<p>Hi there. I am applying as a transfer student to BC for the fall semester in '09. Are there any BC students that can tell me how they like the university, what the pros and cons are? Is the city accessible, albeit the school is a few miles away from it? </p>
<p>And…if anyone wants to say whether I got a fighting chance or not, give her a go. Thanks</p>
<p>credentials:
Syracuse University
S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications/ College of ARts and Sciences
Public Communications and Philosophy dual major
3.91 undergrad GPA
3.3 HS GPA
honors program member
national soc. collegiate scholars member</p>
<p>really strong and personal essay
good recs
I am a resident advisor and member of habitat for humanity</p>
<p>SAT (kind of my downfall): 540 (verbal), 640 (math), 650 (writing), spanish lang. (660), 1830/2400</p>
<p>I'm a freshman and I'm actually looking to transfer OUT of BC. Boston College doesn't have a very good retention rate, so that should say something about it. I suppose I am a special case because I am Catholic and came from 12 years of Catholic schooling, and I came from a Jesuit school, so personally, I am sort of done with Catholic schooling. The cons are that through the Catholicism of the institution, you get an academic filter (e.g. there are very, very few if any courses on gender or race; in fact, their academic offerings are frighteningly little), it extends itself into your own life (e.g. there is no birth control sold on campus, which is completely unrealistic), there isn't a lot to extend to the gays or minorities, and ultimately, the population is vastly homogenous - that is, you will get a vastly caucasian group stemming from previous private schools and who tend to dress and think similarly, with parties beginning Thursday and lasting through early Sunday. </p>
<p>Pros: most of your classes are taught by doctors, the population is quite friendly and overall a community which looks out for each other underneath the initial snobbery, your advisors and professors care about you (generally) if you go to see them so there is that opportunity to develop a close face-to-face relationship with them, BC is ranked quite highly and has a good relationship with the Ivies (you can even take some classes at Harvard, I think this may be higher level though) and with its 1.6B expansion plan, it's only going to rise in the ranks and be a better campus overall, and I think you'll find that the students can really care about certain issues affecting their campus life, though due to the administration, fairly conservative, you're not guaranteed to see change. </p>
<p>I don't want you to feel that this opinion is bitter, I've certainly tried to produce the most honest picture that I can which I've done for my own closest friends intent on transferring here, but if I could prevent one person from making the mistake I made of not fully researching my choice school, seeing the often unpleasant truths along with the positives, then it's worth it. If you want to hear nothing but praise, take a tour, but you have to dig deeper seeing that the institution as a WHOLE fits your holistically. Good luck.</p>
<p>^^^"Boston College doesn't have a very good retention rate, so that should say something about it."^^^</p>
<p>This misinformation needs to be corrected. In fact, BC has a very high retention rate; over 96% of all students return for their sophomore year. So THAT says something about that!</p>
<p>But Fenton7 is absolutely 100% correct about fully researching the school -- any school, not just BC -- to make sure it's the right one for YOU! Overall statistics mean nothing if you're one of the very small minority (<4%) that is unhappy there. So do your homework: visit the school, talk to students and faculty, ask some hard questions.</p>
<p>I think you should speak with the students at whatever institution you seriously consider, perhaps even stay overnight if you can. We're actually doing that as we speak so you should contact admissions if you're interested. The parental perspective will be delusional and the administrative subversive. What you see in a brochure or pictures isn't the reality that the students live in every day which the parents do not see. Retention, factually, is at 95.5% as stated in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report, but that may also translate into a lack of gusto to change, which might just be the case as only 28% of the class of 2007 was considered a minority, illustrative of the idea that there is going to be an overarching stepford similitude in background, and ultimately, values, procuring a feeling of convenience over conviction; this does prove true that statistics is a way to over-generalize and over-simplify so that we may digest information as simply and quickly as possible. In summation: no book or advice will suffice for YOUR experience and gut feeling.</p>
<p>BC's retention rate is very very high, so I don't know where you got that.</p>
<p>Also, not having birth control on campus is quite possibly the stupidest reason I've ever heard about not being satisfied with a school. Not only does it go against the Catholic morals (which is why it isn't sold on campus), all you have to do is walk to CVS to get what you need. That is an absurd reason.</p>
<p>You definitely have the ability to find your niche at BC. I am sure there are kids who party literally Thursday through Sunday morning, but I haven't found that many of them.</p>
<p>I have found a lot more kids who like to party, but definitely put schoolwork ahead of it.</p>
<p>"Retention, factually, is at 95.5% as stated in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report, but that may also translate into a lack of gusto to change"- Sounds to me like you're doing anything you can to denounce that number. The number is correct, and very few people leave- About 4 in 100.</p>
<p>I completely disagree with the picture of BC given by fenton. BC parties a lot less than other schools. Some students do partake in thirsty thursdays on a regular basis, but it's not considered a regularly party night, and its definitely a small minority. Most have too much work to do or have classes early friday. As for the homogenous student body, I think that is way overdone. Yes, there are a lot of Catholic school kids here, but there are also a ton of kids from public schools, myself included. My roommate is Hindu and my best friend is Jewish, so I don't believe in the myth that everybody at BC is a bible carrying white kid from the Northeast. That being said, the school does not have a ton of racial diversity, but that does not mean everyone here is identical. If you have a HUGE issue with the school being Catholic, obviously don't come. I'm not religious at all, and I don't mind it. I understand that the school would get in a ton of trouble with the church for selling contraception, so I walk 20 feet across comm ave to buy condoms. It's really not an issue.</p>
<p>Oh, the city is accessible, and it's something students definitely utilize, although student life on weekends is centered on campus. A lot of kids like to go out to dinner before coming back to party, or those who are 21 or have good fakes go to bars and things of that nature a lot. And if you are into music there are always a ton of concerts. I wouldn't overestimate the city options, but it's nice to have in that it provides an entertaining escape from campus once in a while. It is also not uncommon for students to go out to the city with professors to discuss various topics based on the professors expertise (like a group of students going out with CSOM and Econ profs to the north end to discuss the financial crisis).</p>
<p>i would also like to know my chance, if possible:</p>
<p>Northeastern University
Engineering/Bio-med physics
3.42 undergrad GPA (Dean's list)
3.56 HS GPA (UW)
29 ACT
SAT were terrible (1730/2200), not reporting
Eagle Scout
Minor other HS actives (soccer, baseball, after-school job)
Good recs from professor at my current school
Essay, should be decent, want to keep it short (1-2 pg) but strong</p>