<p>Hi,
I got accepted to both boston college and university of michigan. I am instate at u of m and bc offered me lots of aid, enough to make them the same cost. I need some opinions of where to go, for a chemistry/econ. double major. I realize u of m is basically strong in everything and that its a great opportunity but i feel the need to get out of state and really like bcs atmosphere. not that uofm doesnt have a great atmosphere but that i feel like i dont want to be there, too close to home, could just be a phase? anyway i feel like i will have a great time at either school but feel like i could be at a disadvantage coming out of bc in comparison to um, possible med school, likely grad school. will the marketability of identical student be different at bc compared to um? i feel like i can do well at both of them. im a little concerned about research at bc but have talked to some faculty and it seems like its not hard to come by. im rambling but any advice any1 can give is invaluable
help me decide!!!</p>
<p>My vote is BC. It's an amazing school with an amazing reputation. Best of luck</p>
<p>I'm a grad student at UM and really like it (but I grew up out of state, so didn't have to deal with the "too close to home" issue). How close will you really be to home--an hour? 5 minutes? Will you be running into your parents around town, or will you still need to make the effort to go home? Do you think your family will pressure you to come home more than you want to if you pick UM?</p>
<p>I'm inclined to suggest whichever option is cheaper, especially since you think you'll do well at either school and since you may have a lot more educational expenses ahead of you--med school is pricey! I don't think you'll get much of a med school admissions boost from attending BC instead of UM provided your grades and MCAT score are similar. In fact, if you think research opportunities are better at UM, that might give it the advantage. And UM has a great hospital system for you to work or volunteer in (though there are certainly plenty of hospitals in Boston too, should you go that route).</p>
<p>When I was deciding between UM and a school in a bigger city, I picked UM in part because it would be easy to move to a city in the future. Boston will always be there, and it's probably more fun when you have a job and thus more money to spend. But I think they're both good choices and like you say, you'll do fine at either one.</p>
<p>Just go where you'll feel comfortable and challenged, if they cost the same. Three-quarters of students who enter college thinking they are pre-med, don't end up that way anyway.</p>
<p>If you at the top of your class, you will get more internship, mentoring, and research opportunities at UM. But if you are not, those research opportunities are going to go to others, and to graduate students. </p>
<p>If it's too close to home, go to BC.</p>
<p>I vote for the best academics. Don't worry about UM being too close to home (that was my fear for UW, I lived on campus instead of commuting eons ago and loved the school)- college campuses are not like the residential areas, you will notice the difference between HS and college life. You could spend freshman year at BC and transfer back to Michigan to satisfy your urge to leave familiar surroundings (I know someone whose D did that for UW). You will meet people from OOS at UM.</p>
<p>One is small college, the other huge. At one, you will never run out of chem courses. Have you spoken with chem profs at BC? How many other premeds at BC? Housing situation will be diff. at these schools. I'd suggest making a list of pros and cons. The schools are so different the lists shuld help with your selection.</p>
<p>Congratulations on two great choices! This is a chance of a lifetime to experience the Northeast within the cozy atmosphere of BC. With many colleges very closeby, you will have the chance to meet students from all over the country, world, as well as get a taste of colonial history, architecture, and great seafood. The weather is even a bit warmer than Ann Arbor with the moderating influence of the ocean. </p>
<p>Boston has tons to offer (Red Sox, Patriots, Fine Arts Museum) and Cambridge, with MIT and Harvard, have many events and parties if you want to meet other people. And then there are Northeastern, BU, Emerson, Tufts, etc. The subway system, the T, is easy, safe and cheap to use, and provides a great access to all parts of the region. Not to deride sweet Ann Arbor, but there is a LOT more to do around Boston.</p>
<p>When breaks come, you can hop on a bus or train and soon be in NYC, Philly, or even venture to D.C. Logan airport is nearby, and is a shorter hop to Europe.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for your great responses, everyone is so helpful. anyone else have anything to add? thanks again</p>
<p>Our son had a similar dilemma: U of M (in state) and Duke. U of M gave him terrific scholarships, Duke gave him terrific aid. They came in close enough financially that it was his call. (Just a note though, aid is dependent on your family's finances remaining pretty stable)</p>
<p>Son chose Duke, in part because it was the Big Step. A big step geographically, a big step because he would know no one there, a big step because he would be surrounded by other kids who had been big fish in little ponds and now they would all be swimming together.</p>
<p>He is very happy with his choice: thriving at Duke, stimulated by his fellow students, heading off to a great internship. But I can also see reasons why UM may have been at least as good a choice. </p>
<p>So much of what went into his decision was his personality. He was ready to make a Big Step.</p>
<p>If you think I can help further, please fell free to PM.</p>
<p>bumpidy bump bump?</p>
<p>As a BC alum, I can only speak to the pros/cons of my alma mater--don't know much about UMich. </p>
<p>BC students love their school. Loyalty, pride and team spirit (which doesn't just apply to sports) are qualities you'll find that all Eagles share. They are a bright, enthusiastic bunch who like to have fun. (They are not a bunch of drunken slackers and ivy wannabes--you will not feel like you are at a second-class institution.) The sports culture is fairly dominant on campus, but leaves room for all types. BC is run by the Jesuits and in some ways there is an obvious influence and in others it can be ignored (if it is not your cup of tea.) (You will have to take required Theology courses and you may have some profs who are priests. Most people do not attend mass regularly, if at all.) If you are an ultra-liberal activist-type who is radically pro-choice and wants to distribute birth control on campus--this is probably not the place for you. It is, overall, only a moderately conservative campus because of the religious affiliation (Massachusetts is generally a liberal-minded state--think Kennedys--and there are many, many students from Mass, NY, NJ) with a social conscience and a big heart. The administration, however, is quite conservative and immovable.</p>
<p>It's a big enough place so that you will continue to meet new people each year. Each housing community is a tight-knit group that promotes friendships but does not exclude others. (If you can manage to live in the "Mods" one year, I'd recommend it highly.) You will have a variety of experiences based on where you live. Newton campus (where some freshmen live) is a short (and not too annoying) bus ride away. The surrounding area is quite nice and upscale.</p>
<p>Academically, some departments are, of course, better than others--the School of Business is probably one of the most notable. IN CAS, Economics is definitely good. Almost all Econ majors I knew had very successful outcomes. I wouldn't rate the sciences as "at the very top" but one of my roomies was from Ann Arbor (daughter of doctors) and was Bio pre-med--she chose BC over many quality schools and was quite exceptional--she ended up going to Harvard Med. Also, another roomie from CT (father taught at Yale) was a Chem major and ended up in a top grad program and is still doing research there. Many people I knew had good outcomes at some of the well-respected med schools nearby such as Tufts and BU. One of my friends was the son of the team doctor of the NE Patriots and he went to BU Med.</p>
<p>There are a lot of well-connected individuals at BC and alum love to send their kids there. You will find many active alum associations across the country and people who offer network support in their respective fields. Eagles are social and ambitious and they are always willing to help other Eagles.</p>
<p>You want to double major? This is doable if you can place out of the numerous (something like 15 or 16?) required courses with AP's. There are some requirements however with no AP equivalents and you will just have to suffer with the rest. You should check out their policy and make sure that you can live with these. For people without AP's, the first year can be a grind--those big intro lecture courses are (hate to say it) mostly a bore.</p>
<p>For someone into track, there is also the allure of the Boston marathon. Several of my friends ran it over the years. You have the bonus of being able to train locally. "Heartbreak Hill" is right there! BC also raises a ton of money from alumni to keep the sports facilities tip-top--stadiums and rec-plex are superior.</p>
<p>I think Boston is probably the best college town in the nation (and I'm from NY.) BC has its own T-stop (Green Line) and almost everyone migrates into the city at some point over the weekend. There is no boredom factor at BC--sports, entertainment, culture, parties, food, etc. are all readily accessible.</p>
<p>The one sticking point might be financial. You are saving some $$ at BC, I understand, but you have to think about transportation costs and the cost of living and entertaining yourself there. There are definitely jobs available on campus and in the nearby towns for students. If you want to go to Med or Grad school right after college, you have to seriously consider what the amount of debt you are taking on will mean in terms of your goals.</p>
<p>No one but you can make this decision. Think about what is most important to you and choose what will serve you best. </p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>thanks so much for that response, im planning on visiting bc this weekend and that should help me decide a lot, at this point though i am completely torn</p>