<p>I come from the West coast, and I’m curious about people’s perceptions of BU throughout the country. Here in the northwest, it doesn’t have a whole lot of name recognition, although it is considered better than most in-state options (WA state). I am debating between USC and BU, and while I know that the prestige factor shouldn’t influence my opinion, I’d like to know people’s thoughts on this. For USC vs. BU, will BU give a better chance of getting into an East Coast graduate school, or are they fairly similar? In your part of the country, what’s generally thought about BU?</p>
<p>I'm from CT, and I can say that a LOT of people apply to BU. Everyone knows what BU is, so you don't always have to say "Boston University" when people ask you where you're applying to college lol. Same goes for BC.
BU is VERY well known but it is not always known for being, you know, a pillar of academia. There are SO many good schools on the East Coast. I think BU in particular is famed for its communications school, but then again we also have Syracuse, GW, Chapel Hill, and NYU, which all also have excellent programs. I've never heard someone say "Oh, BU has such a great art history program." It's definitely a communications school.
Personally if you're thinking about grad schools, I think going to USC will help you out a LOT more. However, if you go to BU, you will have internship opportunities galore, and Boston is fabulous. You really can't lose either way.</p>
<p>Actually, BU has a great art history (and studio art) program...</p>
<p>If you plan to do research and would like to get a headstart right from your undergrad years, BU's the school you should be looking at. Particularly if you plan to do BME, it would be criminal to pass up BU for USC.
Also, BU is just a stone's throw away from other awesome schools like MIT, Harvard and the likes and in a year or two, BU may develop twinning arrangements so that students may use lab facilities at MIT too.</p>
<p>Which one's better....overall...NYU or BU?</p>
<p>I visited NYU and BU on the same trip and it depends on your major. However, I found that NYU is definitely the school to go if you DEFINITELY want to do Film/Art. BU's communication program spends the first year giving students a taste of all the branches involved in COM. They structure their programs very differently, so take that into account. Only reason I wasn't more attracted to NYU is because I didn't like the city that much.</p>
<p>I'm also from the west coast; inbetween LA and San Diego in Southern California. A few people from my school applied to BU, but I'm the only one going. Almost EVERYONE I know is doing a UC school; very few of us are venturing outside of California. The only perceptions about BU go hand in hand with Boston itself. Everyone thinks it to be a good school but lacking diversity. Plus, everyone gets BU and BC mixed up. When I got in to BU I had tons of people asking me "whoa, I never knew you were catholic!". So yeah, I'm also interested in how BU is thought of by people on the east coast.</p>
<p>HAHA! People here would NEVER confuse BU and BC. BC= sports.</p>
<p>Well, BU has good hockey and basketball teams. Here on the east coast, the college has a good reputation. But with Harvard and MIT within walking distance, BU doesn't quite stand out. In terms of academics, most people mentally rank BU above Northeastern, Boston College, and University of Massachusetts (Boston and Amherst).</p>