<p>Need-aware vs. need-blind is not a pro or con. It doesn’t affect the desirability of a school at all (other than indirectly if one considers endowment size); it affects only the chances of admission for a few students on the cusp when the financial aid budget is depleted.</p>
<p>I’m still a senior in high school so I haven’t attended either of these colleges, but massgirl is right about how BU and BC are perceived in Massachusetts. Granted, I go to a private school, but most people I know joke that BU is a street, not a school (which is true - BU is basically Commonwealth Ave, with no campus-like vibe). Now, I still know plenty of people who applied, but for most people I know BC was a reach and BU was a likely or possible… I would even go as far as to say that Northeastern is better regarded than BU. </p>
<p>Speaking of Northeastern, it might be a good in-between school if that’s what you’re interested in… it’s similar to BU except with an actual campus and excellent merit and aide money (at least that is my impression). Also, to be fair, I am a white MA resident who attended a prep school, and I do agree that BC lacks diversity.</p>
<p>Northeastern wasn’t very generous in their aid to me. My mom is a widow and they wanted her to pay half of her salary out of pocket per year, and several thousand in loans. It may have been doable if we still had my dad’s salary to help us, but it just wasn’t going to happen now. Her boss’ daughter goes to Northeastern, and he said that he’s taken out a second mortgage and is so far in debt that he probably can’t retire for a looonnnng time. I couldn’t do that to my mom. But If I could have afforded it, I would have loved to go!</p>