So my daughter was accepted EA at BC into College of Arts & Sciences class of 2021. Overall stats; 4.7 WGPA, 33 ACT, 10 AP courses, achieved 4 or better on all AP tests, solid ECs, Community Service, top 5% of her Public HS class. She was guaranteed 4 yrs of housing at BC but no honors. She did get accepted Villanova EA School of Engineering and into their Honors program. I realize the EA has a higher bar at BC.
Based on what I’ve read here, I’m taking it that her ACT score was slightly under the cutoff for Honors and that was the difference. Just curious if there are any insights by anyone to explain why no honors at BC?
Hi Krj957,
First, congrats on your daughter getting into two super universities! I’m sure she will be happy at either one. With regard to who gets into and out of Honors at BC, only the admissions counselors know for sure. The website says that it looks at GPA, test scores, recommendations, and essays. but I’m also guessing that the combination doesn’t go by hard and fast rules, as is true with all admissions decisions If I were looking strictly at your daughter’s numbers, I too would think that the ACT score would be the lower item in her stellar stats, but it’s only a guess.
Don’t forget that the Honors program is also something that she can get into for her sophomore year.
No matter what she decides, I’m sure it will be the right choice for her.
Can’t answer the question, but for note that your D can always apply for Honors after Frosh year, or just go for Departmental honors. Plus, as a STEM major (?), she might not find BC Honors all that beneficial since the Honors courses are Lit/hume. Plus, Honors makes it difficult to participate PULSE, which I highly recommend.
I believe Nursing students also receive 4 years on campus since they have to do rotations at local hospitals.
@Oregon2016 I read somewhere that you get 4 years of housing if you have a disability or are a D1 athlete, in the nursing program, in the honors program, or in the top 15% of the incoming class
My daughter was admitted early to CSOM. She did not get into honors, but she did get 4 years of housing. I think honors at BC is extremely individualized.
I got into CSOM early with four years housing, but no honors either. I had a 4.0 UW, #2 class rank, 34 ACT, pretty good ECs, and IMO a very good BC supplement essay that I used to show my fit for the presidential scholarship. I was bummed that I didn’t get honors, but still honored to get into BC at all.
Do students not go off campus for housing at BC when they are Juniors/Seniors? I’m surprised its so focused on here (the 4 years of housing guarantee). Is there a lack of off campus housing in Newton?
@suzyQ7 BC does not have enough housing for all students all for years, so most students have to move off campus junior year. Getting four year housing guarantee is a nice option to have. I think on the tour they said >90% of seniors come back to on campus(I think it was 95%), so it definitely shows that most people want the on campus housing. I thought it was pretty cool that most people still came back to dorms rather than other colleges where most upperclassmen move off campus.
There are many pluses for living off campus junior year. The students learn a lot about life when they experience all that goes with it (independence, landlords, paying utilities, roommates leaving the heat on during the day, etc).
Many who do a junior semester abroad will work with fellow students/friends to split an off campus arrangement for the year. E.G, one is abroad in the fall while the other is in the off campus housing, and then they swap in the spring.
They return to campus senior year because for seniors, “on campus” is the place to be. Just spend a Saturday AM in the mods before a football game and you’ll easily understand why.
A guarantee of on campus housing is definitely something to appreciate. It isn’t just that being on campus is a good experience. Newton/Chestnut Hill/Surrounding Immediate area is very expensive and I’m sure a LOT of people want to get back on for that reason alone.
^^^^ How much do you think it is then? https://offcampushousing.bc.edu Here are prices BC is touting, then you have to add in food/transportation/likely lower financial aid package, etc. It IS an expensive area, especially to someone from, say, Oklahoma or something. @jpm50
(I’m genuinely asking where one would live that is not as expensive…)
@redpoodles:
A few years ago our son and several of his friends found a place 1 mile from campus off Comm Ave. After seeing the seemingly high rental offers listed on the BC website, they began calling real estate agents and ended up finding places that did not cost us more than what we were paying for his BC dorms.
jpm: are you within a few hours drive of BC? (It makes a difference if one can bring ‘stuff’ from home.)
did you co-sign the lease?
Coming from the west coast, where we had to purchase a bed, some ‘target’ storage boxes (for a ‘dresser’), etc., off campus was more than dorms for us. 12- months of a lease for 9 months of use. (Was able to sub-let for a few weeks over the summer.) 6 girls packed into a four-person dump. (Oh you wanted hot water?) One block from the B line! Did receive a tax deduction for donating the stuff at the end of the year.
And due to BC’s calculation which only uses 9 months of off campus housing, even though most leases go 12 months, need- based FinAid declined.
Of course, YMMV, depending on how much leg work the kids want to do. For example my D’s BF had a sweet deal in Cleveland Circle, but it was an illegal conversion. (I refused to allow my D’s group to participate in such a deal.)
We do live a few hours from BC. That may have made it a bit easier it, though only marginally. The boys scrambled for furnishings for their apartment and much of the furnishings were in there. The year before it had been rented to BC students. They rented a U-haul truck to do their moving.
They all moved out at the end of the school year after finding subletters for the summer months.
It was not more expensive for us than when he lived on campus.
I’ll agree it’s not for everyone, but it was a positive, fun, and big learning experience for all the ones that went through it with our son.
I live less than an hour from BC/less than 1/2 an hour from BC (depends on traffic!). I think @bluebayou’s descriptions are more typical than what is described by @jpm50. Sure, it can be cheaper if you cram 10 into a space made for 5. So many kids live in the dining room. (And there is no doubt that this is kind of a fun lifestyle for some kids! I’m not putting it down here, just trying to describe what I hear about. Dining room dwellers aren’t necessarily unhappy.)
Take a look at the ads that are out there.
The point is, 4 years of guaranteed housing is a definite plus–because then you have the choice to be on or off. It’s a plus.
Congrats to your DD on getting accepted to BC. It is a great college and as you discovered it is quite challenging to enter the honors college. There are some amazing students out there and the competition is tough. I am sure you DD will enjoy the school regardless and you can have her look into applying to the honors college after she has demonstrated her ability.
If I were looking strictly at your daughter’s numbers, I too would think that the ACT score would be the lower item in her stellar stats, but it’s only a guess.