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Boston College makes sense from your criteria of liberal arts, not too small, located in a good city. Itās also well-known in Canada and the US. From BCās Common Data Set, 4% of undergraduates are Black, so itās about as diverse as your little town in Canada. The vast majority of the student body is Catholic, so wondering whether thatās really a fit for your Jewish-Sikh background, but maybe that doesnāt matter to you. (However, culture shock is real, so if youāre not used to religious homogeneity it may not be great.) Students on Niche describe the student body as ādriven, beautiful, fit, preppyā if that appeals to youā¦ Also in Boston, Tufts is an excellent mid-sized school, less well-known in Canada but well-known in the US, slightly more diverse than BC (6% Black) and more economically diverse. Great UG teaching. Students describe themselves as āpassionate, quirky, interestingā so less of a preppy sports scene than BC.
If religion doesnāt matter, and you want great UG teaching and a big sports scene, but are OK with a smaller town in the Midwest, then Notre Dame (also Catholic) is a great mid-sized school with a big reputation in Canada and the US, where students love their experience. Students describe themselves on Niche as āWork hard/play hard, intelligent and Catholicā. 4% Black.
Iām suggesting these schools as they may make more sense than $$$ to go to big state schools in the US that are not as good as the state schools that are available for much less money in Canada. Spending money could make sense if you get the extra attention and smaller classes of smaller private schools, and the reputation and connections of those schools, if you want to stay in the US.
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I completely agree. I also am planning to apply to Notre Dame as they also fit the kind of education I am looking for. As far as religion goes, it doesnāt matter too much to me as long as itās not an ultra-religious school, which neither is. I have mixed feelings about Tufts as many have told me that they donāt deserve such a low acceptance rate, and they leach off of the other Boston area colleges for prestige, but their engineering is supposedly sound. The diversity aspect doesnāt play a huge factor; I thought it would be nice to go somewhere a little more diverse than here.
Iāve also considered Georgetown, but I donāt know too much about them.
Tufts and BC draw from the same top students. Look at their CDS data. In my experience, the same academically accomplished kids might pick either school for different reasons. BC for the religious aspects, bigger emphasis on sports, or the undergrad business and nursing programs (which Tufts does not have) or Tufts for its very well-regarded IR and ABET accredited engineering programs or itās 5 year combined degree programs (with a Fine Arts degree) (which BC does not have).
If youāre potentially looking at ChemE which your other post listed first, then BC shouldnāt even be in your consideration set.
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Or Georgetown.
I am a black BC grad that grew up near Georgetown and rooting for them as a kid. Georgetown is more international because of the school of international affairs. They have similar pretty vibes and neither has a huge religious presence. It sounds like you are comfortable being āthe only oneā in your circles and that would lead me to believe you would be fine at any of these schools. BC feeds in to the mutual fund business and Ibanking if thatās what you would like to pursue.
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While BC and Tufts students have similar academic profiles, they draw completely different students. BC is more like a Large flagship while Tufts is more like a LAC and it is evident by the student population. BC is like a frat school with out actually having frats. Look at pictures/videos of BC tailgate for their awful football team. And for what itās worth the BC campus is in a better location and one of the nicest campuses in the country.
Just FYI, both Boston College and Notre Dame require undergrads to take two theology courses, one from a Catholic/ecumenical perspective. At Notre Dame, each dorm offers daily Mass, and people who become hall staff must participate in dorm Masses etc. When Notre Dame students are asked to describe their school their first response is āCatholicā . Here is a link about Catholicism from the perspective of students there: Reddit - Dive into anything
And here is a link to the requirement:
Theology // Core Curriculum // University of Notre Dame.
BC is less Catholic than Notre Dame, and Georgetown is less Catholic than BC, although they are all Jesuit Catholic schools. Georgetown requires a full year of philosophy and a full year of theology.
Well Iām undecided between that or a business route, and Boston college offers chemistry as well as having a very good business school.
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I donāt mind having to take a theology class Iām not an outright atheist or anything like that. Iām just not a devout catholic. I find theology and religion fairly fascinating, so I think Iād be ok with those classes.
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I believe Georgetown also offers a 3-2 engineering program with Columbia.
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The theology or religion requirements can be fulfilled with classes in Judaism, Buddhism or Islam or it can be fulfilled with.
Person and Social Responsibility I and II (i.e., the PULSE Program) or THEO/PHIL 1090-1091 Perspectives on Western Culture I and II.
Thus you can avoid religion by and large.
If you really think engineering might be a possibility, I think 3-2 programs are less than ideal. Admission into these programs is often competitive and not guaranteed - and you will be paying for an expensive 5th year of college to get the same B.S. Engineering degree you could get at any number of other universities that directly offer engineering degrees. Too much uncertainty and expense for my engineering student to even consider.
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Yes but Chemistry is not ChemE - and iām talking specifically to what you first listed is ChemE.
If you are ok with Chemistry, itās one thing - but itās a different outcome (not near as hirable or at the same income) as ChemE.
So - from a monetary ( a year more tuition, a year less work) and life perspective (a year more classes) and simply getting a bachelor degree (ok, two), why would one do that?
I donāt suspect the 3-2 programs get a lot of participation. They really donāt make senseā¦
Just my opinion.
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I wish this student well, regardless of what he chooses to study in college. We happen to know some mighty happy and successful folks who were chemistry majors in undergrad school. I will say, they all now have PhDs but they are very happy with their chosen path.
I will addā¦itās tough to become an engineer of any kind if you arenāt an undergrad major in engineering. But that is your choice as a student.
Ok, well, look, I havenāt fully decided 100% on what Iām doing, which is typical for a 17-year-old, in my opinion. You may not understand my reasons for wanting to apply at BC, but I do have my reasons, which I have listed. I am keeping my options open to many places. Even if I ED ll at BC, thereās a likely chance I wonāt be admitted there, so I wouldnāt be too hung up on it. I am still applying to many schools with wondrous Chem Eng, so Iām by no means closing the door on it.
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I understand - I was just noting that if itās in consideration (you listed it, not me) - that you canāt do it from there - thatās it.
Itās your choice - not mine.
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