I did not enjoy my experience at BC

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston College
41

<p>There is a lesson or two to be learned from xzews' mistakes. He didn't want to go to BC in the first place - he only settled after not getting into his colleges of choice. He wanted to transfer only to overshoot again and not gain transfer admission. He did not particularly fit in, by his own admission. And, now does not like his job or his compensation. Is it any wonder he did not have a good experience at BC? He went there for the wrong reasons.</p>

<p>The real lessons in this thread - make sure your school is a good fit for you and make sure you have good back-up plans. I am sure that xzews could have found an academically challenging (for him) school with roughly the same admissions standards as BC. It seems he focused on reputation rather than fit and it seems as if he did not have a good back-up plan when his reach schools did not admit him, initially and when trying to transfer. Settling is never a good way to select a school.</p>

42

<p>Regardless of whether I went to BC for the right or the wrong reasons, and you might be on the right track when you say that I went there for the wrong reasons, I had expected a 'better' job and salary after graduation. Earning potential and future career success are, as a matter of fact, some of the main considerations when choosing a school for a lot of people.</p>

43

<p>But that makes no sense to me</p>

<p>How does a physics major who graduated with honors from a prestigious school like BC only have an average paying job?</p>

<p>Usually when someone majors in something quantitative (like physics) from a top school, he will get a high paying job from a top company</p>

44

<p>After reading about my story, if you were to infer that my interviewing skills are not quite up to par with those of the average BC grad, or that I am not very good at making first impressions, or that I have some character flaw, or that I am not overly articulate, I think you wouldn't be wrong about me. By the way, my salary is not average; it's below average.</p>

45

<ol>
<li><p>well what is the average salary that you're referring to? </p></li>
<li><p>couldn't/can't you find a better job?</p></li>
<li><p>are you implying that you got turned down by many high paying jobs you applied to, and so you're stuck with your current one?</p></li>
<li><p>In the future, your salary will go up quickly as you gain with experience or you find a better job, correct?</p></li>
</ol>

46

<p>xzews - I think you expect too much. First you expect to get into your first choice schools so you don't make adequate back-up plans. Then you expect to be able to transfer, so you again don't make adequate back-up plans. Finally you expect that because you graduate with honors from BC that companies will drool over you. The world doesn't work that way. I am sure that BC can open some doors in some places. It doesn't just happen, you still have to work at it. There are things far more important in the real world than where you went to school and what your GPA was.</p>

47

<p>Is BC's physics department even that good? I never got the impression that it was highly rated. When applying for jobs, departmental strength might be more important than the reputation of the college as a whole. Just a thought.</p>

48

<p>
[quote]
1. well what is the average salary that you're referring to?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My starting salary is below average according to salary.com.</p>

<p>
[quote]
2. couldn't/can't you find a better job?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I could probably find a higher paying job if I search in the right places and acquire the right skills. It's a matter of not shooting too high and not settling for the first opportunity that comes my way.</p>

<p>
[quote]
3. are you implying that you got turned down by many high paying jobs you applied to, and so you're stuck with your current one?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I got invited to interviews for jobs that paid 20k/year more than I currently earn. It's not like I was shooting too high, since I actually got invited to those interviews. Maybe I did not demonstrate enough interest for the jobs I was interviewing for, or perhaps my interviewing/technical skills were not up to par with my academic qualifications, or perhaps the persons who invited me to those interviews expected a stereotypical BC graduate. It's speculation. But you are right, I sort of got stuck with my current job.</p>

<p>
[quote]
4. In the future, your salary will go up quickly as you gain with experience or you find a better job, correct?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Salary reviews depend mostly on performance, not longevity. My hope is that I'll eventually find a higher paying job.</p>

<p>
[quote]
xzews - I think you expect too much. First you expect to get into your first choice schools so you don't make adequate back-up plans.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It was either the schools I really wanted to go to or any school with a decent reputation. BC seemed convenient, so I settled for that school.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Finally you expect that because you graduate with honors from BC that companies will drool over you.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I did not expect companies to drool over me, since I am (no offense) just a BC grad, but I did expect having an easier time finding suitable employment.</p>

49

<p>No offense taken since my only connection to BC is that my daughter was admitted and most likely will not be attending. I think your negative attitude is contagious - to prospective employers. You are not proud of your degree from BC and I suspect it shows when you interview for a job.</p>

50

<p>I agree hktk...I am starting to think more and more that xzews is just trying to rattle some of the chains of the people who go on this site. To anybody making a decision- don't listen to him, or anybody on this site for that matter. Your decision should be your own, and not because of what one person says on a forum.</p>

51

<p>
[quote]
To anybody making a decision- don't listen to him, or anybody on this site for that matter. Your decision should be your own, and not because of what one person says on a forum.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I can't disagree with espn on that one. People reading my messages should understand that it's unlikely they'll end up the way I did if they attend BC. I'm just venting, take my anecdotes with a grain of salt.</p>

52

<p>how is the typical BC grad?</p>

<p>Yea I know they like to party but every school is a party school</p>

53

<p>Extroverted, articulate, knows what he/she wants, and presents him/herself well. :)</p>

54

<p>Uh oh.</p>

<p>I am the shy, quiet type</p>

<p>I don't present myself well either and am not articulate</p>

<p>And I am extremely nervous around girls, especially the ones that look good of course</p>

<p>Plus, I'm Asian</p>

<p>But I can also say I am a HUGE sports fan (I follow the NBA, NFL, and MLB and know everything) and sports is big here</p>

<p>Are there hot asian girls at BC?</p>

<p>just askin LOL</p>

55

<p>I don't think there is anything wrong with someone presenting their own experience, whether it be positive or negative. But my gut feeling is that it would behoove xzews to go to a grad school where he originally wanted to be. Perhaps then he would be happier about his educational choice and be in a better position for jobs.</p>

56

<p>The are a TON of asian clubs on campus and asians tend to hand out together a lot at BC. This is not to say that they don't have other friend groups, but asians really stick together. I think if you joined one of these clubs you would have a substantial friend base to start from. Oh yeah, and there are plenty of cute asian girls.</p>

57

<p>I guess I'm very similar to you Lil<em>Wayne</em>Fan. Ok, contrary to what ClassicGuitar said, it's the Koreans that stick together, the other asian people stick together, but you don't see it as often as the Koreans. There are many asian related groups on campus and you'll be sure to find friends there. Personally, I do not think there are many hot asian girls here.I wouldn't say that they look good/great either, but like with many things, you might find a rare hottie.</p>

58

<p>
[quote]
But my gut feeling is that it would behoove xzews to go to a grad school where he originally wanted to be. Perhaps then he would be happier about his educational choice and be in a better position for jobs.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I appreciate your optimism, but if I couldn't get accepted to their undergraduate program, what makes you think I'll get accepted to their grad program?</p>

59

<p>o dam i cant go to BC then no hot azn girls..... haha</p>

60

<p>All of the better colleges in the Boston area have a high % of Asians...Harvard, MIT, BU, Tufts. Wellesley is almost 30% Asian--all female.</p>