<p>I’ve heard a ton about whats great about BU and I love the school. I was just curious to hear things that you felt could be improved or just that bug you about BU. I don’t expect to hear anything that would change my opinion of the school, it’d just be nice to start school with a sense of where I may run into issues should I choose to attend. Thanks</p>
<p>From people I know there, def. #1 problem people have is the guest policy. It's a complete bitc.h You literally have to defeat multiple third world countries in battle to have a guest over.</p>
<p>That's a bit of an exaggeration. It all depends where you live, what style housing you have. It's really not that different than most other schools that are large urban private universities. BC's is worse from what I hear. </p>
<p>It's also going to change. No one really knows what is changing or when exactly it's going into action but the administration has laid out the fact that there is going to be a change.</p>
<p>There are a couple of issues, one being visiting in a dorm and the other being overnights. The former looks likely to loosen.</p>
<p>If you aren't in a big dorm, there is effectively no policy unless someone complains or you and your RA are at war.</p>
<p>I do think that the regulation of BU students going into BU dorms is too strict. Apparently the administration is debating whether the "residence" starts at the individual's dorm room door or at the front door. Establishing that will be pertinent to deciding where the policy goes from here.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>although the guest policy isnt as bad as everyone says it is, it definitely can be improved.</p></li>
<li><p>currently, theres a construction project to make comm ave look better. BU's sidewalks look nasty right now during the construction, but by 2009ish, comm ave will look much better than it did before the construction. (this isnt in BU's control, by the way)</p></li>
<li><p>other than hockey games, there isnt much that holds the school together. BU-sponsored events usually have pretty low turnouts. depending on the event, this can be good or bad.</p></li>
<li><p>the price of everything at the BU barnes and noble is too high. small paperback books are ok, but textbooks are ridiculously overpriced.</p></li>
<li><p>fall semester housing needs some work. too many students end up in nearby hotels just because BU runs out of dorms.</p></li>
<li><p>some academic departments need more classes and more professors. especially when youre a freshman or sophomore, some classes fill up too fast during registration. (i know that film classes and upper level psychology classes fill up pretty fast)</p></li>
<li><p>there are way too many TAs (teacher assistants) whose first language is not english.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>these are all minor compared to BU's good side, so dont take these too seriously.</p>
<p>nathansc,
1. Absolutely.
2. BU, it seems, is pushing the project to be efficient. Compare how quickly things are moving to the T's mess in Kenmore.
3. BU isn't a big sports school. Big schools everywhere are "united" mostly by football and maybe basketball.
4. Prices of textbooks are ridiculous everywhere. That's not BU but the publishing racket.
5. Will be a problem for at least a few more years, but they're building two new dorms in the Village. After that, it will depend on how big the school wants to be and, from year to year, on their admissions yield.
6. True and true most everywhere. Some departments are stronger than others.
7. This is a problem at the Ivies too, especially in the sciences. </p>
<p>I'd add that you can get really squeezed for time if you have to get from a class in CAS to Kenmore and that the writing program is uneven, with some classes being more about literature and some about writing.</p>