I am currently choosing between Boston College and University of Wisconsin-Madison. I’m having trouble making a decision because they are so different. I’m coming from a small private school in California where I have worked hard throughout high school. I haven’t been to many parties because I’ve always had too much schoolwork and I do NOT want to go to another school like that. I love sports, and I have no idea what I want to major in. For Boston College, I’m concerned about the level of stress and competition at the school and that the sports spirit isn’t big enough. For Wisconsin, I am worried about the size and the amount of partying that goes on. I’m worried about getting lost in the crowd and feeling uncomfortable. I am a social person, but I’m still pretty introverted. Can anyone give me input on either of these schools or your experiences going to them? Thanks!
Do you have an intended major or program of study? Academic track may be a more decisive factor than environment. Without knowing your intended program, you ought to also be concerned about the academic stress at Wisconsin. Some of the STEM disciplines, as well as more research-intensive humanities, can be quite challenging.
Two very good, and quite different schools. Congratulations. Both, in their own respective ways, have plenty of sports and school spirit. Also, what are the financials here? One may be more realistic than the other.
It sounds as if size may be an issue. I went to a smallish, competitive high school. Therefore, I deliberately chose a large, diverse and stimulating atmosphere with excellent academic resources over small, prestigious privates.
I don’t necessarily believe one experience is better, or worse, than the other; just very different.
It sounds as if you may want the opposite: something smaller, and more integrated. But it’s a bit hard to tell without more specifics.
One comment follows: Anyone who believes BC – an ACC school – doesn’t have adequate “sports spirit,” really does not know Boston College very well.
Have to agree with TopTier there.
Do you remember where you were when Doug Flutie threw the Hail Mary? I do.
Agree with Top Tier.
Have you visited either campus?
@anhydrite: Who could ever forget?
I remember too. Also, BC isn’t an academically competitive meatgrinder…the Jesuit spirit is more about exploring knowledge than seeing if you can drown people in information.
What drew you to those two schools?
With regard to school spirit, there is spirit and then there is spirit. BU may have it at Alumni Stadium and in basketball but I don’t think it is compatible to the twice as large Camp Randell nor across sports or overall. It’s remarkable.
Not saying this is an overriding issue for OP, but, well I said it. BTW, Flutie through that pass 10+ years before the OP was born.
Well, @wayneandgarth (re post #8), I understand your point . . . but this thread concerns BC – not BU – although you at least correctly identified the stadium’s name. And, with regard to Doug Flutie, Babe Ruth died decades before the OP was born; does that make him irrelevant to baseball? It’s called HISTORY and TRADITION.
^OP is considering BC, not BU.
Sorry I did mean to say, BC.
@MYOS1634 (re post #10): That’s just fine. However, my post (#9) wasn’t addressed to the OP; rather – if you read it with any care – it was addressed to wayneandgarth (duh), which just might be reasonably clear from @ .
TopTier, we posted at the same time… my post was meant for wayneandgarth.
@MYOS1634: Got it, thanks for letting me know, I’ve been “bitten” by the same phenomenon.
While there are differences in “sports spirit” between large state schools and smaller privates like BC, I can’t imagine someone coming from a small school, who has not participated much, would find an ACC school lacking in spirit. It’s not like you’re comparing a Div I school against a Div III school here…
@InigioMontoya (re post#16): “It’s not like you’re comparing a Div I school against a Div III school here …”
I wholeheartedly demur. Some Division III institutions have incredibly fierce school loyalty and spirit (athletics and otherwise). The fact that they are much smaller, don’t have “semi-pro” football and basketball, have far more limited facilities and attendance, receive almost no national media attention, and are not generally “identified” with an athletic program, does NOT mean they lack for “spirit.” If one disagrees with this, he truly has not spent very much time on Division III campuses.
I’ve been to some division III schools that do have incredible spirit. And I’ve been to some Div I schools where you’d hardly know they have a sports program. However, someone who disparages the sports spirit at BC is likely to look down even more on a Div III school, no matter how popular the sports programs are, most likely because of the very factors you listed.
@InigioMontoya: I read your last sentence in post #16 to disparage all Division III schools (I’m sure you can easily understand why). I appreciate your clarification (in post #18).