<p>I’ve heard that Boston College doesn’t really have a Greek system. Do they have another type of social clubs, like Princeton’s eating clubs, Harvard’s final clubs, etc.? I had planned on going to a conservative Southern school like Ole Miss and SMU, and I’d be a legacy at the “top of the top” fraternity at each of those schools, but Boston College is attractive to me because of its business school and I also like Boston. Greek life definitely won’t be the deciding factor in where I decide to go, but I really want some form of social club to be in. </p>
<p>Can anyone shed some life on the club scene at Boston College?</p>
<p>It’s not that we “don’t really have a Greek system,” we don’t have a Greek system. Period. There is an unsanctioned frat made up of BC kids, but it’s really not big or popular. Probably the closest thing we have to social clubs are that some of the club sports teams or student groups sometimes throw parties, but that’s about it. There are no established “clubs” to belong to. You make friends with everyone and all party together.</p>
<p>Before the posters after me try to convince Inviliers about BC how community-based social life is or how we don’t have “eating club” because BC was originally founded to serve those who were excluded from higher education because of their station in life (Irish immigrants) so having private “eating clubs” would run counter to this ideal of anti-exclusion, ask yourself this question, “Would you want to attend college with Invilliers, who seems reluctant to make friends if they don’t come in a pre-packaged frat?” If not, then don’t try to convince Invilliers that BC is a place that he should look into.</p>
<p>I agree with you Blue - a Jesuit environment emphasizing service to others over social exclusivity (there are no exclusive social organizations at Jesuit schools) is not for everyone. </p>
<p>I will add this, however: my DD is finding that several of the organizations she has joined since arriving at BC provide some nice “architecture” to her social life.</p>
<p>My only comment to Invilliers is to save a copy of this thread, so he/she can read it 5-10 years from now. We all have our “Wow I can’t believe I was every like that!” memories.</p>
<p>Our son had no clue what “Jesuit” meant when he applied to BC, as long as he didn’t need to go to church every week and that he just had to take two courses, he was fine. He applied to BC because of the typical things that reach high school senior males (football team, parties, beautiful campus, even more beautiful girls, etc). Oh, and it did happen to have studies that aligned with his interests.</p>
<p>Wind the clock forward to spring of his sophomore year. He called us one Sunday night saying “I am so happy I went to a Jesuit college.” He continued to echo that sentiment over his remaining two years and beyond graduation.</p>
<p>I agree with all of you. I won’t fit in with a “Jesuit environment that emphasizes service to others over social exclusivity.” As politically incorrect as it is, I like being around others that are like me. It’s in my nature, so I’ll just admit it. I’ll probably go to SMU as a BBA Scholar then.</p>
<p>Dear Invilliers : The conversation here has been valuable. The lack of Greek Life, a self-selected exclusionary process to some, is contrary to Jesuit traditions of service to others and runs counter to the notion of an expanding circle of interesting conversation partners (with all apologies to Fr. Michael Himes).</p>
<p>While you certainly did not ask for any validation from this humble poster, you have indeed taken a very “Jesuit” education approach here. You have offered the proposition, listened to the viewpoints, and offered your counterpoint. In fact, you have walked a very “Jesuit” process.</p>
<p>Now, will SMU prove highly different from Boston College? Who knows. However, do keep pushing to expand your boundaries, explore outside your comfort zone, and seek to expand your conversation circle. Diversity of thought is perhaps more important than diversity of race; keep an open mind as an eighteen year old as there will be plenty enough time in life to form your life-long views.</p>
<p>Dear bluebayou : Thanks for the post. After reading the chance-me threads in the Cornell threads, perhaps the diversity of thought discussion will be lost on our original poster.</p>
<p>Dear Invilliers : For your applications going forward, three weeks of work across three jobs does not really count as work experience. If you do not understand why, hold a job for longer than that time; you will figure it out. Also, reading your posts at bluebayou’s suggestion, your being fired after less than a week’s time for yelling at your supervisor at a Country Club does not qualify you as the Rosa Parks of knowledge on racism and prejudice especially when you storm off in the parent supplied Porsche.</p>
<p>The internships were only to please people. I usually find myself doing what the grownups want, and that’s why I want a change in college. My family friend, who tells people we’re brothers, asked me to spend a week with him in his district and working in the capitol. My uncle also asked me to spend the next week with him at the mutual fund he runs because he and my parents agreed I should be groomed early for the world of finance. I also did a third week with one of my parent’s friend’s companies. What I got out of those internships is basically that politics disgusts me, Finance has nothing to do with merit, and I’ll be better off with my parent’s support anyway. Also, my summer had already been planned nearly a year in advance and I couldn’t find more than a week at a time to work. Keep on judging me, scottj, you seem to pretty expert on the philosophy of life. My character isn’t based entirely on my choices, you know. My background provides everyone with a nice prejudice to go off of. Did I ask for these jobs? No. Did I ask for a sports car? No. But why wouldn’t I take them?</p>
<p>Besides, I was only interested in Boston College because I walked in on the BC college visit in the library earlier this week and the rep convinced me to stay. She also assured my BC was completely independent of the Catholic Church, and students don’t even notice any details of religion on campus. It was the business school that sold me.</p>
<p>I think by now I’ve gone too far into detail with myself and my feelings, so it’s time is sign off from College Confidential. Since I’m not sure how to delete my account, I’m going to try to get banned.</p>
<p>i’m not sure what getting banned will do for you, but if I could say something…</p>
<p>I really wish BC had greek life or ‘eating clubs’. I come from the south where greek life is big and I didn’t think too much about it, but now that all my friends who went to school at UT or SMU are in frats, I kinda wish we did too. as much as I want to say we do, BC doesn’t throw huge parties. you can attribute that to either the religious aspect of the school, the size of the school, the neighborhood, the lack of greek life, etc., but the parties at BC are relatively low key and small. Of course other people will say that greek life doesn’t belong at BC, and that might be true as well, each side has their own argument. but I wish we did have something like that. Even notre dame has their dorm system too.</p>
<p>I think you would like SMU though. great greek life, great parties, and i think the students (in terms of looks, personality) are very similar. the only major drawback I can really think of is that their sports teams suck, and the c-usa (nor big east) definitely doesn’t compare to the acc. but then again the only thing BC has going for them is hockey and soccer…</p>
<p>Normally there is nothing out of the ordinary for a:
[ul]
[<em>]17 year old born on June 26, 1995
[</em>]who went to Memorial High School in Houston for two years,
[<em>]then switched to Highland Park
[</em>]whose ACT score is 32 (English 35, Math 32, Reading 31, Science 31,
760 on US History, a 680 on Math II), and carries a 6.1/6 gpa
[<em>]who is applying to Washington & Lee, SMU, and Cornell
[</em>]who worked at Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Tx for a week before getting fired.
[<em>]who plays tennis - going to the state championship while at Memorial HS.
[</em>]HS Republican club pres with a list of other clubs
[li]and lots of other details that give him away[/li][/ul]
But when I read his postings, I think about all the people who read forums like this, including many college adcoms, parents who know college adcoms, parents and teachers from all over - often including the same high schools that posters are from. </p>
<p>I’ve interviewed many job applicants over the years. It always amazes me how many times I can look at a resume and at a person’s previous employment and say: “I know someone who works/worked at that company, or I know someone who knows someone who worked at that company”, and we end up getting the real scoop on an applicant. </p>
<p>I guarantee that someday Invilliers will learn how small this world really is. Maybe sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>@Faire - My DD expresses a very similar sentiment, although without specific reference to fraternities/sororities or social/eating clubs. All of her friends at places like USC, SMU…even Stanford and Harvard…seem to have a livlier party scene than at BC…which so far is basically non-existent as far as she can tell aside from the occasional party in the Mods. She was hoping for something a bit more “college traditional” with respect to the campus social life. I’d be interested to hear what other BC students have to say about that. Perhaps its something peculiar to 1st years or, in her case at least, to 1st years exiled to Newton. Or maybe its just how it is. Perhaps others can help explain.</p>