So, about this orientation thing

<p>Is the CGS orientation different from the other schools? Because I was looking over the schedule and it says that on Thursday, the BU writing assessment will take place but I thought CGS students do not take it. </p>

<p>Thanks for any input!</p>

<p>pretty sure CGS kids don't take it cause you guys don't have to take WR100 or WR150..which is bull but that's another story. I think your writing requirements are cleverly disguised as "Rhetoric" class or something equally deceiving.</p>

<p>All the schools' orientations are slightly different as you'll have an advisor from your college. During the time other people are taking the Writing Assessment , you'll have something else to do either with CGS or you'll be taking a tour of FitRec or something.</p>

<p>DJ - Get over CGS or transfer. There are thousands of other schools in this world that don't have programs like this and you obviously seem extremely dissatisfied with the "burden it places on BU's rep" - so I advise that you leave, or grow up and deal with it.</p>

<p>Took the words right out of my mouth b2700. </p>

<p>Thanks BUBailey.</p>

<p>I'm not sure why exactly I'm not allowed to dislike the CGS program... You're obviously refering to another post of mine with your issue as I gave a straight forward and accurate answer to this post as I do most posts. While you may like to think so, I didn't choose a school based on whether or not there was a CGS type program. I chose BU because for what I'm doing it is the very best out there. I do not impose my beliefs on anyone here or personally attack any one individual as you now have. My opinion is my opinion and it will remain that- an opinion. I think you're the one who is a little self conscious and might wanna reconsider coming to BU as there will be more of the same but probably with a lot more taunting as you apparently like to put yourself out there for it.</p>

<p>Because it comes off badly, meaning it sounds lame. You're entitled to your opinion and this is the internet but on this kind of board my suggestion is that you modulate your tone. </p>

<p>Hey, I sometimes get angry and show it - which, btw, if you do become a lawyer is a very useful thing to learn to control and then use - but the problem here is that there is no reason to make a CGS kid or a parent feel bad. You don't need to express that opinion so loudly.</p>

<p>DJglover16 - The following is true and may be a harsh reality for you: CGS is staying and will remain despite your petty voice against it. Also, students from CGS will continue to obtain bachelor's degrees from all of BU's programs.</p>

<p>While I understand you wanting to voice your opinion at your will, it just does not make sense to allude to it in a forum questioning orientation schedule (unless your sole intention is to be rude).</p>

<p>Your indiscriminate method of badgering people with your opinion in many posts reflects that CGS is something that personally upsets you. That's why I am simply suggesting you leave if it is something you are so passionate about...or get over it and move on.</p>

<p>On a different note....</p>

<p>Today is my birthday!!!</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>Happy Birthday..</p>

<p>But anyway, if my opinion makes anyone feel badly or my tone is not "modulated" adequately then I apologize. Yes, this is the internet, and sarcasm doesn't translate well. In any case, it is my native language, and I'll concede that I may come off a little condescending at times, but that really is not my intention. This forum was an excellent resource for me during my admissions process, and now that I am actually a student I check up here to help where I can. Just wish there were more Sargent specific questions. As a student in general I usually answer anything I think I can contribute to. You'll never see me start a CGS-bashing thread, but when there is a thread such as "Anti-CGS Stigma" or something along those lines then yeah, I'll throw out my opinion. As has been stated, this is simply my opinion- an opinion that many others hold while others do not. Again, I will reiterate that I have absolutely nothing against CGS students personally. As I have said in the past, for CGS students it is almost a gift and if not a fantastic deal to attend BU after being rejected or deferred from where they initially applied. My girlfriend's best friend is in CGS and trust me I wouldn't be caught dead attacking those who attend CGS, but more so because I do not have anything personal against them. </p>

<p>Just to clear a few things up with b2700: My "petty" voice is only expressed when the topic is brought up. I'm not out here trying to alienate anyone or make anyone feel badly. Yes, CGS is still here and will be here for at least another two years and most likely many more. I mean how can BU really say no to full-paid tuition from around 20% of a class? My guess is that as BU moves forward with its plans to really progress BU's standings, the question of scrapping CGS will keep coming up, not that it hasn't already almost every year. And not to burst your bubble but CGS students will NOT "continue to obtain bachelor's degrees from ALL of BU's programs- there are a great deal of degrees CGS students simply aren't eligible to get into due to competitive freshman admissions to these and time constraints. Still many others, require CGS students to take summer classes if they wish to graduate in the traditional four years. </p>

<p>You really wish I cared enough about CGS at all that it "personally upset" me so that you might have yourself an argument, but the truth of the matter is and as I have stated before I really, REALLY couldn't care less about it. I have too much work as it is, but again as it comes up I will offer and continue to express the opinion held by myself and many others. Or wait yeah, maybe I'll just drop out of one of the most prestigious concentration programs in the country, because CGS "upsets" me- it doesn't.</p>

<p>Great post. </p>

<p>And happy birthday, Momentum.</p>

<p>Thank you. I really hope that clears up my position on the whole thing. Some feel this is something that eats away at me every minute of every day, or something that I lose sleep over. I lose sleep over my orgo tests, not some program that I have absolutely nothing to do with.</p>

<p>It's obviously an internet thing, that you express your comments freely with the expectation people will view them as just that. The issue is only that this board is frequented by high school students and parents who worry about things like how they or their kids will be viewed.</p>

<p>That's very true. And in that case, I'm glad it is an issue now because while I don't tend to believe there is really a stigma on campus about CGS, there is definitely something and if an internet forum is gonna ruffle this many feathers then some might truly want to consider whether CGS is their best option. I believe it is most people's best option in plenty of situations so I would definitely encourage enrolling anyway although I don't think the school should exist to begin with...that probably won't make sense to many people.</p>

<p>I hate to keep beating this horse but for incoming CGS students who are so utterly offended by the whole idea of possibly being viewed differently among your peers (when in fact admissions views you differently to begin with) then I want to share with you an almost perfect illustration of the extent to which this CGS stigma may or may not exist. This just occurred to me today at work or I would have shared this awhile ago...</p>

<p>So as you may have gathered I am a student in Sargent. A few weeks before finals the student council or some other Sargent affiliated group advertised to the parents of SAR students something called a 'Finals Survival Kit' or something like that. It was just something to raise money I guess and it included things like a sweatshirt, popcorn, movie tickets, an energy drink (just stuff like that..you get the idea) Also included was a shot glass (one of those double shot types that are twice as tall) Anyway, on the shot glass it says Sargent on one side and on the other there are a few horizontal dashed lines going up the side of the glass that are supposed to resemble measurement lines. However, these lines are not marked with measurements, but instead acronyms for a few of of BU's schools. Sargent's line was at the very top of course being that they were produced by Sargent and then in increments further down there were other schools like SMG and CAS. Noticeably further down then all the others was the line for CGS. Now I found this pretty funny and everyone who had one got a laugh out of it...and then probably forgot. Now, is that such a big deal? The idea was just poking a little fun I suppose but I mean really, its not that serious. On the other hand, if something like that is gonna truly upset some of you or make you THAT uncomfortable then you might find yourself being offended a lot...</p>

<p>I just thought that was a pretty good representation of what the "stigma" that may or may not exist is truly like.. It's not like CGS students walk around with bright red CGS shirts on all the time and get to be the butt of everyone's jokes, but something similar to the situation I just recounted is something you will probably encounter. Hope that helps</p>

<p>DJglover: Read and appreciated your story, and first I'd like to clear this up. I am not insulted by anything that you have said. I am simply telling you how you come across...In no way am I (or anyone else I'd hope) threatened by the fact that there are jokes, I'm sure all the schools have jokes.</p>

<p>But then you get to ridiculous assumptions, which I will list below:</p>

<ol>
<li>"My guess is that as BU moves forward with its plans to really progress BU's standings, the question of scrapping CGS will keep coming up, not that it hasn't already almost every year."</li>
</ol>

<p>Your guess is wrong and baseless. There have never been any announcements made about anyone even considering ridding BU of CGS. If there was this possibility, it would have at least been in the school newspaper or would be included somewhere in the Strategic Plan. BU representatives know that CGS is not a damper on BU's rep - there are other problems: shortage of faculty, low alumni giving rate, and lack of university pride and unity, to name a few. NYU and Emory (as I've said) both have CGS-like programs and have had excellent reputations. I can pretty much say that anyone even associated with BU would be THRILLED to have the rep that either of those schools have.</p>

<p>2."CGS students will NOT "continue to obtain bachelor's degrees from ALL of BU's programs- there are a great deal of degrees CGS students simply aren't eligible to get into due to competitive freshman admissions to these and time constraints. Still many others, require CGS students to take summer classes if they wish to graduate in the traditional four years."</p>

<p>Another wrong assumption. Below is straight from the BU website:</p>

<p>"Upon completion of the core program and elective courses outside of CGS, continue to their choice of any of the liberal arts and professional degree programs in Boston University's ten undergraduate schools and colleges."</p>

<p>While I understand that students in CGS may not be eligible for accelerated programs, the above quote directly from BU makes it explicitly clear that students can go on to ANY program of study. If this means staying a summer, so be it. It isn't the end of the world and it is my understanding that many students elect to stay at BU regardless during the summer.</p>

<ol>
<li>"I mean how can BU really say no to full-paid tuition from around 20% of a class?"</li>
</ol>

<p>I am now posing a question to you: Have you ever seen it in writing that ALL CGS students pay full tuition? If the answer to this is no, you are basing this statement off of a ridiculous stereotype, which is actually similar to BU's reputation overall as a school full of wealthy, snobby individuals (which you and I both know doesn't apply to EVERYONE).</p>

<p>I think it's important for incoming freshman and prospective students to realize that these statements you've made are completely fallacious, and if you have any other points to support your opinion/argument, make sure they are factually accurate and not based on stereotypes or assumptions.</p>

<p>Look, DJ's feelings about CGS are his and there's no reason to argue about that. CGS is and will remain an important part of BU.</p>

<p>As a parent of an incoming freshman, I've made a point of purposefully avoiding the BU section of collegeconfidential because DJGlover's comments about CGS make my blood pressure rise. I mistakenly thought that it might be "safe" to revisit the site this morning, but while reading this thread that is supposedly about orientation, I had the pleasure of, once again, encountering DJGlover's feelings about CGS. </p>

<p>As my son prepares for his upcoming orientation and the start of his college career, I really hope that it will be possible to use this site for what it is intended - the exchange of useful information. I've been a member of collegeconfidential ever since my daughter, who is currently a junior, started her college search. During the past four years, I've never encountered such an arrogant (perhaps insecure?) student as DJGlover. I'm only thankful that he is not representative of all of the students at BU.</p>

<p>I am just making sure that others who visit the site won't misconstrue what he justifies for his opinion as facts.</p>

<p>b2700, your posts have provided a positive balance for DJGlover's comments. :-) </p>

<p>If students like you hadn't posted their own opinions and taken the time to refute DJG's statements, I would have had an even more difficult time writing out the check to pay for the deposit at BU. </p>

<p>You are truly an admirable representative of the university!</p>