BU v. Syracuse (for communications)

<p>So I was all pumped for COM next year, but I got a call today from cuse telling me I was accepted into the dual newhouse-whitman (communications/business) program from the waitlist.</p>

<p>Any advice/thoughts? If I was judging on academics alone, I know that syracuse is likely way better for communications, but I’m looking for a more well-rounded point of view that has advice based on an overall knowlege of both schools’ strengths and weaknesses.</p>

<p>my girlfriend got the same call, she’s most likely going to cuse for new house over emerson now…
new house is one of the top communications schools in that nation so i would definitely switch!</p>

<p>Newhouse is terrific and the joint program is great; but if there is a HUGE diff in $$, I think that job opps would be great from either school…BU has that advertising lab as well…</p>

<p>Very, very diff environments and cultures…</p>

<p>@rodney, can you elaborate a little more of the differences between BU & Syr as far as environments & culture. Thanks</p>

<p>I can say a little bit about the difference in environment between Syracuse and BU. I attended college in Boston and lived there for eight years. My husband attended Syracuse and we have visited alot. </p>

<p>If you like the city and all it has to offer, BU is the better school for that. It’s located on a main drag, Commonwealth Ave., where you can walk right down and pick up the T (above ground subway) right into the downtown area. You’ve got sooo many other schools there that you will feel like you are living in a big college town because you will meet so many other students from other schools. Boston is a great town with lots of cultural, great people, and of course, the Red Sox! Very stimulating environment.</p>

<p>Syracuse, on the other hand is in a relatively small city. There is a great little college town area adjacent to campus that you can walk to. The campus is very different, more traditional with a central quad with lots of grass and trees. Feels like a small town atmosphere, I think. Still, it’s a fantastic school and you’ll make great connections there that you probably won’t make through BU. </p>

<p>We visited both campuses and as I am partial to Boston, I really loved BU, but my daughter likes Syracuse, so she’s going there in the Fall. Both schools had really outstanding presentations. I was practically in tears watching Syracuse’s presentation, and was blow away by BU’s.</p>

<p>@CrimeinParis Thank You so much for your help!</p>

<p>I actually chose BU over Newhouse. I got into BU COM and the University Honors College w/ 10k merit and I also got into Newhouse w/ 8k merit. The reason i chose BU was partially about the money, but barely. BU, i believe has so much to offer. Sure, Newhouse has incredible connections, but I know BU does too. With their LA program, they help you find internships, which many times lead to jobs right out of school. Their courses are very similar. I was thinking about Film and TV and I did a summer program at BU so I know their equipment is very good. What I did like about Syracuse that BU didn’t really offer was the campus with the “Hogwarts” like buildings, but when you get to that one street with all those frat and sorority houses, and the barely visible town, I realized I needed Boston. Boston, alone, has many opportunities you can’t get in Syracuse. I think that makes up for the connections. The truth is, either school helps with connections to jobs, but in the end, it really depends on how hard you work to establish those connections. If you really want to make the connections, I’m sure you can find them at BU just as easy. Good luck with your decision. It really came down to the two of them.
BTW w/ rankings of COM schools in the country: when I visited Newhouse they told me they knew BU had a program, but the Dean chose not to get reviewed or something. I don’t remember but I can tell you first hand, if you want TV production, you can definitely find it at butv10.com.</p>

<p>@oyoroma yeah, I remember visiting newhouse and the director of the school said that BU, NYU, and a few other schools were “understandable” to choose over newhouse because they were nearly as good, though not accredited due to minor details (apparently getting accreditation forces schools to update every bit of equipment pretty much every year/every time a new thing comes out.)</p>

<p>and in general, I know that newhouse supposedly offers more connections, which is why I’m taking my acceptance pretty seriously. I personally plan on working hard at getting connections and opportunities from the start of classes, regardless of which school I attend.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your opinions, and please continue to share your thoughts! I still haven’t decided, but I have a few more days to think about it.</p>