<p>I am traveling with my son, a high school junior, to Boston next weekend. We are only in town from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. I’ve booked two college visits: MIT and BU.</p>
<p>Now, I realize that MIT is great and all that and, while DS would say it is his first choice, I am trying to use our time wisely. DS is somewhat of a math-head but a little more well-rounded than your typical math/science geek. While he will be NMSF and has a perfect 800 on the Math SAT I and II section/subject tests, his verbal scores aren’t so perfect. He has quite a few notable EC’s as well.</p>
<p>I understand BU values and rewards high-stats kids with merit $$, and that it offers a wide variety of academic opportunities. I would like to cancel the MIT visit and focus on BU. Our info session/tour is scheduled for Saturday. Is there anything outside of the regular program that son should see? I realize it’s Saturday so he can’t visit a class. Any must-sees? For example, would the engineering building or labs knock his socks off? Are the dorms a can’t miss? </p>
<p>DS is open-minded at this point. I want this to be a successful visit and am looking for suggestions to make that happen.</p>
<p>We visited BU last year (my son is a senior now). I can’t give you any suggestions on things you should check out beyond the normal tour and info session at BU. I don’t know how generous BU is with $ for kids they really want - my son wasn’t at the top of the stat pool. He was accepted, but BU wasn’t close to making it financially possible (our EFC is around 6,000, and BU left us paying about $28,000).</p>
<p>I’m curious, though - why do you want to cancel the visit to MIT? Is it because you don’t expect them to give you enough financial aid? MIT wasn’t on our radar, so I’m only vaguely familiar with their reputation for financial aid, but I will say - for a kid so interested and talented in math as your son, why not go ahead and make the visit? Information is good, and the visit will give you and your son information about MIT. You say your son is open minded, so that’s good. I would let him visit MIT and form an opinion about it, just make sure he stays open minded if he applies - it’s a long shot to get in and a long shot to afford. My son not only got in to his reachiest (and first choice) school - he got a full tuition scholarship! If we had narrowed down his list of schools to apply to, we may have dropped that one because we didn’t even think he’d get accepted. So my advice is - go ahead and visit MIT as well as BU - the more info the better.</p>
<p>We’re not going to discourage him from applying to MIT, but we’re being realistic. I’ve spent enough time on the MIT Acceptances thread to know that the odds of admission as a white male with less than perfect SAT scores (2170, first sitting) are very, very slim. I know he will still have plenty of interest from other schools, though, and saw that BU offers specific scholarships that my son would be eligible for. Plus, we do not qualify for need-based aid, so full-pay at MIT would make life difficult for us.</p>
<p>Also, we only have time to visit one college on our trip. I’m sure MIT would have DS drooling in no time, but I’m really trying to find a mid-ranked school that might interest him.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear that BU wasn’t as generous with your son as you’d like, but that is pretty wonderful that he received full tuition at his first choice. Congrats!</p>
<p>Well you have to understand, while MIT is a crapshoot, (as it is a top 20 school), the crapshoot might come out on your side. You never know! I’d say visit BU first if possible and then visit MIT.</p>
<p>He should see FitRec because it’s amazing. Even math geeks should work out. </p>
<p>The visible quality of individual facilities largely depends on age. The Photonics Center, for example, is new and striking but I doubt you’ll be able to see much of what it really is for.</p>
<p>I assume you’re aware that BU stretches out along the river and CommAve. The part closest to Back Bay is the old part and BU actually goes into Kenmore and over into the neighboring town of Brookline - called South, lots of BU apartments, short walk. His academic life would be in the old part. If you go out the back of the Union, you’ll see you can walk over on to the park that runs the entire length of the river from the dam at the Science Museum out past - well, the bike path now runs for many miles. </p>
<p>The part outbound on CommAve is west campus - where FitRec is - and beyond that is Allston. That’s the heart of off campus living, tons of (cheaper, often ethnic) restaurants, etc.</p>
<p>Good information, thanks lergnom. He would appreciate the FitRec. I will make a point to stop in.</p>
<p>I probably shouldn’t have mentioned the whole MIT thing. I can see this is complicating my thread. My point is that I am looking for anything on the BU campus that might offer a “Wow” factor to a boy who constantly wore an MIT t-shirt when he was about 8 years old. </p>
<p>The Photonics Center would definitely impress, but can we just walk through?</p>
<p>Is there some type of special honors housing or even a regular dorm that is inhabited by engineering types?</p>
<p>And is there a green space where kids hang out and play ultimate frisbee?</p>
<p>I must admit I am trying to sell BU to my son, which is why I am seeking some of these little extras on our visit.</p>
Not sure I agree that you only can visit one school in a 1 1/2 day trip … when my oldest and I went on the her college roadtrip to visit schools she visited 2 schools a day and it worked fine … a 1/2 day gives time to do a tour, go to a info session (although personally I would skip these), and spend a couple hours hanging around campus and the surrounding neighborhood … and BU and MIT are about 1 mile apart so it would take no time to get between the schools.</p>
<p>For my kids I will not discourage them from aiming high (I will try to make sure they do not only aim high) … but bottom line the odds of getting into MIT are pretty lousy but the odds are zero if the student does not apply.</p>
<p>The weather will be a big determinent on the outside appeal. BU’s campus obviously isn’t very grassy…but when it’s a gorgeous day, people cover up all the campusy parts. If you want to highlight the grassy campus vibe, cross underneath the arch at Marsh Plaza. Marsh often has people skateboarding or sitting out on nice days. It’s a good place to people watch too. Going underneath and taking a right will bring you to the gorgeous Bay State Road. It’s right where the “BU Beach” is and also our main grass area. This would be where most people are outside playing games, laying out, or doing work outside. If you continue to walk around Bay State Road, it’s a nice alternative to hectic Comm Ave with many Brownstones & blossoming trees. People also tend to be outside in front of the College of Communication (on the lawn) and around the West Campus Complex. Our student union (the GSU) has a food court and also is a hub of activity with tables set up in the entry area too. It’d probably be another good place to observe some student life. </p>
<p>The main dorms for freshman are Warren, West, or the quieter Towers. I know you specifically asked about honors housing. BU is implementing a new University Honors program next year. All of the kids in that program would end up living in Towers. Towers is on Bay State Road.</p>
<p>3togo: I’m not discouraging him from applying to MIT. Our plane lands at 1:30 on Friday, though, and I’m not sure we would have time to drop our stuff off at our hotel and then make the 3:00 tour. (I know we wouldn’t make the 2:00 info session.) Saturday is the day we are visiting BU. We may very well have time to see MIT too, but I need to prioritize one over the other for timing purposes.</p>
<p>Lauren: I agree, weather will determine which activities we see going on. I will make a point to walk down Bay State Road, though, and ask about Warren.</p>
<p>You can always see the MIT frats. They’re mostly at BU (in Kenmore area). </p>
<p>Saturday may be rainy, which means you’ll only see a fraction of life. Most college buildings these days require some card access, but you can always ask someone.</p>
<p>I think if you are flying in to Boston, you should try to see all that you possibly can see. </p>
<p>While you are focusing on BU, I think you will probably have time to stop in at MIT Admissions and get a brochure and maybe a short walk around. And you should probably do the same at Harvard – maybe minus the Admissions stop if you are out of time. </p>
<p>These schools are all relatively close to each other, along the Charles River. Northeastern too right? Where are the boat tours when you need them? My son rowed on the Charles River a few years ago and passed all these schools … we watched from the boathouse near MIT.</p>
<p>Hmmm…enough posters here have convinced me to try and fit in MIT. Okay our plane lands at 1:30 Friday, so we will take the T to State Street, drop our stuff off at nearby hotel, then find the green line to BU. Hurry to their Admissions Office on Bay State Rd., and sign in for the campus tour. Then, there is a 4:00 tour at the College of Engineering there. Would that work?</p>
<p>Saturday I can take son over to MIT. </p>
<p>Oh, and we aren’t just flying to Boston to visit schools. DH is running the marathon on Monday!</p>
<p>The route comes down Beacon Street in Brookline, over the turnpike into Kenmore and then into Back Bay for the finish. The T actually runs during the race and you might consider taking the C branch of the Green Line outbound / inbound up Beacon. The main shopping area in Brookline is Coolidge Corner and that’s a big area to watch the runners, with shops and restaurants up and down the street. The spot where the T comes up from below ground is St. Mary’s, a small shopping area that’s is next to BU South. You can see the BU apartments up and down the side streets - even along Park Drive toward Fenway - next to the mansions of Cottage Farm (where BU’s President’s house is). You can walk to the Union or CAS at BU from there in 5 minutes top. West is about a 10 minute walk from Coolidge Corner, up Babcock Street.</p>
<p>I’m pointing this out to allay any fears about the area. Brookline is one of the best towns in America. </p>
<p>BTW, you can check safety in many areas by going to crimereports.com. Boston / Brookline participate and you can see every crime report - which aren’t many, especially if you adjust for not being 3AM.</p>
<p>Weeelllllllll that didn’t go well. Yucky cold and wet, son was extremely quiet throughout the tour, turned to me on the train coming home and said “I really like the south, Mom.”</p>
<p>I think BU has a lot going for it. I know it’s hard to learn everything in a one-hour tour, but It’s easy to see why he wasn’t excited. The whole thing was a bit … Lackluster.</p>
<p>Hoping MIT will go better tomorrow, despite the weather. Thanks again, everyone!</p>
<p>Sorry about the day! I can imagine with the weather and the massive amounts of tours going on throughout today, it probably wasn’t the best conditions. A beautiful day really makes BU all the more exciting, but of course, there are many more not-so-beautiful weather days. He should still apply though if he had any slightest inclination towards it at all. Sometimes, an acceptance can make all the difference especially if he gets good financial aid. Then, maybe you can return for an admitted students open house with a new perspective on things and who knows. But, of course, BU isn’t for everyone so it’s ultimately up to what he feels.</p>
<p>It was definitely not a gorgeous day yesterday. Chilly, damp and windy – And there were massive amounts of kids wandering around because it was Accepted Students Open House.</p>
<p>I live in Connecticut and drove up with my son for Open House yesterday. We were surprised by the weather, even though we knew it might rain. Luckily, I carry extra jackets and sweaters and umbrellas in the car!</p>
<p>My son had a school on his list that on paper was a really good fit, visited on a day like yesterday in Boston and refused to even apply.</p>
<p>It’s supposed to clear up today – maybe you can walk through the BU campus again after the MIT tour if the sun comes out!</p>
<p>That explains all the other tour groups! We must have passed 15 of them. I assumed they were all like us, and couldn’t believe all of the interest BU garnered! </p>
<p>I agree thebweather was unusually harsh yesterday. Doubt we’ll have time to make it back over, but I’m going to stick information about the College of Engineering under his nose for the next few months. I can see a big upside to his attending BU.</p>
<p>If it’s engineering, you really need to look through ASEE.org’s profiles. They show you how much money each school gets by department, how many majors there are by year, how many faculty, instructors, etc. Great resource that’s little known. Go to the Publications tab and look to the left.</p>
<p>“Weeelllllllll that didn’t go well. Yucky cold and wet, son was extremely quiet throughout the tour, turned to me on the train coming home and said “I really like the south, Mom.””</p>
<p>HAHA, aw! maybe he just isn’t a new england-er :P</p>