<p>Hi everyone, I posted this question on a different section and was advised to try this section as well so I apologize for the duplicate posting. Hopefully there will be more responses.</p>
<p>It looks like S will be choosing BC, but we'd like to know more about how this school ranks academically from a more personal point of view. </p>
<p>We're happy that it's a well-rounded school with a good reputation, but the words that are most commonly used in describing this school is "preppy", "rich or privileged", "athletically inclined", "party atmosphere", "easy". Yet I also hear that it's a good fit for most students, which makes sense because it is about twice the size of the other schools he applied to.</p>
<p>This is a beautiful school in a great location with a good reputation, and S is looking forward to attending, but I'm also concerned about academics, post graduate prospects, and would like to have some more insight into the type of students that would not be happy there. Any information you could provide would be really helpful. Tia!
Pashmina is online now</p>
<p>There’s nothing wrong with a preppy atmosphere, there’s nothing wrong with a rich / privileged atmosphere (and there are plenty of schools FAR more “rich / privileged” than BC). It’s a perfectly fine school; if he’s happy, that’s the end of it.</p>
<p>My cousin attended BC many years ago and loved it. She was from a Long Island working class family and had to scramble to get enough scholarships and financial aid, but she really felt that she got a good education. </p>
<p>We visited the BCl early in the game before realizing both kids were more interested in engineering than liberal art. I agree - beautiful campus! As an added bonus, it has great access to the T for visits to downtown Boston.</p>
<p>We’re happy that it’s a well-rounded school with a good reputation, but the words that are most commonly used in describing this school is “preppy”, “rich or privileged”, “athletically inclined”, “party atmosphere”, “easy”. </p>
<p>I can only speak for my D, who is a junior Accounting major (CSOM);</p>
<p>Preppy? Not my D or most of her friends.</p>
<p>Rich or privileged? Nope. Middle class folks through and through.</p>
<p>Athletically inclined? Aside from being a ballroom dancer, she sold or gave away more tickets to football games than she has attended.</p>
<p>Party atmosphere? Some kids party, just like at most colleges, but there are many kids who are not into the drinking scene at BC. My D and her friends have fun with little if any alcohol the majority of the time. </p>
<p>Easy? My D is working her butt off. Probably depends on your major and whether you are double majoring or not as well.</p>
<p>My D is having the best college experience there a parent could possibly hope for!</p>
<p>BC is a terrific school. All that really matters is if your kiddo loves it and you can afford the costs. Don’t worry about the words used to describe the school by others. Our daughter went to a Jesuit school on the opposite coast that is very similar to BC with the same descriptors…and got a terrific education.</p>
<p>P.S. She isn’t preppy, rich, priveleged, or athletically inclined. She had a great four years there!</p>
<p>Good friend’s D graduated from BC last May. She was an accounting major, had a great paid internship the summer after junior year which turned into a job offer after graduation. She loved her time there. The only negative was the housing situation - everyone moves off-campus junior year - and frankly, her mom told me the off-campus apartment was the least expensive AND nicest housing she had all four years.</p>
<p>Another friend’s daughter is a junior at BC, not sure of her major but she’s studying in France this semester. She loves it and she is NOT a member of the party crowd. She’s a pretty devout Catholic, and I think she found her crowd at BC (it IS a Catholic school, so there are SOME kids there who take that seriously). She is also not a fan of the housing situation, but other than that they’ve been very happy with BC.</p>
<p>First, thanks to all that have responded with personal feedback. I’ve been reading this forum and some others for days now, and I think that negative feedback stems mostly from those that have chosen this school among others as a safety school. So it gets compared to other “safeties”, but I feel that often the comparisons are like “apples” to “oranges”.</p>
<p>S is still waiting to hear back from one reach school, but is accepted to Colgate, BC, and Brandeis among a few others and there was no interest in Tufts so he didn’t apply. Also, he is undecided about his Major and in his case it might actually work in reverse; the school may dictate which direction he wishes to go. He has strong interests in a liberal arts major, but is also scientifically inclined and there is interest there also. Psychology may be a fall back.</p>
<p>Right now he is leaning towards BC, but the comments seem to be so conflicting. Thanks again for all your reassurances.</p>
<p>Btw, we are Roman Catholic but have kept an open mind about schools with other religious affiliations because he is really focused on academics and gets along with everyone. I thought the question might arise because of Brandeis, since they are different schools religiously.</p>
<p>It’s ok at this point if your son has conflicting comments. Just encourage him to share all of his thoughts… for most kids the college preference process evolves over time. It will get a little easier once all of the decisions are in hand. </p>
<p>It sounds like he’ll have some great choices. Good luck!</p>
<p>“The only negative was the housing situation - everyone moves off-campus junior year - and frankly, her mom told me the off-campus apartment was the least expensive AND nicest housing she had all four years.”</p>
<p>Is the verified by others who have kids at BC? Years ago…mid 1980’s…most upperclass undergrads lived on campus (or were commuters…)</p>
<p>Thanks again Coloradomom, and 2boys you’re right I had forgotten about the housing there.</p>
<p>S is academically strong and sociable, but not of the partying kind. Lots of other varied interests too, but sports and athletics are not a part of his life. I guess dorm life can always pose a cause for some concern, but my hovering will end and I can only hope for the best. That’s why this feedback is so helpful.</p>
<p>It will be a few weeks before a solid decision is made. Please everyone feel free to post your thoughts on BC. All comments welcome!</p>
<p>BC may be considered a “safety” school among the very tippy top candidates (4.0 UW GPA, 2100+ SAT), but for MANY excellent students, it is a first choice “reach” school.</p>
<p>Shouldn’t be considered safety for those tippy top students, because I know quite a few who haven’t been admitted.</p>
<p>Due to the Jesuit heritage, BC has excellent humanities and sciences, and a very good theater dept, but the vast majority of the students will have been athletes, or will have applied to BC for the school’s athletic and school spirit strengths. So…a little concerned when you said that sports and athletics are not part of your son’s life.</p>
<p>[“preppy”, “rich or privileged”, “athletically inclined”, “party atmosphere”, “easy”]</p>
<p>I can see those labels applied to the school today. When I went there, it was more of a middle-class place with lots of Irish Roman Catholic students from New England. I think that it has much less of a religious flavor than it used to. When I go on the campus today, I see a lot more outward signs of wealth than I did when I went there.</p>
<p>There are a lot of labels applied to schools and state universities often have the label of party atmosphere but a school is what the student makes of it. I do know many that partied hard and are doing quite well today - success in life is not all about academics.</p>
<p>My oldest son is a sophomore at Notre Dame, a school with a lot in common with BC.
In high school his sports were fencing and bowling, neither of which were school sports. He never even attended a sporting event while in high school. Like your son, mine is strong academically and not a partier at all. He intended to be a Liberal Studies major which is an intense Great Books program.</p>
<p>At college he has become an enthusiastic football fan, attending every game. He also enjoys following soccer, because a suitemate is on the team, and has at least a passing interest in the fencing team which is enjoying a great year. It undoubtably has been an area of growth for him. And never would I have expected it.</p>
<p>He has declared his major to be accounting. (say what?) Oh and I think he’s also gained an appreciation for partying! He is not the same kid I sent off to ND in the best sense of the expression.</p>
<p>There is a snotty thread going on right now bashing SMU. After all this time on CC, I shouldn’t let the elitism get to me, but sometimes it is obnoxious. The fact of the matter remains that an excellent education can be obtained at many schools. Like so much in life, it has so much to do with how much a student is willing to invest of themselves into the opportunities they are given.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your son. It is an exciting time.</p>
<p>Yes, there is a lot of either/or thinking in the kind of comments you are quoting. There are students at BC and lots of other places that are athletically inclined AND may even party but are still serious about their studies and do very, very well.
Agree with the above comment that BC is hardly a safety.</p>
<p>2boys, I thought a lot about your post and it is certainly a valid question. I guess this is the reason I felt the need for more feedback, knowing this school may not be a perfect fit. We don’t think any of the other ones are either so it was more a matter of de-selecting.</p>
<p>Laketime, I got emotional when I read your post; the experiences that you mention are exactly what we hope S will come out with from going to a well rounded school and still get a good education. Life is too short, and I feel that this may be a school where he’ll share strong camaraderie and develop life-long ties and good connections. I can only hope he’ll share the positive experiences of your own. He may not be a sports nut but I’m sure he’ll probably attend a few games, especially when brother visits who is an exact opposite!</p>
<p>Dbwes, in very few words you hit the nail on the head for me. The kids that go there are both smart AND partiers and/or athletically involved and to me it seemed a contradiction, especially with a school of 9000 students. But clearly it seems there is a place for almost all types of students so I’m feeling better about it.</p>
<p>I am so glad I posted here, you guys are awesome! He’s got one more to go, an ivy and his number 1, but we’re realistic. We’ll know more after Wednesday. This has been such a long and tiring process. Thanks again all.</p>
<p>“As the parent of a graduate, I saw plenty of students involved in social service activities, volunteering for many local Boston charities during their spare time. Today, many undergraduates left on their Appalachian service tours (giving up their spring break to assist some of the neediest in our country). Yes, BC has the reputation as a haven for upper middle class white kids, but I continue to be impress with their commitment to community and service - true Jesuit ideals - Catholic ideals …I tend to think of those ideals as attributes any parent would want their child to possess.”</p>
<p>I wrote this several weeks ago. I live in the area and I am frequently on the BC campus for athletic events. I am always impressed when I walk around the campus. The students are simply amazing - nice, polite, confident, incredibly good looking and athletic, talented and involved in their local community and the community at large. There was an article in the Boston Globe on Sunday about the men’s hockey team and their involvement with a local school. Stories like that are the norm on the BC campus. I am very happy that my daughter attended BC as an undergrad and graduate student. It helped in her development as the amazing young woman she is today.</p>
He is not the same kid I sent off to ND in the best sense of the expression.</p>