<p>I have heard that 1/3 of the Freshman at BC have to live in Newton for their first year. I have heard that it is about 1.5 miles away and I have also heard that it is 40 minutes away- which one is it? And is it just based on lotto on who has to live there and is it as bad as people say? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Check the CC archives; there have been literally dozens of threads in the past few years about the advantages and disadvantages of the Newton campus. Freshmen are randomly assigned to Newton (40%) or Upper (60%). </p>
<p>Newton is indeed just about 1.5 miles from the main campus – a 5-minute bus ride away:
[Newton</a> vs. Upper - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/admission/undergrad/process/tips/s-newtonupper.html]Newton”>http://www.bc.edu/admission/undergrad/process/tips/s-newtonupper.html)</p>
<p>My son lived on Newton his freshman year and really loved it there – it’s quiet, it’s all freshmen (which makes it easier to meet people and make new friends), it has a strong sense of community, and it has lots of green space and the best dining hall (Stuart).</p>
<p>and yes, it’s a lottery selection. It is not “bad.” Kids who live on Newton love it, but all admit that the bus is a PIA. Those that live on Upper love it too, but often times go to Newton to visit friends and eat “out”. There is no “bad” answer.</p>
<p>Worried<em>mom has it right-- 60 (Upper)/40 (Newton) and lottery as bluebayou states. The trip over may take a few minutes longer than 5 and there’s of course the waiting time for the bus to swing by the various pick up/ drop off points on Newton campus. Bonus: The cafeteria is superior to anything on main campus. This might be because the Freshman share the dining facility with the law school students. The dorms are also a little nicer compared to upper campus Freshman living. My daughter was “disappointed” when her assignment was first announced but then absolutely LOVED Newton campus, once she got there and experienced the close knit community of Freshman students (as worried</em>mom also points out).</p>
<p>1.5 miles is only a thirty minute walk, depending on your pace. If you plan your schedule accordingly, you won’t even need to wait for the bus. </p>
<p>I walked two miles last year to BC every single school day as a commuter. Takes me at least 40 minutes to get from my doorstep to the St. Ignacius Gate.</p>
<p>40% of the freshmen live on Newton, so you do not feel isolated. And the dining hall on Newton is definitely better than the one for Upper kids. I lived on Newton and I LOVED it. Yeah, the bus was annoying sometimes, but overall it didn’t bother me too much. Sometimes it would be 5 minutes, usually more because of traffic lights or traffic. And there is a website you can track the buses on so you can know where i is and what stop is best to go to. The rooms are slightly bigger on Newton and there are no forced triples. Go back through this forum and look at other threads, it has been discussed many times.
I was really glad I lived on Newton freshmen year.</p>
<p>Patriotsfan wrote:</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Our son lived on the Newton campus his first year. Aside from the hassle of the bus, he too LOVED it. </p>
<p>As others have noted, do a search for the many discussions on this subject.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I did a search and there was a bit of conflicting info. Are the buses on a set schedule are they rather big where they can fit a good bit of people.</p>
<p>The buses are smaller than the city buses, but can still hold a good 40 or so people, 50 if you can pack everyone in. The buses generally run on a set schedule, but when you factor things like traffic, a driver’s laziness, and other things, it’s not as on schedule as you would like. What typically happens is when you really need the Newton bus, 2 or 3 Comm Ave. buses pass before a Newton gets to you and vice versa. The buses do have gps locators on them so it’s less of a hassle during the winter. Simply stay in a building until you see a bus get close on the map viewable on bc.transloc.com</p>
<p>The buses are on a set schedule. Look at this if you want to get a better idea of how often they run-
<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/offices/transportation/meta-elements/pdf/Newton_Weekday.pdf[/url]”>http://www.bc.edu/offices/transportation/meta-elements/pdf/Newton_Weekday.pdf</a></p>
<p>This is not always reliable, but overall they try to stick to it. While you are going to classes during the day you shouldn’t have to wait long at all.</p>