<p>Hey all accepted BU class of 2009 kiddies, I just wanted to say congrats! I remember when I found out I was accepted last year (hehe March 22)… it’s exciting stuff! </p>
<p>If any of you want to ask anything at all about BU, whether you’re definitely coming here or still aren’t sure, feel free to IM me, my screen name is the same as my CC name. I remember wishing someone would offer me answers last year! (BTW, I’m in COM majoring in Advertising, and live in Warren, so I can most def answer questions about those things.)</p>
<p>As for all of you who didn’t get in, I’m sure you’ll do great wherever you go! And for you WL’s… there’s a HIGH chance you’ll still get in. Don’t give up hope!</p>
<p>Sorry for the double post, but if you don't want to IM me, feel free to ask your questions here as well. (Yeah, it sucks when everyone on your floor goes home for the Easter weekend except you...)</p>
<p>Ok, I have a question. How great is the COM program at BU. I was accepted early decision. I hope it is as good as I thought--really never wanted to go anywhere else. However, I got a bad deal on merit, and no financial aid, so other than the unsubsidized stafford, my family is paying full shot, and we are very middle class. In other words I will have to take out thousands in loans. I know(really) that I would have received thousands in merit at other colleges . Please tell me that the program is great and that I will get a job when I get out.
By the way, my stats are pretty much the "if your stats are blah, blah, you have a wonderful chance of aid--720V, 620m, 710 w, lots of honors, ap's, talented musician, leadership, and the list goes on 3.7 uw gpa, large suburban ny hs.</p>
<p>Lilly, I'm really surprised you weren't awarded at least a Dean's Scholarship. It specifically says that ED candidates have "priority consideration for University Scholarships." This might mean other forms of merit aid as well. I would definitely pursue this with admissions and financial aid.</p>
<p>Kinshasha,
Thankyou for your reply. Your information on this post is always invalueable. My parents called admissions and financial aid in December. We got nowhere. I was told that I did not meet the stats for a dean's scholarship - by financial aid, and then an Adcom e-mailed me and said that I was considered for a founders grant, but unfortunately my EFC was $2,000 over the cost of BU education, so they could not give me one. I, and my parents accepted that. We only had about ten days to decide whether to accept or not the college that I have wanted to attend for years. I am an only child, so I don't know what that has to do with EFC. This was our only and first go around with this. Yesterday when I saw the stats of some of the people who received the Dean's scholarship, I was so upset that I called admissions. After all, I through all my eggs into this basket. I hate to say this on this post, because I am so happy for the folks who received scholarships, but I think that I would have been better off applying RD. I followed my heart, because this was my one and only school that I really wanted to attend.</p>
<p>Kinshasha,
I forgot to say that admissions told me that I could appeal my financial aid decision when I filed my fasfa, and my parent's taxes. We were not appealing financial aid- we knew we would not qualify-- We were appealing merit- deans's, founders. We were told by an adcom that the only true merit was awarded to applicants with 1450+ sat scores and top 5 percent. So I guess that includes only University and Trustee scholarships. So much for this admissions game.Thanks for your concern.</p>
<p>Last year, I was faced with the same decision. I only got 10K a year merit-based scholarship, and no need based aid. But according to what I had heard, I was practically going to be guaranteed a job once graduating from COM. So I decided to take out some student loans and risk it.</p>
<p>Now that I'm here, I'm glad I chose to be here. I still here that I'll be guaranteed a job. COM is one of the if not THE best communication school in the nation. The internship opportunities for all majors in COM are amazing, and the study abroad programs are REALLY amazing. Plus, COM has so many alumni representatives scattered everywhere, who will be more than willing to take on BU interns (they went to the school themselves, so they know how good the skills of a BU student are going to be).</p>
<p>The other day, I changed my major from film/tv to advertising. BU happens to have the best advertising program in the nation, so I guess I happened to get lucky, being that I'm already here. I took a leap of faith coming here, spending 30K a year, which is 10-15K more than some of my friends. But I believe it will be worth it. Of course, I'm only a freshman, so I've still got a bit of believing to go before I see where I end up. Don't start regretting your decision now! Good luck!</p>
<p>From what I hear, the advertising program is GREAT. Freshman year, you'll take COM101 and COM201, which are intro courses that all COM students must take. You don't really get into your majors until first semester sophomore year. Next semester, if everything works out alright at registration, I'll be taking Intro to Advertising and Writing for Mass Communication. </p>
<p>One thing unique about BU's Adveritising program is AdLab. I don't know too much about it yet, but it gives students the opportunity to work in BU for local organizations, making real advertisements and the likes. I believe it counts as an internship, and I KNOW it counts for credit. You can start doing AdLab junior year.</p>
<p>Internship opportunities for advertising are really good too. I plan on doing the LA internship first semester senior year, called "Advertising in Hollywood." (I want to get into advertising in the entertainment industry.) I can't wait!</p>
<p>Wow. That sounds amazing. I'm not sure what to do because over the last few months I've grown VERY attatched to Northeastern. But yesterday I got an unexpected 10K from them and their COM is SO MUCH better. But now idk what to do. I really like a lot of things about Northeastern. Any advice?</p>
<p>I was accepted to Northeastern also, and they offered my 5K a year more than BU did. But I chose BU (hehe, obviously). I was a bit biased in my decision though... BU was always my first choice. None of the other colleges mattered at all once that decision from BU was posted online. I didn't really like Northeastern's co-op program once I learned more about it (turns out that extra 5K would have evened out in the end, since you have to spend 5 years at NEU), and BU's really just an all-around better school (in my opinion). And BU definitely seems to have a better rep in the world of COM. </p>
<p>I have read several articles, and posts regarding grade deflation at BU. Have you experienced this? I heard that profs are encouraged to follow a sort of bell curve when grading- only allowing a certain number of A's.</p>
<p>hey flix. i am just wondering and not be hating lol, but how is it that bu offers merit based financial aid? isn't the purpose of financial aid so that those who need the money can attend? i just don't understand the policy. it's unfair personally because i was thinking about going.</p>
<p>Depravity, many schools offer merit based scholarships. They do this because they want to draw well qualified students to their school, those that are above the school's average students usually. They do this to improve their national ranking and the overall public opinion of the school. BU is not the only school that does this; in fact the majority of schools do.</p>
<p>About grade deflation:
What you read is correct, and it sucks no matter how you look at it. From what I understand, BU is trying to make their B better than a Harvard B (since they have grade INflation). Of course, when you're applying to grad school, heh, try explaining to THEM why your GPA isn't as high as someone from Harvard. I think that grade deflation hits the sciences, WR's (writing courses we ALL have to take), and intro classes the hardest, but it all depends on the professor. If you get a professor that really likes to follow the rules, there will be grade deflation, where the professor will force the grades of the class to be a B- average. If you get a professor that recognizes that you should get what you deserve... well, you'll get what you deserve. Hence the magic of <a href="http://www.ratemyprofessor.com%5B/url%5D">www.ratemyprofessor.com</a>.</p>
<p>About scholarships:
Merit-based scholarships are completely different than financial aid. Merit scholarships are given out need blind, meaning that a millionaire could still get the Dean or University scholarship, etc. Financial aid is what you get based on your need, and is NOT based on your high school GPA, SAT scores, etc. Like kiki81ny said, the purpose of merit-based scholarship is to draw in people who they believe with improve their national ranking. (Hehe, if they want to improve their ranking, get rid of freaking grade deflation.)</p>