<p>There seems to be a negative connotation when the CGS is mentioned, but it’s still a branch of BU…so why all the negativity? I’m aware that kids with lower STATS get in there but what exactly is wrong with it? Is the education quality poor? Is it the social atmosphere? Would somebody who has attended the CGS or knows about it please tell me what’s wrong with it? If you like it, what did you like about it?</p>
<p>thanks all</p>
<p>In CGS, you're basically paying 80k for two more years of high school type courses, and once ur out of CGS, its almost impossible to finish the requirements for a bachelors degree in less than 5 years</p>
<p>I love this question.</p>
<p>There is nothing wrong with CGS. It is a fantastic program. The students in CGS will arguably work harder than students in other programs at BU. All classes are team taught by full professors (no TAs at all). It is in interdisciplinary course of study -- so all your classes incorporate aspects from different subjects. It's a two-year course designed so students satisfy all of their general education requirements by the end of their sophomore year (this is great since many students in other programs might still be working on this in their senior year!). At the end of their sophomore year, students do what is called the Capstone project. This is basically a thesis paper on a subject TBD by the students. Starting in spring semester of freshman year, students can take one elective of their choice in any of the other 4-year programs at BU. This way, when they start in the other program in junior year, they are basically at the same point as other students. The program has a real community feel, and students in CGS are overall some of the most satisfied people with BU.</p>
<p>I would be lying if I didn't say there were some drawbacks... it can be hard to minor or double major in this program. Also, the negative buzz is created from a misunderstanding that CGS students are "dumber kids" that "bring BU down." This simply isn't true, and is created from people who don't really know what the program is (in fact if you look at their average scores, they're higher than a majority of other colleges, and on-par with places such as Northeastern). I can tell you that CGS student really do work very hard, maybe harder than some of their other BU counterparts. The idea behind it is if a student may be unprepared for whatever reason (lower grades in HS, not many AP/honors courses, low scores) and the admissions board thinks the student could use a more structured program before they hit the "real" BU academics.</p>
<p>There are a lot of other threads on this, but I think this is a pretty legit and thorough answer.</p>
<p>and pdoshi88 isn't right about not being able to graduate in 4 years</p>
<p>just look at the numbers, in fact. a vast majority do.</p>
<p>it's all about what you choose to do. if you rather party, then take five years. but BU is about working hard, no matter what school you're in.</p>
<p>Would my chances be lower of getting into CGS if I applied to CAS and didn't get in?</p>
<p>no you automatically get deferred to CGS if you don't get into CAS - you're chances will not be lowered</p>
<p>If you want to transfer from CGS to CAS:</p>
<p>Completion</a> of CGS</p>
<p>@tellUtheTRUTH: For engineering majors, BU recommends setting aside an extra year in order to complete the Bachelors degree in engineering, so for certain majors it does extend your education at BU.</p>
<p>if i applied to the COM, then will i be automatically offered a spot to CGS?
i heard that you had to directly apply to CGS, but I didn't... so i m wondering if i have a lower chance for CGS.
thanks.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, the negative buzz is created from a misunderstanding that CGS students are "dumber kids"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's probably because it's very often the truth...</p>
<p>I hope I can say this without being totally callous.
CGS DOES have by far the lowest test scores and high school grades of any BU college, even including CFA, where the admission criteria aren't academic (beyond basic qualification). So there's nothing unfair about the suggestion that it's easier to get into CGS than to other colleges, and it's easy enough to see why the rest of us tend to resent that CGS students will end up with the same degree as anybody else.
Add to that an unpleasant student culture driven by wealth, privilege, and a less-than-stellar academic atmosphere and it's no wonder that people are prejudiced against CGS kids.
All that said, the curriculum has a lot going for it, there are some wonderfully committed faculty members, and it is sometimes a great start to college for students (especially the underprivileged) who have academic potential but limited educational attainment for reasons beyond their own control.</p>
<p>Yeah seriously there's no question about it. You cannot deny that CGS (one school mind you) has significantlyyyy lower standards of admission than the rest of the entire university. I have nothin against those who choose to go there except I question there motivations. Moreover, the university's prestige and rankings are severely affected by this school being that it is the second largest in the university. I hate to put it like this but enough with milking the families of rich kids who want "Boston University" stamped on their diploma and may not have necessarily been worthy of it in the first place. I understand the argument for this program but in the end it's just simply unfair. I'm currently in one of the most competitive if not the most competitive programs at BU and I resent the fact that a CGS kid can just transfer into it knowing how much hard work I put in to getting accepted in the first place. It's whatever though I honestly don't care half as much as it may sound but when this question comes up (as it so often does) it just works me up for those and plenty more reasons..</p>
<p>haha we said a lot of the same things (and were typing this) at almost the exact same time. Haha weird...</p>
<p>DJ-how large is CGS? Surprized to hear it is the second largest school at BU.</p>
<p>Yeah I was surprised and as you probably guessed ****ed off to hear that CGS is the second largest school at BU. I'm not sure how large it is exactly but if each freshman class is roughly 4000 students and CAS takes about half then you're left with at least a few hundred students (test scores) that probably shouldn't have anything to do with BU in the first place. </p>
<p>I actually just looked it up and it says there's somethin like 1500 students in CGS and I'm assuming that refers to both freshman and sophomores (it's a two-year program)so yeah around 750/4000 freshman are CGS and that is just ridiculous. Again, I have nothin personally against the students that go there I just resent it..ya know?</p>
<p>
[quote]
I resent the fact that a CGS kid can just transfer into it knowing how much hard work I put in to getting accepted in the first place.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's not really a 'just' transfer--you still have to put up decent grades. CGS is no cakewalk either.</p>
<p>Umm...nah it's still pretty much JUST a transfer when it really comes down to it. I was referring to my program specifically and yeah they have to put up 'decent' grades meaning have a 3.0 (for my program at least). I also have to keep the very same 3.0 EXCEPT in my program only my core science classes count toward my GPA. And even if after all that we were on the same level, try taking a biology with lab and chemistry with lab in the same 18 credit semester and pretend its equivalent to that ONE Natural Science class or whatever they call that in CGS. Or better yet take on my next semester courseload and get that 3.0 with Intro Nutrition, Intro Psychology, Organic Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology. I'm not tryin to sound like I'm better than anyone or smarter cause that isn't necessarily the case, but you have to at least admit we are not talking about the same thing when compared to CGS...</p>
<p>I'm saying regarding getting in from CGS, it's not automatic. You dont just get into the school of your choice. Plenty of people dont meet the requirements.</p>
<p>That's true..but you're missing my point. These requirements, while they must be met by everyone, are just simply not the same for CGS and I don't understand how that is supposed to be fair or help anyone? If I really cared I would sit down and figure it out but just to throw a number out there I would wager that the University's average accepted SAT would jump a full 100 pts (out of 1600) if 20% of the applicants (CGS students) and their significantly lower test scores were not included. This is not to say that standardized tests are the end all be all of colleges but I think you can agree that a great deal of a university's prestige is rooted in the scores of the applicants it attracts and enrolls. That's all I'm tryin to say.</p>
<p>Well figure that CGS has a decent amount of athletes too, so it's the same as any other school in that regard. </p>
<p>Regardless, why do you care? You should be thankful that you can attend a school like BU, not what some idiot on the street thinks. If that's so important to you, then you're at the wrong school. CGS in many ways is a large developmental program, similar to what Ivies have (in much smaller numbers, of course). Who really cares, though?</p>
<p>If you read my previous posts you would have learned that I admit that I really, really don't care as much as my posts sound, but when this question comes up it rubs me the wrong way for the aforementioned reasons which I do not care to even repeat.</p>
<p>If it's selfish to resent a direct and unecessary blow to the prestige of the university that, YES I am very happy and proud to attend, then I guess I'm just a jerk haha.</p>