UMass Amherst vs Boston University

College Search & Selection
1

Hi all,

I haven’t had the best college process, and am currently deciding between UMass Amherst and Boston University, two schools which I did not have any intention on considering seriously.
I applied to UMass as a safety school and got in EA with a 64k scholarship (8k a semester). I disliked BU after taking a tour but reluctantly applied after my guidance counselor and parents persuaded me to. I got accepted regular decision, but with no financial aid.
For my family, money isn’t the deciding factor (although scholarships are nice). At this point I’m trying to decide which is more compatible with my personality. I went back to BU for a multicultural weekend and it was just “fine”: nearly all the students I talked to seemed indifferent towards BU and had many complaints, and the people around campus/in dining halls etc. seemed very disconnected from each other: even the few students sitting with other people were all absorbed in work and there wasn’t much interaction. I also don’t like the campus too much and find it boring. I was told that there were hardly any parties, except at the MIT or Harvard frats nearby that you needed connections with to even know about. Overall, it seemed like everything outside of academics, especially social life, was lacking. I am an incredibly social person and get lonely pretty quickly without friends, so this concerns me. I didn’t get the best vibe from BU: if I go there I could probably learn to like it, I just don’t want to be miserable until I make a friend or something. However, BU has a great reputation (to potential grad schools, employers, etc).
On the other hand, UMass seems to have a lot more to offer socially and I remember how warm and genuine the students were during my tour there. I wouldn’t want to be totally immersed in the “ZooMass” party scene but I do want to have fun and make lots of friends. At the same time, I want to focus on education and potentially double major. Overall, I liked the campus a lot and know that they have good academics.

At this point I feel like my decision is:

  1. Choose BU and potentially sacrifice having a fun time outside of academics for the good BU reputation, or
  2. Choose UMass and sacrifice going to a college with a better reputation for a more well rounded experience.

Any advice?

2

After reading your post, it seems to me that you would prefer UMass. I don’t think you’d be sacrificing reputation if you decide to go there. It is a fantastic school. You should go where you feel most at home. Also, it doesn’t hurt that they gave you a nice scholarship. Best of luck!