school spirit; good athletic program (She wants to cheer on college.); good food; city of Boston; lots of relatives up there; good rep; etc. Things that concern her/she doesn’t like about BC: split dorms freshman yr; no Greek system; no guaranteed housing all 4 yrs; fear of being “out of place” as a Southern white Protestant girl from the south (N/Cath school); really good but not super fab biochem program. Some of the allure of Vandy…HUGE Greek system – good way to meet people; charm of Nashville; hour and a half flt home; kids from her hs (This is something she actually likes about BC – She’d be unique in that no one from her prep school has mariculated in a very long time.); VERY strong pre-med with lots of internship possibilities at med school/hospital on campus; conservative southerners who share her values. She’s torn whether or not to commit ED to Vandy. She’s afraid if she doesn’t, it might jeopardize her acceptance since rates are typically higher. I think what she’d like to do is EA to BC and, if accepted, apply to a few other schools during RD (Vandy, Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, etc.) and decide once the decisions are in.</p>
<p>Regarding a couple of the OP’s comments about BC:</p>
<p>– I assume that by “split dorms” you are referring to the dorms on Newton campus. Only 40% of the freshmen are assigned to Newton; the other 60% live on Upper Campus. Search the archives and you will find that there are actually some advantages to living on Newton rather than Upper and some students put Newton down as their first choice. One of the advantages is that the dorms there are for freshmen only, which makes it a great way to meet new people – especially when you see them every day on the shuttle bus.</p>
<p>– Roughly half of the incoming freshmen receive 4 years of guaranteed housing and half receive 3 years. (If you don’t get 3 years, it’s the junior year that you move off-campus, since 40% of the class does study abroad that year anyway.) However, the top 15% (academically) of admittees are among the specific groups that receive the 4-year guarantee, and with your daughter’s qualifications, she’s almost certain to get 4 years, so that shouldn’t be a concern.</p>
<p>Both schools are absolutely top notch in my opinion. I have a son at BC and a niece at Vanderbilt!</p>
<p>split dorms freshman yr- not as big of a deal as you would think. I live on newton right now and I like it a lot, most of my peers do as well. I didn’t want to be on newton, but I think people generally end up having a good time no matter where they are. People from newton hang out on upper, people from upper come to newton. And the bus is not nearly as bad as you would think, it’s constantly running and the LONGEST wait I have ever had was 15 minutes. </p>
<p>no Greek system- You absolutely do not need this to meet people. As you said, BC is an incredibly friendly campus, and I actually attribute this to the fact that because there is no greek system, there is no social hierarchy that forms between different groups. Everybody has their groups of friends that they go out and party with, and they are friends with these people because they get along and have things in common, not just because they happened to rush the same sorority. You won’t have to go through a semester of hazing and damage to your GPA to have a social life at BC, something that certainly is not true at greek dominated schools such as USC, Vandy, Lehigh, etc.</p>
<p>no guaranteed housing all 4 yrs- If you don’t get 4 years, a lot of the off-campus housing is within walking distance to campus. A particularly popular building is literally across the street. And there is a shuttle bus that serves all the off-campus housing locations so getting to class is not a hassle. </p>
<p>fear of being “out of place” as a Southern white Protestant girl from the south (N/Cath school)- BC is much more religiously diverse than you would think. I know a lot of southerners here who do not feel out of place, there is actually a major Atlanta/Florida contingent. At a retreat I went to a girl from Alabama said her biggest worry before coming was that she would not fit in, but once she got into the swing of things she had no issues. </p>
<p>really good but not super fab biochem program- I am not a science major, but my roommate here is a stereotypical hardcore pre-med student and he chose BC over Cornell, and I actually know another pre-med guy who came here over Vandy. Like I said in another thread, go where you think you can do well, because the grades will matter more than where you got them.</p>
<p>Just to throw another wrinkle into your fall decision: with such high stats from the south, Dartmouth ED would be a high match.</p>
<p>Here’s my two cents as a BC grad with a HS sophomore son considering BC.</p>
<p>As others have said, the split housing just isn’t an issue. In fact it’s a great way to meet people.</p>
<p>Boston vs. Nashville. As a college town Nashville just doesn’t match up. There is a youth, vibrancy and excitement to Boston that only comes from all the campuses in the city. Your D will not only make friends at BC, but at other schools as well. </p>
<p>No Greek system. To me that’s a plus. As you said yourself the students are extremely friendly and outgoing.</p>
<p>Religion. The school is much more diverse than people give it credit for. The Jesuit tradition of education encourages open and active discussions on all subjects including religion.</p>
<p>Finally, on the Vandy student body being more similar in her way of thinking, I have two reactions. First, BC is a religiously affiliated college. It is probably the most conservative of the major Boston schools, though that’s not to say that it is very conservative, after all the Jesuits are known for their “liberal” beliefs. Second, I’d have to ask you what is the point of college? Is it for information or affirmation? At BC I was always pushed to challenge my basic beliefs, not to change them, but to make sure that I had considered all the implications of my positions. An unquestioned belief was always considered a weak belief. In questioning I came to understand both the strengths and flaws of my positions whether religious, political or social. After all Daniel walked into the lions den not the kittens.</p>
<p>Sorry about going on so long. Good luck with the search. </p>
<p>PS Other suggestions for your D, consider Univ.Michigan, Emory or maybe Washington U in St. Louis.</p>
<p>Dear TV Scheer : Let’s deal with the academics component first and foremost. The chemistry and biochem programs at BC are nationally respected and strong freshmen and sophomores are hand picked to work with faculty and graduate students in lab settings. Graduate placement rates are 95% and beyond from Boston College. Since you asked about program strength, we would suppose that this is a huge component in your thinking and your son/daughter would be a prime candidate. BC’s sciences are more rigorous than you think and if you get back to campus before the end of the Spring semester, think about auditing one class session.</p>
<p>Do not allow your child to be swayed to one school or the other because of “friendly students”. Schools of these size will have roughly a similar profile of friendly students. The housing at Boston College for freshmen year is only an issue for 30 weeks of your child’s entire life, so do not make a decision based on the Newton vs. Upper debate.</p>
<p>A southern Texas girl will probably find the speed of Nashville a bit more familiar than the Boston pace. Although there are those that will disagree, my view is that Greek life creates more isolation than unity in the student body as it creates an artificial identity within the campus population. Is it more important to identify with your school or being part of the Eta-Beta-Theta-Zeta fraternity or sorority? This is not a reason to eliminate Vandy, but certainly the subject of a family discussion.</p>
<p>Your strategy to EA at BC and then RD at a host of others seems puzzling. Decide which school is really your daughter’s top choice for EA … do not use EA to collect a series of acceptances to only defer the real decision making process.</p>
<p>Thanks for the insight, everyone! She currently is really torn between BC and Vandy; however, I’d say BC currently has a slight edge. She believes she can see herself attending either, and firmly believes God will place her at the best school for her. We plan on staying in Boston for a couple of weeks this summer; hopefully, she’ll be able to audit a summer school class or two in the sciences. Again, thanks for all of your wisdom!</p>
<p>If religion is that important to your daughter, I HIGHLY recommend BC. Our theology department is one of the best in the country, and the opportunities at BC to study religion are really not matched by a school like Vandy. Even though the sciences may be her focus, I think she would enjoy exploring the theology catalog a bit to see what interests her. The offerings are also very diverse, so as a Protestant I don’t think she would have an issue finding interesting classes. I actually wrote a paper first semester contrasting the views of Calvin with American Evangelicals with regards to salvation.</p>
<p>This shows all the courses in the Theology department. Students are required to make 2 semesters of theology, but it must be part 1 and part 2 of a class. A lot of freshman take Perspectives on Western Culture, which combines the philosophy and theology core. </p>
<p>[All</a> Courses - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/schools/cas/th/all/]All”>http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/schools/cas/th/all/)</p>
<p>I have also been struggling between Vandy and BC. They are similar schools in the sense that they are both medium-sized, near cities, and D1 sports. However, as many people have said, Boston is in a league of its own. Also, if she is like me and wants to go to the football games and wear her college stuff, Vandy is not the right choice because the girls wear dresses to every game and most students only stay for like a quarter. Vandy does have an amazing party scene with its Greek life, and that has been something I have taken into consideration as I am not sure how the social scene at BC really works. Also, I really like all the service opportunities at BC, but Vandy also offers many opportunities if you want them. I don’t think you can really go wrong, each has its own strengths, and at the end of the day it is just about what feels like the best fit. I would suggest spending the night at both because this gave me the best sense of how I fit in with the people at the school</p>