<p>Mom43,</p>
<p>Our son's sound so similar. Our son was accepted in the College of Arts and Sciences (non-honors) and is also going pre-med. He's a captain for the varisity tennis team and plays the piano and did violin for six years, although you'd be hard pressed to tell with the violin. This message board needs smilies, so you'd could tell when I'm kidding. He loves sports (especially the NE Pat's) or anything to do with history, he's smart, but not over confident. He's a good kid.</p>
<p>emmabelle and Mom43~D graduated from BC last spring--she absolutely loved it! She had been wait-listed at 2 schools, one of which deferred her ED. On the way back from the BC orientation, she was so excited for move-in to arrive, and DH commented that he should "send a thank-you note to U. of _________ (the school that had deferred, then waitlisted her), because this is absolutely the right place!" She agreed, and 4 years later would be even more enthusiastic in her agreement!</p>
<p>We are more than a little sad that our current senior in HS (S2) is not going to be at BC in the fall. He has made the right decision about going to a school with a program he really wants, but he was very torn for a while.</p>
<p>In the end I truly believe things work out the way they are supposed to, and that your kids will be happy!! </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Emmabelle, our sons really do sound like they have similar interests, my son is a violinist (Concertmaster) of our Orchestra this year. He plays Ice Hockey, what a strange combination huh? He loves sports too, Flyers, Eagles, Phillies etc. (We are very close to Philadelphia). He is a very serious student, with the play hard/work hard attitude. (likes to have fun!!) I agree that in the end everything will work out the way it was meant to be. I am ready to let him go to Boston if that is his dream- good luck to you in your visit. I wish we could attend this weekend also!</p>
<p>Mom43</p>
<p>Your son must be amazing with the violin, our son is definately better with the piano. I wish he taken the violin more seriously. I told him I was going to sell the violin and he won't let me, although he hasn't touch it in years.</p>
<p>Emmabelle- thanks he is a good musician, never thought it would last when we bought the "expensive instrument", I don't think he will have any use for it after graduation but luckily I have a daughter who plays that can now use it! Will your son play any tennis in college? I think my son would like play hockey but he hasn't checked to see if they have a club level team,the hockey players in New England are all together different than the New Jersey crew!</p>
<p>I think he would love to play, but it would probably be on an intramural type of team, because he loves it, but really isn't strong enough of a player to go up against other schools. He didn't start playing tennis until the ninth grade, too bad we didn't know back when he was young how much he would have loved the sport, we would have given him lessons.</p>
<p>Dear Mom43 : If your son has a passion for music, why not contact one of the BC Bands ensembles to schedule an audition? My son did that during the summer before school, was interviewed on the phone, played an audition piece, was e-mailed sight readings which had to be performed on the same call, and landed a spot with the university wind ensemble. Honestly, it opened up a range of upper class friends for him from day one at campus - all of whom shared a common interest.</p>
<p>Scottj- wow thats really a great idea, I will tell him to research more about some string groups/ensembles. I think he would love to play club hockey but since BC is one the Frozen Four, I am sure the club team is unbelievable too. I think it would be great to have some kind of group to belong to from the start, it helps with the adjustment and gives you something to look forward to when you're not studying. And keeps you occupied to limit the party time (ha-ha).</p>
<p>beanieboo- I think with the GW bridge considered, I am looking at least 6 hrs, depending on traffic, we are South Jersey. I am hoping maybe quicker, are you guys allowed to have a car on campus?</p>
<p>freshman definetly are not allowed to have a car on campus. i dont think many sophmores are either. ive heard different things from everyone about parking and stuff but i know that preference is given to the nursing and i think education students. theres not THAT much parking so i think you have to have permission and a permit. </p>
<p>however, you dont really need a car. everywhere that you could need to get is very accessable by T or the BC busses. its only convienient if you have some work or medical related thing that takes you far from BC multiple times a week. the only times i wish i had one is for when i go home because it makes the trip a lot faster</p>
<p>Thanks, I was just wondering for my son to get back home. He will have to fly or try to find someone else to carpool with, there are pretty good prices to fly from Logan to Philadelphia, I guess that is our best option. </p>
<p>Do the BC buses take you anywhere into the city or how do you get to the city easiest from BC?
Thanks for all the info- we really appreciate it!!!!</p>
<p>Two things:</p>
<p>1) Are any of you going to the honors orientation on Saturday?</p>
<p>2) Do honors kids get first dibs at sophmore parking privileges and can we possibly get a parking spot our freshmen year?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>no one has a car except for sophomore through senior nursing and education students. in boston, truly you do not need a car</p>
<p>How do you get around- since the campus is outside the city, do the BC buses take you there?
My son only has three years of housing, I just figured there was off campus apartments and students had cars? Am I right?</p>
<p>1) Do the BC buses take you anywhere into the city or how do you get to the city easiest from BC?
The BC busses do not take you into Boston, but there is a T stop in front of BC. The BC bus also takes students to another T stop (usually much quicker). Students normally take the T from BC to get into the city; however, the public transportation system in Boston is pretty bad since it shuts down at 12. Normally students plan their time to get on the T before it shuts down or they can just take a cab back to BC.</p>
<p>A year ago, my H and I needed to pick our D up in the middle of the night. We got to the campus around 1:45 am on a Thursday night/Friday morn. While we were sitting in the parking lot (Walsh dorm), waiting for our daughter, we witnessed the arrival of many, many, many cabs delivering many, many, many BC students, coming back to campus after a night of fun in Boston. To be honest, it was quite an amusing thing to witness. Yes, the T does shut down, but college students are a pretty resourceful group and the lack of public transportation at that time of night did not seem to stop them.
My D has not had a car and she is doing fine. She does have several friends who do have cars and it seems to be a pain in the neck to have one. I don't think any of them have parking permits for the campus and the area around BC is just so restrictive, that it can be a real burden to find a parking place. Honestly, it is just one more thing to worry about.
As for living off campus, the BC bus does loop around and picks up students in some of the off campus apartment areas, so free transportation is available to the campus. My D is off campus this year (junior year) and she is closer to the main campus this year, in an off campus apartment then she was her freshman year when she lived on the Newton campus.</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman at BC and loves it . She was offered academic scholarships from other private colleges, but her heart was set on BC ( we don't qualify for need aid, tho we are not rich.).As far as transportation goes there are a few options..
amtrak to Phily..a bit pricey,....of course flying,
a private company runs for $94 each trip , RT private bus transportation from BC to WHITE PLAINS,Westchester for all of the 5 breaks, they probably have an offshoot that goes into NYC or LI. You could then take a train to NJ or pick up your child in white plains ( its at the BLOOMINGDALES parking lot ).
There are also cheap chinatown busses that go to/from Boston and chinatown, NYC
And lastly this is what we do, we carpool with another student..they pick up we drive back, the drive for us is 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. Often enough we have an extra kid that bums a ride.. no problem</p>
<p>The private company's bus that goingtobebroke is talking about stops in various places in NY and NJ. I take the bus that goes the furthest south (to Edison, NJ), and there are always a lot of kids from Philly or from south jersey who have their parents pick them up there. imho, the bus from BC to New Jersey that I take is my favorite way to get home, because its about half the price of other methods and picks me up and drops me off at BC.</p>
<p>js0406- what bus is it that you take from BC to NJ, does it take you to Princeton or south of there? You say it takes you right to BC- that sounds great!</p>
<p>the kind of bus js0406 is talking about is one chartered by BC.</p>