<p>My D is undecided CAS. Would like to take some music and drama classes. Possibly pre-law or journalism. She’s been to both campuses. She toured BU with her school so I didn’t get the tour. We live in Florida, so she’s been spoiled by the weather all her life. Costs are even, other than the plane ticket to visit home. What I’m asking is why did you choose BU ?</p>
<p>Hi Indepted,
What are the pros and cons as you see it for Miami?</p>
<p>Both are great schools, no doubt ,but the environment may be the deciding factor. Boston will liley have limited diversity to what you would get in Miami but of course I am biased toward Boston and consider it to be a top notch school in anm unbelievable manageble city to get to know. And what better time to experience something new than when you are young. What draws your D to these two choices?</p>
<p>My D applied to Miami as her safety. My husband and I are alumni, the school is coming up in the way of reputation and there are financial advantages to attending a FL school via state scholarships. She has never wanted to attend college in FL. She wants an urban environment. She chose BU to apply to over NYU after we toured NYU. In her college search she thought she preferred schools with the core curriculum. She'd like to go to GW in D.C., but we can't afford the $49K tuition. BU is giving her some merit money. She said she'd attend Miami and then acted as if she'd be working a dead end job for the rest of her life. I didn't want to spend the money on a trip to Boston, especially if we'd have to be coming back again in June/July for orientation. But now I think we need to attend the CAS's open house. Priceline here we come.</p>
<p>Its hard when there are so many choices each with its pros and cons, Indepted. Well you can look through some of my previous posts and see that our S is a Freshman in CAS. BU's merit scholarship did help tip the scales in our situation, however, we would have paid the full amount if it came to that. My quintessential college experience for him would have originally been a small LAC in the middle of nowhere but he was drawn to a large urban environment so I had to let go of my fears and step back and respect the amazing courage and inquisitiveness of a suburban child making that kind of choice. Looking back, I wish I had an opportunity to experience a city when I was young. If you sign up for the free BU email news on a thread from yesterday or the day before you can get a feel for trhe variety of activities from Nobel Prize lectures to on-campus concerts (jazz, classical, ethinic, along with big namae acts that the kids are into if you click on the new arena) to students volunteering. BU has been a good experience so far. He loves Boston. In HS he was an outstanding student but not a huge joiner, had an average # of ECs, I was afraid in a large school that would continue. Quite the opposite. He ended up joing a club his first month at BU and will study abroad with BU for a few weeks this summer. I can't emphasize enough how surprisng that is considering his M.O. in HS. The merit $ has allowed us to say "OK" to that and it apperars with his grades he may get some scholarship money to off set the cost of that trip too. He lives in West Campus which has more of a campus feel, more grassy areas and a dining hall thats very social, his room has huge windows with an extraordinary view of the city Skyline and the Charles River. Not an atlhete at all but since going to BU he has become a daily runner, along the river with a few friends and in the brand new Rec Ctr near his dorm when it rains. He also started snowboarding. He strongly considered NYU as well but NYC seemed a little too overwhelming and the dorms after Freshman year were beautiful but so spread out compared to BU. </p>
<p>When we rushed through the BU tours we mostly saw Comm Ave and the main area. On subsequent visits we spent more time walking along Bay St., South Campus, the river areas, where the 3 West dorms overlook the fields, the new Student Village complex., if you get off the main road you will see there is more of a campus than at first glimpse. More courtyards, benches, outside cafe seating in the newer section. We also stepped inside the School of Management which was enough to sell us on the school when I saw the unique conversational pods within the school--again very different than the stone slab of a building you see along Comm. Ave. earch through some of the older threads and you'll get a feel for some of your questions. Eventually though you just have to take a leap of faith and trust her judgement.</p>
<p>Thanks alot for the info dogs. My D's off from school next week so we'll attend the CAS open house and spend some quality time around the campus.</p>