<p>Just a simple question: which school has a stronger undergraduate English program: BU or CMU? I was accepted as a transfer student to both, but am so far undecided. BU was ranked 56 overall (not with English, but as a whole), while CMU was recently ranked around 23 in the nation (again, overall). But BU appears to sound better in the ears of law schools (which I will soon be applying to)… Is this correct? Where am I better off studying if I will eventually apply to law schools and graduate English programs? Please help ASAP; I have to make my decision in about 3 days :S:S!</p>
<p>Also, I prefer CMU’s campus and BU only gave me 24,000 financial aid (no decision from CMU yet). BU is also giving me problems with transfer credits…</p>
<p>There is no "better" or "worse"---both are outstanding--- you have to go with the best fit for your needs. College is an experience, the social piece is of equal importance. It is unlikley there is enough of a difference in any of the top 100 schools to significantly tip the scales for law or grad school admission which will be largely based on entrance exam scores, recommendations, and GPA. Even if you are "prestige" oriented there is not a huge difference when you compare most of the schools that are in the top range of the country---its not like the difference between no-name U and say Stanford. You never know who is on the other end of the admission dept. at any grad/law school and statistically there are a whole lot more lawyers that graduated from a state school than the Ivy League. So if you like CMU, go for it.</p>
<p>Pittsburg is different than Boston and I believe CMU has a very large tilt in the gender ratio with males being significantly higher. Much of CMU's rep. is based on math/sciences but I am sure their English Dept. is strong as is BU's Dept. Both are excellent schools and you can't go wrong with either choice. Get CMU to clarify the $ issue ASAP since that my help you decide since Law/Grad school is expensive. Boston is certainly a hub for law, communications, medicine so you may want to consider which location offers the best internship opportunites too. </p>
<p>Obviously we are pro-BU on this site and Boston is a true college town where 1 in 4 residents, from Sept.-May, is a student. The proximity to so many other top schools allows for interesting times, for example a BU summer abroad program would also include students from NE, Brandeis, Harvard, Tufts. So lots of networking.</p>
<p>anybody else have any advice? CMU gave me an extension, so I have until next Monday to decide. I'm leaning toward CMU, but it will likely boil down to financial aid, transfer credits and whether they force me to take any 1-200 level classes my senior year.</p>
<p>English is not fabulous at either school, frankly, with somewhat narrow course offerings considering their sizes, though at BU at least you can take some graduate-level seminars. That said, I'd go with BU-- there are some very fine scholars in that department, and CMU's rep (as someone else stated) is based in the sciences and performing arts.</p>
<p>What is the difference in price with the aid you are getting from CMU and BU? Is one location closer to where your are now? Do you like to snowboard????l If you are that uncertain sometimes it may come down to that especilaly with similar schools.</p>
<p>Financial aid was almost identical :S. I do enjoy snowboarding, but I doubt I will be doing very much of it. But just in case, what school is closer to a better mountain/lift?</p>
<p>okay, I'm back with more infor.... both schools gave me about the same in financial aid.</p>
<p>Ssorry to ask so many questions, but I just reviewed CMU's classes for English, Philosophy and a few other departments, and there aren't too many interesting ones from which I can choose... No Milton, Chaucer or Shakespeare in the 3-400 levels... amd Chaucer was kind of my previous concentration. CMU doesn't even have a Classics department... These a veritable weaknesses in their English program, which looks more technical (i.e. Rhetoric, and writing for Englineers)... The problem is that BU wants me to take 5, 1-200 level courses during my last two years as an undergrad--which looks horrible when you apply to grad school... Does anybody have any new advice now that I am aware of all of the above?</p>
<p>An0nym0u5,
Thanks for the advice, but I really can't find any English courses at CMU that would challenge me in the concentrations in which I enjoy and in which I have built an academic record. Rankings, though I've mentioned them above, are not of the highest importance to me... academic engagement is. If I could find an interesting and dynamic curriculum in CMU's English course catalog, I would ignore BU's offer entirely. Unfortunately, I can't... but thanks anyway</p>
<p>Since you snowboard---BU has two active clubs that include kids at all levels. There are Wed. "after class" trips to a nearby slope and every Sunday excusions to a further away mountian, such as Killington. They also orgaize trips, Presidents Weekend to Quebec/Mt Tremblant or longer breaks to places like Whistler. You can read in the coach bus on the way up/back to keep up your studies. There are web sites for both under BU's club section although the sites aren't up to date.</p>
<p>if you are worried about academic engagement, cmu students are far more engaged than bu students, IMO, from the people i see who go there. many of my HS's alums at BU (not all, far from all, esp not those in the med program) are the druggies and sluts, etc. The people we send to CMU are people who SHOULD have gotten into an ivy, but couldn't simply because they were asians from a rich, suburban, New Jersey town.</p>
<p>Gosh what a thing to say to someone who already decided on BU. Not sure what the point is for being on the BU Board for some folks but if a poster happens to live in a specific affluent area and has a significant # of posts in a brief period of time...well not sure who the BU experts are but take a hint by what you read. Readers should always pay attention to the writer's background. Ex: some kids go on boards and demolish the reputations of rival schools. (kind of high school immaturity types) Often you can see them for what they are since they tend to speak in absolutes like "NYU is better than BC" or this school is only for jocks.</p>
<p>Surely the bright readers here realize that there are good and bad points of ever school and what one considers a negative may be a positive for another type of student. College is a living & learning experience which is why some kids even choose a little less strenuos academic competition since they are looking for a full social life or time to pursue interests.</p>
<p>FYI--there are scholars at all schools, note BU Honors Program which is huge since it includes about the top 10% of the student body, BU's University Professors Program where averages are at or above the Ivyies. OP, you'll work hard at BU especially in Comm., and some CAS classes/majors and defintely in SMG. The work load is intense. There are a large number of students that did not qualify for financial aid but had the academic scores to obtain half or full merit scholarships often factoring those merit scholarships into their choice of BU over perhaps a more competive option. These students must earn a 3.2 GPA to maintain scholarships and 3.3 to remain in the Honors Program. Even if you are not in the Honors Progarm you may enroll in Honors classes.</p>
<p>I appreciate all of the advice, from both of you. But to reiterate, I chose BU because CMU's English department has a lousy selection of courses from which to choose. </p>
<p>CMU may sound better; it may have a "better" student body; it may be everything BU is not; but it does not offer any courses in which I am interested... that was the most important factor in my decision, and I cannot imagine taking two years of courses that are not pertinent to my passions or adacemic record. I hope that better explains my decision :D. And thanks again!!!</p>
<p>well you made an informed decision, and good for you. boston is far better than the cmu area (im not even sure if its actually in pittsburgh). good luck to you.</p>
<p>haha i guess if you're Bush being President aint so great.</p>