I am an upcoming senior and am starting to get together my list of colleges I want to apply too. BC has made its way to the top of my list. Unfortunatley though, my family can not afford to visit Boston College. I understand how important it is too visit colleges and talk face to face with the admissions officers at the colleges you are applying too, especially so BC Admissions can see you high level of interest in the University. I was wondering the best way to contact the Admissions Office so they can see that I have high interest in the university? When it comes down to the accepting students, how important is it to university that the student visited? I would, but financially I cant make it out too Boston at this time (I live in Kentucky).
Boston College does not consider interest in the application process.
That being said, this might be a red flag. If you can’t afford to visit Boston, how do you plan on traveling to and from school for breaks and holidays? Would you be okay not seeing your family all semester?
I would certainly be okay not visiting my family all semester. Currently though, my family can’t afford to just visit a school hundreds of miles away that I may not be able to get into. That being said, obviously, if I get in and end up attending BC, I would be able to pay to travel to and from. My parents just can’t take off work and afford for the three of us to go up and see that college.
If your family can’t afford to visit Boston, it will surely be difficult to afford paying BC’s tuition, never mind travel expenses. Hopefully, if you get in, you’ll get a very substantial financial aid package.
As novafan noted, don’t worry about your not coming up hurting your chances. All in, 4 years here (or at many other private universities) will cost over a quarter of a million dollars - truly a daunting number for many!
Deat 4n6debator457 : Please allow me to offer another perspective. Do not rule out Boston College due to the costs of local visits. If you are near a major city, Boston College will undoubtedly have an Alumni Chapter available. There, you will be able to meet graduates from a variety of decades and disciplines. Note also that many regions across the United States have families that host “accepted student” meet and greets. Now, while you are still early in the process, many of these “hosting” families can also supply you with insight to the Boston College life.
Also, consult with the many on-line videos exploring Boston College (and others) usually produced through the admissions teams. Those will often allow you to tour a university virtually - while not the same experience, it does allow you to better familiarize yourself with each campus and culture. In today’s connected world, money to travel onto campus should not be a blocker for your family’s experience in learning more about Boston College.
Please do let me know if these ideas are helpful for you.
Dear 4n6debator457 : Informational for you - alumni chapter details including the Nashville area (perhaps closest to Kentucky for your personal situation).
BC is both need blind and meets full financial need; yes, as they define financial need. But BC can be rather generous for low income students. Sure, BC’s need-based aid not as generous as the Ivies and Stanford/MIT, but then no other college is, either. (The big differentiator is that the Ivies/Stan/MIT cap home equity in the calculation of need – most colleges do not cap it, and neither does BC. Thus, “middle class” families with home equity are shocked to find out that such home equity could be used for college tuition.)
OP: apply to a broad range of colleges – need-only and merit-based – and compare financial aid packages in the spring.
Never visited or contacted them before I applied, I still got in. Visited for the first time recently for orientation. I hope you do apply, but visiting or contacting the Admissions Office will not help you gain an edge over other applicants.
Definitely don’t worry about not being able to visit Boston College. They will never know that you weren’t there. I just took my daughter there to visit and while they ask that you register for your visit on their website (which you do so that they can send you an email with directions, etc.) they do not even have you sign in when you arrive for the information session and tour. They flat out tell you that they do not track “interest” as evidenced by visits and other interactions with the admissions office and that it has absolutely no impact on the decision process. If you are interested in Boston College, save the visit for accepted students day (after you are accepted and know whether it is economically feasible for you to attend or not). Good luck!