<p>I'm currently torn between the two schools.</p>
<p>Can anyone give me the pros and cons of both schools?</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>BC- sports hoopla, if you like that. More like the traditional college experience, nice campus. Barnard- all of the resources and courses of Columbia. Which environment do you prefer? Does it make a difference financially where you go? Where would you rather live and work? (I know- not sure yet. But many people do end up sticking around in their college town. It pays to have contacts where you settle down- a point that totally escaped me in the past. Both of these schools have students from all over, but BC would have more New Englanders, Barnard more mid-Atlantans.)</p>
<p>I'm not too sure which environment I prefer. I'm from NYC, so a part of me does want to get away, but I am still attracted to Barnard.</p>
<p>And financially, it does make a difference, but I am still waiting on financial aid from BC.</p>
<p>I'm visiting both schools in a few weeks, so hopefully I'll be able to decide by then. But thank you for replying, OneMom!</p>
<p>The settings of these two are so different that you will easily decide once you have been to both and can compare them.</p>
<p>Id say..BC (Boston College)</p>
<p>"Barnard would have more mid-Atlantans." -or Atlanticians, Atlanticites, people from NY/NJ/PA, whatever.</p>
<p>I'm sure it is true that there is a higher % of people at Barnard from NY/NJ/PA than at BC. But it is also true that nobody at BC (or any other college in the Boston area) ever said, "You know, the problem with this place is that there aren't enough people from NY/NJ/PA here."</p>
<p>I'm not sure that it's true that there are more folks from NY/NJ/PA at Barnard. Boston as a whole, as a college town, attracts a LOT of people from the mid-Atlantic states - my H and I both came up here from NJ, and most of our classmates were mid-Atlantic transplants. The difference between Boston and NY is that so many of the college students who move here to go to school end up staying. I'd say at least 40% of the people we know now started out in NY/NJ/PA.</p>
<p>boston college pros: ...cant think of any, unless you like boston (blah).
boston college cons: jesuit, suburban, less diverse.</p>
<p>barnard pros: nyc, diverse in every sense, girl power, beautiful campus, will make you more independent, better alumni network.
barnard cons: cant think of any, unless you don't like a gorgeous campus with strong beautiful classmates in the coolest city in the world with caring advisers and renowned professors.</p>
<p>I wonder if Carrie "scarfmadness" Bradshaw would like to explain exactly what's so bad about Jesuits. I have to admit, though, that "girl power" is a very convincing reason to spend four years some place.</p>
<p>I actually don't mind the Jesuits. I've been a Catholic school girl my whole life. :)</p>
<p>im not sure where you get the carrie bradshaw feel.. i thought i was more of a miranda, considering i go to barnard and all :) (and so did cynthia nixon)
any type of religious affiliation for me was a negative to a school because 1) i didnt want to be required to take religion classes, 2) i felt i'd be in the minority in a negative way, and 3) i wanted a competely secular academic environment. i suppose it could be a pro for some people, but it certainly not for me.</p>
<p>1) The required courses in theology are taught in a scholarly philosophical and historical way, not a Sunday-school way.
2) Odd, you're all about diversity, but Heaven forbid you yourself would feel like a minority.
3)The academic environment almost couldn't be more secular. The professors are from all faiths and no faiths. The majority of students were raised Catholic, but that doesn't mean they are still practicing Catholics or push their Catholicism on anyone. I never once saw the inside of a church the whole time I was there, and nobody said one word to me about it.</p>
<p>As far as it being uptight and restrictive, decades ago I used the f-word in the student literary publication and nobody said a word about it. In the recent BC alumni magazine, the editor used the f-word in his blurb. It's not the sort of place that is worried about such things (unlike the editor of this site).</p>
<p>religion makes me uncomfortable. at barnard, i am exposed to many different kinds and sects and nuanced ideas, and while you dont have to be catholic to go to boston college, i just didn't want in any way to be associated with one particular organized way of thinking about religion. acceptance is a deeper issue than just permitting the f-word.</p>
<p>and i'm sure the religion classes at boston college are fabulous, probably better than barnard's (except i can take classes at 2 different seminaries here). i just didnt want to be required to take any.</p>
<p>also, while the professors might not be affiliated with any religion, i'm sure the school's jesuit roots reflect in its mission statement and its entire philosophy of education. barnard's appealed to me more (i never even considered boston college).</p>
<p>I agree with scarfmadness. I've gone to Catholic Schools since I was five (I'm now a senior in hs) and I'm not Catholic myself. I've never felt like an outsider because of it and I'm glad I went. In fact, I was always better than some of my classmates in religion courses, it's just a class. I love the fact that Catholic schools are more bonded because of a common thread, but I think you can also get that at Barnard because it's an all-girls school. I also do not want to be around too many people who lean toward one idea or way of thinking and I want a lot of diversity. It never occurred to me that I would have to take theology classes, but I still will not be attending a school that is religiously affiliated. It's just my personal taste. So I hope I get to go to Barnard.</p>