Boston University Campus Visits: Share Your Tips & Recommendations

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston University
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Did you recently visit Boston University? Share your experience with the community! Post your review in the comments below.

Some ideas for what to share:

  • When did you visit?
  • Where did you stay? Would you recommend it?
  • Where did you eat? Did you try any local specialties?
  • How did you get there? What’s the best transportation mean to get to-from the campus?
  • What was the campus vibe?
  • What did you think of the dorms?
  • What are some must-see things in or around campus?
  • How were the school facilities?
  • Did you like it more or less than you thought you would? Why?
  • Did anything surprise you?

We’d love to hear any tips or recommendations you can share for people planning their BostonU visit!

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  • When did you visit? December 2022

  • Where did you stay? Courtyard Boston Brookline. Son loves trains and wanted to be sure to take the T (we took it like 6 times - bought a daily pass). While the hotel wasn’t inexpensive, compared with hotels closer in where parking would have been $50 or more, this wasn’t too bad. It was right across from the T. We parked our car and didn’t move it til we left Boston. Hotel was clean, quiet and adequate. I would recommend it.

  • Where did you eat? Did you try any local specialties? We ate at Zaftig’s Deli in Brookline before we headed out of town. We got there at opening on Sunday and if we’d gotten there 20 minutes later there would have been a rush. It was fun. After the tour we went to Fanueil Hall for dinner (touristy but still fun) and the North End for dessert - we walked from Fanueil Hall and went through the Holocaust memorial on the way (near Pearl Oyster House). We went to Modern Pastry, knowing there’s a competition between Modern, Mike’s and others. Delicious and fun, but be prepared to wait on line.

  • How did you get there? What’s the best transportation mean to get to-from the campus? We drove to Brookline but took the T to campus, from one end of campus to the other, to dinner and back to our hotel.

  • What was the campus vibe? It was cold and pouring - so windy the umbrellas were blowing away. So it was hard to get a vibe. That being said, the student who spoke at the info session was great, and the tour guide was enthusiastic. The vibe was good, despite the weather.

  • What did you think of the dorms? We didn’t really go in. The fact that some are a bit away from classes is interesting - I think it might be hard to choose which dorm you’d want - to be by the classes or out by the fields.

  • What are some must-see things in or around campus? It was pouring so it was hard to get around. We did take the T, rather than walk, to the dorms that were farther away, just to see how far and we went to the bookstore, which was acceptable but nothing special.

  • How were the school facilities? Again, with the rain it was a little hard to concentrate. The Hillel seemed huge and impressive.

  • Did you like it more or less than you thought you would? Why?
    I did like it more than I thought I would. I was impressed by the presentation before the tour and the academics.

  • Did anything surprise you? It’s clear everything is getting more competitive, but the stats for the class of 2022 are insane. Also, city campuses vary - I was surprised at how integrated the campus is into the city - it’s not like Penn or Carnegie Mellon where you’re in a city but in the center of campus you might not realize. It’s more like GW, but GW the campus area is quieter.

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  • When did you visit?
    After the holidays for music auditions

  • Where did you stay? Would you recommend it?
    We stayed at Club Quarters Hotel Boston, downtown. It was fine, kind of a European style rustic hotel. But very hicely located.

  • Where did you eat? Did you try any local specialties?
    Well, we were in Boston like 5 days so we ate all over the place. For faster food, I liked Greco which is a Greek food chain we don’t have!

  • How did you get there? What’s the best transportation
    mean to get to-from the campus?
    We used the Green Line train! We used all public transit in Boston from the airport.

  • What was the campus vibe?
    Had a similar vibe to lots of larger urban campuses I’ve been on. I like how the train ran through campus.

  • What did you think of the dorms?
    Missed out on a dorm tour.

  • What are some must-see things in or around campus?
    Ok well this isn’t exactly right be campus. But we enjoyed doing a walking tour of downtown area. We did the hop on/off Trolleys. We went to the aquarium. We did the Tea Party Museum which is a reanactment and my senior loved that. Also the Boston Public Library and the area around there is definitely worth a visit. Oh - and wander around Boston Commons!

  • How were the school facilities?
    The music facilities were more rustic than expected. Pianos kind of beat up and out of tune. But the staff/students greeting that day was very nice!

  • Did you like it more or less than you thought you would? Why?
    Well when you are doing music auditions, you like everything just the right amount because it’s so competitive and don’t get over sold on any one program. Yes we liked it! It met expectations.

  • Did anything surprise you?
    We had very cold weather which was really unusual! Also, the school of music at BU is VERY grad school oriented. It’s like 2/3 grad students. Very small UG music program.

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Until about 5 years ago BU had a magnificent 5 story bookstore in Kenmore Square. It was essentially a student department store. It was downsized and is now basically a textbook/suppiles/logo stuff store. That downsizing is a bit of a national trend on campuses.

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