If you get in somewhere better, go there

<p>Talk about being short-sided attitude. Oh no, your son didn't get that scholarship. That makes BU a horrible school, doesn't it? </p>

<p>I already addressed the scholarship issue. They put the requirement on their website for consideration. Not everyone with those statistics automatically gets one. Would it really be smart of BU to address every single concern of every parent who's shocked that their genius child didn't get the scholarship? Maybe your son lacked the 'oomph' the other applicants had, maybe his essays were poorly written, I don't know. But you shouldn't call a school bad because you didn't get a scholarship from them</p>

<p>I'm not at BU yet, I'm going there this fall so I'm far from an ardent defender, but I'm having a hard time seeing your point of view. Using your rational, Harvard becomes a bad school for an admitted student who didn't get that scholarship...</p>

<p>-The Ardent Coot66</p>

<p>Actually, Crazed, your right about that. A few bad experiences with admissions can really turn someone off to a certain school, even if those few expereinces are isolated incidents. Especially because these are the only experiences on which to base opinions. So I understand why you feel as if BU didn't care about your son. I believe I was a little blunt while saying that many more qualified applicants applied. I cannot see why in the world a valedictorian with a 4.0 didn't at least get some money. That absolutely baffles me. BU is usually pretty generous with the aid money. I had a 3.7 GPA and was in the top 8% of my class and got 10,000 a year so I figure someone as bright as your son should get even more. Maybe 15 or 20K a year. Regardless, BU isn't for everyone and all are entitled to their opinions. Good luck with the college selection process. Hope you find a school that is the right fit for your son. </p>

<p>On a completely different topic, and this thought is directed toward anyone who would like to share their feelings on the matter, I think it is great that so many people jump to the defense of BU at a moment's notice. i think it really speaks to the love the student body has for the school and vice versa. This is one of the biggest intangibles that you can find on a college campus</p>

<p>A better reason why they didn't offer crazed's son $$ is they didn't think he'd go to BU. They evaluate candidates based on that as well as pure statistics. Why crazed needs to take out this minor event by posting negatively about BU is beyond me. I frankly would have expected more from a Spartan.</p>

<p>It's like assuming your anecdote is true for all. It isn't. BU can be surprisingly generous to some and suprisingly stingy to others, just like every school.</p>

<p>Maybe they just didnt want her son? Judging by her response, I dont blame them.</p>

<p>THANKS DEVILSRULE-</p>

<p>Obviously, you get it and stated it beautifully. Lots of merit and scholarships do not make sense or may be biased by place of residency, ethnicity, etc.. Glad we really weren't counting on the money although I'm sure some are. Glad you got merit money, it helps everyone, especially with the high cost of many private schools (and the expected graduate school tuition to look forward to). (By the way, MSU was extrememely generous in merit and lots of perks to my son. When I was there as an OOS I had student loans but it was worth it.)</p>

<p>To the others- no one is knocking the education you get at BU or anywhere else, just annoyed at the lack of interest at BU. Expected more from them in several ways. Most other schools have been great and easy to deal with. Maybe I got the non-caring Admissions person on the phone which can happen anywhere.</p>

<p>COOT and loslobos- Chill out. And by the way, you are not a Harvard expert or a college admissions counselor but an arrogant senior who feels you know it al Considering all the acceptances he received including BU I think he is wanted many places.</p>

<p>No offense made to others, but I'm not in a BU mood today.</p>

<p>Good luck to all who go there or decide to go elsewhere. I wish you all success.</p>

<p>I'd hardly call myself arrogant. I never compared BU to Harvard. You're knocking it and it's beyond juvenile and unfair. I never called myself a know it all, nor did I say anything that had to do with admissions in the slightest. Regardless, I think I have a pretty good handle on that subject. I'm working towards a secondary career as a college counselor (of which i've started), so I think I'm okay in that department. Thanks for the concern though!</p>

<p>loslobos71-
Not knocking BU as a school as I stated in my last post. </p>

<p>My negatively was toward admissions only, not to the school. Don't read into it.</p>

<p>I hope you make a terrific college counselor. This past year of applying has been quite an experience and we will likely do some things differently with the next child applying.</p>

<p>crazed, rarely has a user name been so appropriate. You post bad things about BU and then, when you're directly called on it because your reasons are transparently pathetic, you hem and haw and say you only meant to say you don't like the admissions office. </p>

<p>You should consider acting like a parent and not like your user name.</p>

<p>It's actually sickening to think that crazed is someone's parent.</p>

<p>Hey Crazed, I've read your posts and have bitten my tongue until now. To be perfectly frank, I would expect more mature behavior from a parent on these forums. </p>

<p>You are apparently feeling jilted because BU didn't fawn over your child with merit money, brochures, and what not. But to respond to this unrequited love with posting as you have is really odd. The only posts of yours I somewhat understand are the ones in <em>this</em> thread. Here you explain how you feel about your high achieving child being not being offered scholarship money. However, had you taken the time to try to understand why your child did not receive any merit money, you would have found an earlier thread where other worthy candidates found themselves in the same situation. </p>

<p>What troubles me are your "anti-BU" inspired posts, those in which a poster is trying to choose between BU and another school. Here, you rally to support the other school, just because your kid wasn't given a scholarship at BU? </p>

<p>Your son's stats are truly wonderful, and I understand why you are so proud of him. But, since your son didn't really want to go to BU, and viewed it as a "safety," my guess is that that BU sensed that and responded in the lukewarm manner it did. Did your son email a department head inquiring about research opportunities? Answer the "Why BU" essay with a thoughtful, personal perspective on becoming a member of the Boston University community? Visit and sit in on some classes and send thank you notes afterwards? </p>

<p>My guess is no, BU was a safety, so he didn't reach out to BU. So why are you so surprised that BU didn't reach back with $$$$? </p>

<p>My son did reach out to BU, and showed interest in all the ways outlined above. But his hard stats were not as impressive as your son's, nor where they even at the average given on the merit scholarship website. It was a surprise and a thrill when he received two scholarships, including the big ticket, half-tuition University Scholars one that you felt your son deserved. </p>

<p>If you were in the admissions office, who would YOU have offered the scholarship to, your son, with spectacular stats but not really into BU except for the merit money, or my kid, with lesser though great stats, who has demonstrated to BU several times over that he loves BU and would be honored to attend?</p>

<p>BU and Vassar were tied for first choice and my son was accepted to both, but the merit money tipped it to BU. And he will happily attend. IMHO, BU called it right after all. The awarding of merit scholarships isn't as random as I originally thought it was, or as unfair as you think it is. </p>

<p>You apparently had an ax to grind on your son's behalf, and you've spewed your sour grapes all over the forum that "rejected" your son. OK, now that you've gotten that off your chest, it's time to get over it. You're the grown up for goodness sakes! Be an example for how one deals with life's disappointments, and take the high road. To start, I suggest you "kvell" in your son's accomplishments and focus on the school he WILL be attending instead of the school he will not.</p>

<p>Be well and good luck to you and your son.</p>

<p>I couldn't have said it better.</p>

<p>I do think admissions offices can sense when an applicant considers a school a "safety." It comes through in the essays and the overall lack of thought and care given to the whole application package.</p>