Boston College v.s. Colgate

College Search & Selection
1

Hello everyone!

I’m trying to decide between Colgate and Boston College, which are my top two schools. Both have their perks and drawbacks, so I figured I would ask the community and those with experience with the schools as to which one would work better for me with my major, intended field of study, personal preference, etc.

Major: English (potential double in political science, but English is primary)

Intended Field of Study: Secondary Education (primary), Post-Secondary Education (considering), Communications (considering)

Why I Like Colgate: I’m a rural-loving girl, and Colgate’s small-town feel is just what I’m looking for. It has a beautiful open campus, and curriculum wise has very good English and education programs (heard this from an alum at my school). I also love small schools, which Colgate definitely is.

Drawbacks: It’s pretty far from any major cities, and while I love the country, I’m a little uncertain about how I feel as far as separating myself from urban life so much (I grew up in the suburbs a half hour away from NYC). I also feel a bit guilty, since most girls in my school (all girls, private prep) go off to great research universities, which I’ve heard BC is on its way to becoming, whereas I love Colgate’s small liberal arts style and distance from the hustle and bustle.

Why I Like Boston College: Close to Boston (love that city so much, far better than NYC in my opinion) but not directly in the city and has a campus (things that turned me off to BU, once a top school of mine). The campus is nice, too, and I got to know the place after spending 6 weeks of the summer taking courses there. It’s accessible to everything and can offer great opportunities with Boston near by.

Drawbacks: It’s a small campus and school, but not in the same way as Colgate. I found it claustrophobic given how the campus is crowded with buildings in such a small area with little green space. I feel I might get lost in the crowd more here than at Colgate. Very sports-oriented, more so I’ve heard than Colgate, which doesn’t fit with me too well. Academics are excellent, so no complaints there, but I feel that even though I’m an English major, they’ll judge me more harshly for my low math SAT scores than Colgate (who I’ve heard can overlook lower scores in favor of other things).

General: I come from a very high-pressure, kind of cutthroat school where everyone feels the need to compete with everyone, which is rather annoying. Instead of mindlessly memorizing things to spit out on a test and forget about, I want to enjoy learning, which is something I’ve missed in high school, and pursue my passions. I’m looking for a school that will allow me to excel on my own without excessive and overly present pressure. Community wise, I’d like a school where there is a strong sense of community and school spirit, not forced but genuine (basically I’m looking for things I didn’t really feel in my high school).

Eh. I know the final call is up to me, but I do like both schools very much and while I like some things over others, I’m curious to hear from those with experience with these schools as to which one a girl like me would in with best.

2

Have you been admitted to both?

3

One thing that popped out to me in your post was that you are looking for a strong sense of community. IMO, Colgate wins that hands down. The school does foster a close knit and spirited community and one benefit of that is a very strong alumni network.
Colgate is a very highly regarded LAC. No shame in picking one of those over a research university. It comes down to personal preference, not following what classmates are doing.

4

It sounds to me based on your description, you prefer Colgate, which has most of what you are looking for outside of the weather. The other thing is that I believe Boston College may have more outward school spirit, but that may be centered around its sport scene.

5

310 schools have been classified as national – presumably research – universities. That territory would seem to be neither particularly rarefied nor, often, relevant to an individual student.

Based on your stated criteria, if you get into both colleges, I’d recommend Colgate.

6

@GnocchiB I was deferred by BC in Early Action, but based on the opinions of several current students and alumni I know and have talked to, they think I wouldn’t have too much difficulty getting in on regular decision based on my profile plus my having taken 2 credit-eligible courses on their campus. Colgate I may apply ED II depending on my decision, but haven’t been admitted otherwise.

@wisteria100 Thanks. I honestly try not to care what other people are doing, but my school tries to push for a lot of STEM programs and eventual occupations so there’s a not-so-subtle bias towards those and a definite prejudice against people who are more liberal arts-oriented (have heard enough girls trash liberal arts schools by insinuating they’re not serious colleges).

Thanks to everyone, I am leaning more towards Colgate (enough to consider ED II). You really helped

7

quote

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Yes, but would they get into them?

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-50-smartest-colleges-in-america-2016-10/#50-colgate-university-average-sat-1369-1

8

ED2 at Colgate may be the way to go. Would give you a little boost.

9

From reading your description, it sounds like you’d be more at home in Colgate. Your main reasons against it are

1- Afraid of missing the big city. But you say you like the country, and honestly, you’ll be pretty busy with your studies and wouldn’t be going to the “big city” much anyway.

2- Comparing with your classmates going to “top research” universities. The education you’ll get at Colgate is on par with any top research uni. Besides, comparing is a poor reason.

It sounds like you’ll like the more intimate collaborative feel of an LAC compared with a university, which could also be a welcome change from your HS experience.

tl;dr ED Colgate

10

I’d like to put in a word for BC since it has gotten no positive feedback.

Research University - yes, there are hundreds of them, but the reason for attending them is not for their scarcity but for the greater research opportunities – even for undergrads.

Liberal Arts - there are LA colleges and there are universities with a LA core, which is certainly what BC is. In fact it began as a liberal arts college, and that remains its focus for undergrads even within its other schools – not as intensely as in the College of Arts & Sciences, but still as an essential piece of the equation.

School Spirit - there’s plenty of that at BC (in fact there is much talk of the ubiquitous ‘holy ghost’ – ha, ha that’s an old joke!) and it’ is not merely for sports’ sake. If by “spirit” you mean ‘community’ then the Jesuit ethos of “men and women for others”, encouraging and promoting service to others, with ample resources to do so, makes for a very worthwhile campus spirit indeed!

Campus - True that BC’s campus is more ‘compact’ than Colgate’s, but it has made great efforts - with impressive results - to make its quads very attractive (an ongoing project, by the way). It has some of the best collegiate gothic architecture to be seen. In fact, its signature building, Gasson Hall served as a model for important buildings at other universities, like Yale, Duke and Princeton (nice bit of digression there) And, with the Brighton campus across Commonwealth Avenue, there is plenty (for a city/suburban school) of open lawns and fields. There is also the adjacent Newton reservoir which is ideal for jogging around and as a break from the bustle of campus life.

Hope that adds a different perspective.

11

I don’t know too much about Colgate, but I do know that Boston College is an absolutely phenomenal school. If you get accepted, I would strongly consider attending. Although it is a research university in some ways, it also has a very strong liberal arts core. The school has a great community feel and is truly the best of both worlds–right near the incredible city of Boston, but secluded enough to feel more quiet and rural. Good luck with your decision, and I’m sure you’ll be happy with whatever you choose!

12

If you are uncertain and trying to decide between the two, it may also be worth shadowing a student for a day or seeing if there are any overnight programs for both. Several schools also offer “admitted student days” which can really give you a sneak peak into what the school is like.

13

Colgate is a baby Ivy, with an amazing alumni network and a reputation that makes it a “school worth the tuition cost” based on earning potential upon graduation. There is tremendous school spirit, as evidenced by the alumni bonds, and they support their students. BC is not a baby Ivy, and while it is a great school, it isn’t in the same league in terms of reputation or opportunities (depending on your major – BC is better in some areas).

14

“Baby ivy” lol. If we want to use ivy labels, we can also call BC the “Jesuit ivy.” Both schools are great, with Colgate being overall more prestigious. BC is mid sized while Colgate is a true liberal arts college. Which environment do you prefer?

15

^^^ Indeed. And if you must use “Ivy” to imply that Colgate is superior to BC, PNW, then “Baby Ivy” is not listed anywhere, whereas “Hidden Ivies” and “New Ivies” are published lists – and guess what, both Colgate and BC are on those same lists. And, what’s more, BC has been known as the “Jesuit Ivy” for decades. No “reputation or opportunities”?! – please

So, tone it down with this “…not in the same league…” rhetoric, you are embarrassing yourself.

16

The student bodies are probably fairly similar, so to me this comes down to academic and environmental fit: LAC vs. U, curriculum/dist requirements, available majors, rural vs. suburban setting, access to city life vs. access to the great outdoors, etc. Both are great so if you choose on fit (and cost, if the difference is big), you can’t go wrong.

17

@leaned From PNW’s posting history he is attending UCSD.

18

well…I hear the sailing is great.

19

Thanks for the opinions everyone. I chose Colgate in the end. I heard enough about their fantastic alumni network, their being just a step down from Ivy Leagues (I got rejected from two, but I’m far from devastated). I did get into BC, but it just didn’t click as well as Colgate (maybe because I spent the summer at BC for a 6 week program, and the live-in experience wasn’t what I expected. Oh well). Anyways, I’m off to become a Raider, but thanks for your takes!

20

baby ivy, junior ivy, new ivy, hidden ivy, public ivy - what next? toddler ivy? teen ivy? senior ivy? party ivy?

everyone wants to be an ivy something