<p>I'm starting to look at colleges to attend and I really like Boston. I'm planning on being an elementary education major and I'm not TOO worried about my grades/scores. (I have a 3.98 gpa & a 30 on my ACTs). </p>
<p>I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions for colleges in the area. I was looking at Boston College and Holy Cross. Is there anything that makes one better than the other (not just in academics but student life as well!)?</p>
<p>Also a really important factor is financial aid/scholarships. My actual attendance will be somewhat reliant on merit-based aid. </p>
<p>Thanks for suggestions/input!</p>
<p>Neither BC nor Holy Cross offer much merit aid. The vast majority of aid at both is need based. BC is 3 times the size of Holy Cross and has multiple colleges whereas HC is strictly liberal arts.</p>
<p>Holy Cross is not near boston. </p>
<p>Boston College and Northeastern come to mind.</p>
<p>Holy Cross is 40 miles from Boston.
Boston College is 9 miles from Boston.
Northeastern is actually in Boston as is Boston University.</p>
<p>Since Boston is outrageously popular (for good reasons), merit aid is not easy to get. Schools like HC, BC, Tufts, Harvard, MIT have no merit aid. So you can’t count on it at BU or Northeastern.</p>
<p>But if you are set on Boston, check out Emmanuel College when you visit Boston. The school’s main building is similar to Holy Cross. The academic profile is lower than the above-mentioned schools, but you will likely get a merit award. The off-campus experience will be the same as BU or Northeastern, the classes will be smaller. If you are female, the same applies to Simmons College, including merit aid.</p>
<p>^This is true. I also wouldn’t spend the money to attend a prestigious school like BC, HC or Northeastern, or even BU, if I wanted to be a teacher. Take the scholarship and keep your cost down. Graduate with little to no debt. You’ll be happy you did so when you start teaching.</p>
<p>You might want to look at Salem State University, they have an elementary school as part of their campus and Im sure as an education major you would benefit from it. Its about 20 miles from Boston so if you really want to be in the city Im sure you could find closer schools.</p>
<p>Salem State, Framingham state, Assumption College, etc. would all be fine if you want to be a teacher. You don’t need to go to a good school to be a teacher. Your goal should be to keep your debt down.</p>
<p>Have you checked out Wheelock College? They offer elementary education, and a dual major program.</p>
<p>^ Wheelock is good. Boston College is phenomenal for education majors, though. They have great student-teacher opportunities, a gorgeous campus, and to be honest, with your stats, I’d say you have a terrific chance, provided you write excellent essays. </p>
<p>Go with BC and HC.</p>
<p>Lesley University (used to be Lesley College until recently) is well-know for its education programs. Again, it is not in the same overall tier as NE or BU or Holy Cross.
Holy Cross is in Worcester, not Boston - but there are 13 colleges in the Worcester area, but if I were you I would focus on Boston.
B.U. and Northeastern both have merit aid. I know someone who just got good offers from both. If you are a highly qualified applicant relative to the pool of other applicants for the School of Education, perhaps you might be surprised at the amount you get.<br>
Tufts would be another prestigious choice, but there is NO merit aid, just need-based aid.
But given the amount of money teachers make, I would strongly consider a state school as well as apply to any schools that might be generous with merit aid. Too bad UMass Boston is a commuter school.</p>