<p>We're getting down to the wire! I keep going back and forth between Drexel and Boston College. When I started looking at colleges, I wanted one that was in a city, farther from home (near Pittsburgh), and, of course, had geology and physics majors. Both meet those basics pretty well, so there's no help there.</p>
<p>As far as the different cities go, I've been through Philadelphia a bit, but I didn't have time to go through Boston, so I'd be interested in opinions there. </p>
<p>With academics, Boston is certainly the winner overall, but Drexel's geoscience program has the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences behind it, with a huge amount of resources. Drexel's has only existed since they partnered with the Academy three or four years ago, though, so it's awfully new. Judging by the sample schedules, I'd end up taking more geology courses at Drexel, because of Boston's theology and philosophy requirements, but I'd enjoy those classes at Boston. I'd also be in Drexel's honors college, which would be nice.</p>
<p>Boston's campus clearly has Drexel's beat in architecture and green space. It's plain beautiful. It's a bit farther from the city, but all the students I asked when I visited said it wasn't hard to get downtown.</p>
<p>To my mind, each one has one thing that distinguishes it from others schools: Boston College is run by Jesuits and Drexel is big on the co-ops. I'm Catholic, myself, and that was actually one of the reasons I liked Boston from the start; at the admitted students day, I was impressed by the presentation I saw about all the different service opportunities Boston gives and how it supposedly changes your point of view so you actually want to do community service. Drexel's co-op program means that you work eighteen months in three jobs related to your major. You graduate after five years, so it would be a bit odd to see my high school friends finishing up a year before me. Drexel uses a quarter system, with classes lasting only ten weeks (I'm sure I could handle it), and you don't get summers off. One of the alumni I saw at their admitted students day pointed out that even if I went home for the summer, I'd probably be working at McDonald's or something that wouldn't be related to my major, so that made the co-ops seem a bit more reasonable. It would be good experience. I hear geologists need to get graduate degrees, though, where the co-ops seem aimed at getting you a job right after you get your B.S. That's looking pretty far ahead.</p>
<p>The cost wouldn't be much different; Drexel gave me more money, but I'd be going there for five years, so it evens out.</p>
<p>So Boston College would be a bit more of a normal college experience, from the program to the campus to the length, where Drexel would be defined by the co-ops, for better or for worse.</p>
<p>That's a lot to read, I know, but I figured you guys should see why I'm stuck. What does everyone think?</p>