BU Campus

<p>I’m going to be visiting in a couple weeks during my spring break, but I still wanted some opinions and input. What do you think of the campus? I’ve heard that BU doesn’t really have much of a campus…that the city is pretty much it. Is this true? Do you like it? I’m not sure if I would like that or not. Of course I know that I should just go there and see for myself…but I’m just wondering before-hand what everyone feels about the campus?</p>

<p>I've always disagreed with the common misconception that we don't have a campus. We DO, but not in the traditional sense. There is definitely a feeling of being on a off campus, especially for me now that I've moved off campus for senior year, everyone on campus never wants to travel more than 20 minutes because you never have to to get anywhere at BU. </p>

<p>This will make more sense when you see the school. We're a long an skinny campus, and everything is pretty compact in one place. We're often compared to NYU's 'campus' and we're not like that AT ALL. The city is right at our doorstep, and the T runs down the middle of our campus, and this section of Comm Ave is all Bu students. I love it. The feel of the campus was one of the reasons that I chose BU</p>

<p>No campus implies that you are essentially in the city and you wouldn't be able to tell if you are actually at the school or not. Trust me, you know when you are walking down the BU campus and when you aren't. The campus is long, stretches almost a mile. Everything down that mile is essentially all BU. Students are going back and forth, there are big red flags, every building is a school building. If you venture off the main road, you find the awesome and relaxing Bay State Road, which leads to the BU Beach and the semi-quad we have there. Trust me, its alot more "campus" than most other city schools would give you. Obviously, if you want huge open grassy spaces, lots of trees and whatnot, a city isn't the right place anyway.</p>

<p>Your perception of BU as a campus depends on where you live and what you do. Let's assume you're living in Warren, Shelton, Towers or one of the other dorms in the older section of campus, closer to Kenmore, and you're in CAS, SMG, COM, ENG, etc. You likely won't venture out Comm Ave much except to go to FitRec, the arena or the other sports places. That part, which includes the main library, the GSU, etc. feels very much like an urban campus and it connects directly to the Storrow esplanade and its miles of parkland. If you're living in West, then your experience stretches out more and that may or may not feel as much like a campus - because you have to cross the the road at the BU bridge, which acts as a physical divider. </p>

<p>Then, if you're living in Danielson or the various small buildings around there, then you're living in Back Bay Boston and that is close to campus but really doesn't, IMHO, feel much like being at a school. (The neighborhood is great, however.) If you live in a brownstone - or in Shelton or Towers, for example - then you're on the quiet side streets that are part of the older campus. That feels more like a traditional "school," though it's still urban.</p>

<p>Thanks. I guess I'm just going to need to go there and see for myself if I like the city atmosphere. I love Boston, but I'm not sure if I want to spend 4 years walking it.</p>

<p>I agree with those who say BU does indeed have a campus. It is not traditional, but it has green space on the river, beautiful buildings along Commonwealth Avenue and pretty brownstones and "The Castle" in a little residential area. Everything is in walking distance just as it would be at a large traditional campus, except you're right in the middle of a crowded but amazing city. I think it's great!</p>

<p>There are plenty of colleges in Boston, so if you ever need your traditional campus fix head over to Harvard or BC.</p>

<p>I believe BU has what's called an "open campus"...meaning basically what everyone above me said...hahaha</p>

<p>But yea, BU is integrated within the city of Boston, so you'll see college students everywhere. Literally. But then of course there are closed campus schools, the <em>we're too good for you</em> ones like Harvard, MIT.</p>

<p>Someone posted a link to a map of the campus. It was a really good map and it was in red, does anyone have a link to the map?</p>

<p>It's just bu.edu/maps. </p>

<p>Most BU stuff can be googled. Odd that google finds stuff better than the BU site's own search function.</p>

<p>It was a map with all the buildings that made up the school. I know there's a link around here somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. =/</p>

<p>This perhaps?</p>

<p><a href="http://people.bu.edu/sage/images/campus_map.png%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://people.bu.edu/sage/images/campus_map.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Yes! That's the one! Thank you very much!</p>