I thought the CGS students and parents could use a thread of our own to ask questions specific to this program as well as share our thoughts.
I will start off, I have a son accepted into the program. He loves BU, always has but also has another great option that has also offered a nice merit package with a standard start date and many of the same programs. I don’t think he will make his final decisions until we can get to accepted students day and really hear the full CGS deal.
Thanks for starting this thread. My daughter was accepted. I’m wondering if all the CGS students are put in the same dorm and if all their classes are in the CGS building on the west side? I also want to know if she can use her AP and college credits since this program has a set class schedule?
From what I have read in past threads, they are put into whatever dorms are available in January. Hopefully, someone can jump in for the other questions.
My son is accepted to this program also. I wonder if anyone know what classss can be transferred and when will the student get into their school of choice.
Students transfer to other schools after their sophomore year. On dorms, I also read that CGS kids could be slotted into open rooms throughout the residence halls. I’m guessing that their roommate at a minimum would be another CGS freshman, but it’s a good question to ask at the admitted student day. Still wrapping my head around the Spring start but from where I stand the program has a lot going for it. My daughter has diverse interests and isn’t ready to commit to a particular major or path, so the flexibility the program offers in terms of trying things out and then deciding on a college is really attractive. I like that there are 600 kids all entering in the Spring, so a good mix of kids to explore the newness with and I like that students are put in smaller cohorts to make a big school feel smaller.
@Darby44 My daughter goes on those service/expedition trips around the globe and is going to treat the fall semester as half a gap year. She’ll work through the summer til Oct and then she’s considering a 7 week trip overseas.
I wish there were more CGS admitted students days. There are 3 Fridays and 1 Saturday all of which interfere with spring sports but we have to make it up for one to get the full story. Has anyone scheduled their day yet?
Thanks for starting this thread @morrismom1. My daughter was accepted to CGS but has reservations, as do I, about starting in January. I’m not worried about filling the gap rather I’m more concerned with the integration when she gets there in January. I realize CGS students are somewhat together but for a girl stepping into a new environment I think it can add a level of challenge where friends, cliques, comfort level, etc. are already established for most. For my daughter I think this program could be good because she doesn’t know where she wants life to go. I doubt many 17 year old’s truly do. Pretty much every school though offers study abroad programs, etc. so just trying to evaluate if this program is right. Thanks
@helensdad I have a boy and he will not discuss how he “feels” about it but I surmise that it is very similar. He/I may feel differently if it had a September start like NorthEastern.I think it will/would be hard to stay home while all your friends leave. That being said, I am very grateful he has this opportunity as opposed to not being admitted at all or being weight listed given how stiff this year’s competition. Honestly, his guidance counselor thought BU was a total match and had a very good chance at Merit money so all of this comes as a bit of a surprise.
@morrismom1 That guidance counselor is about 10 years out of touch with BU/NEU/BC selectivity.
There is a previous thread that has some great information. I can’t get the link to work but it is titled: Admitted to CGS? Here’s some common facts and fallacies Hope this is helpful.
CGS Parent here.
The CGS program is designed to reduce the empty dorm room problem at high cost schools like BU. Every Spring, lots of BU students head abroad for a semester, and a few students quit. To fill those rooms, the CGS Boston-January-London program was created. I think it is almost 50% of CGS now, and will be 100% in a couple years. Other schools have January admits, but the BU CGS Dean would explain they don’t fix the problem of being behind. The London second semester fixed that problem. At the same price as a Boston semester, and they pay your airfare
You start Sophomore year in Boston like everyone else.
Everyone goes to London. The same faculty and staff you had in Boston, go with you to London. There are two 7-week semesters.
CGS kids enter the dorms of the departing students. My daughter is not really friends with her nice dorm-mates, but is great friends with other CGS January kids.
In London, BU has apartments for all students. In the Kensington neighborhood, which is very safe. They build the humanities program around London museums, art galleries and monuments. There is no food service. There are kitchens and the kids fend for themselves for food.
CGS is a two-year humanities program, and then you enter an existing college. All colleges are available for CGS transfer students, if you meet the basic requirements. My daughter will either enter CAS as a chemistry major. of the Sargent School, as a human physiology major.
Most kids use the semester off to work, study or volunteer.
From what I can see, it was not too tough to start in January. My daughter joined clubs, went thru rush, and has big plans with her new best friends to share a dorm room in London
So far my daughter loves her time at BU.
My daughter was so ecstatic when she received the acceptance to BU that she overlooked the CGS/London component. After we realized that she was not going to start with the normal freshman class there was a great deal of angst in my household. I spent time reading the BU website, and threads similar to this from last years class. We were worried that this program was a) a scam; b) remedial; c) would not provide her the full educational advantage of BU at full price.
The BU website is solid, but I was skeptical as it never really addresses why a student is picked for, or shunted to, this program. The collegeconfidential threads tried to be encouraging but the level of angst, rumor and general emotion among the participants gave us some encouragement, but not confidence, that this was where our daughter should be. They also demonstrated that many students and parents feel that this is a referendum on their quality which clouds the entire discussion.
Being thoroughly confused, I called some friends who teach at the collegiate level. Some are in Boston at competitive institutions, and some are in admissions (none at BU). While I had spoken with all of them before, talking about the London program was eye opening.
I have distilled this down, but here is the summary of their points:
First, the common application (and similar vehicles) has made the competition more intense than ever. 10 years ago a valedictorian from rural Georgia may have only applied at Georgia Tech. Now they apply to every competitive school, throwing the statistics into a cocked hat.
Second,it comes down to school rankings and their flaws. Simply put, university administrations drive their admission offices based on rankings and diversity. Rankings loom over every decision. If your son or daughter cured cancer, but got an 1190 on the SAT, they were a marginal candidate. The rankings make little use of metrics beyond SAT and GPA.
Third, good schools and good admissions officers know that there are far more to students than just SAT and GPA. As an example, the student who should have been the valedictorian in my high school (4.0/1600 SAT) spent graduation in a cell because of the chemistry lab in his basement.
Conversely, they know that there are extraordinary student who’s abilities are not beneficial to the school’s rankings. These programs are an effort to meet the school’s demands to be ranked as high as possible, and still gather students who improve the student body. This is the reason they are starting these programs. If the student enters in January, their stats are not counted in the schools statistics for rankings. Filling beds vacated by students who leave is a cherry on top.
Based upon the feed back I received, this program is as well regarded by the academic community as getting regular admission. For my daughter, after hearing this and looking at the travel, the semi-gap year and the subject matter of the first two years, she decided that this program is better for her than regular admission.
@mlheath3 Very helpful. Thank you so much!
Hi. We are going to the CGS open house this week. My D was admitted and very excited. We are concerned about the cost because she received little money. Was wondering how others are feeling after attending an open house, if they feel the cost put weighs the benefits? Thanks
We went to the open house and found it was a really good opportunity to have some of our questions answered. A couple of points of interest that came up:
- Guaranteed transition to other BU colleges after 2 years if student meets the minimum gpa requirement... 2.0 which all kids who had the qualifications for admittance should have no problem earning. According to admin, there are no quotas or max numbers that would be accepted for transition. One exception is Engineering which students transition to after one year, but they must have a higher grade (can't remember exactly what) in an engineering class freshman year and take a qualifying exam.
- CGS students are guaranteed housing, but are placed in open slots so likely will be with a non-CGS roommate and with an upperclassman.
- 5-credit classes have one large seminar with entire 80-student team and then two sessions of discussion group (approx. 30 students) per week, but all three class sessions are led by the professor - no TAs.
- Students carry 18 credits in the Spring and 14 in London.
Open house definitely helped us make the decision… my daughter has decided that BU is the place for her.
Thanks for sharing! Bummer about housing. We will let you know what my daughter decides after this weekend!
We are very excited about this. My daughter was applying to UK schools also, and this seems the best of both worlds.
The CGS London semester is short. Is it concentrated and harder than Boston, or is it less difficult because there is travel and the like? Exams?