<p>hi, i’m a rising senior and new to the site. i have an 1820 on the SATs, B average, and my dad is a BC alum, so i feel like i have really good chances there. i was thinking about applying early but some snobby friends said i’d be foolish to not try early for a school ranked higher, and that to kids from good schools, BC only stands for “backup college”. although i am a little bit alarmed that it is ranked #37 by US News, i still think BC is better than people give it credit for. if others were in my shoes, would you shoot higher early, or just go for bc. I want to be realistic about my chances at better schools so i’m putting it out there for you guys. any thoughts would be much appreciated!..</p>
<p>are you serious? First of all, an 1820 isnt that good. I mean it’s good, but like… it definitely does not make BC a backup school for you. Second, US News rankings are retarted, so dont plan where you apply/go to college based on ranks. Third, 37 is not bad at all. I don’t know where you think an 1820 is going to get you, but you should consider yourself blessed if BC gets you in. So no, it is NOT a “backup college” for you. It’s more like a reach.</p>
<p>i second that</p>
<p>Getting in to BC early is harder than regular decision. BC has a slightly different approach to early action than other schools. I agree that 1820 and a B average is a bit low for BC.</p>
<p>I’m so glad I didn’t have to take those new SATs… so confusing now. ;)</p>
<p>To answer the original question: YES, Boston College <em>IS</em> a safety school for a lot of people (and I’m actually one of them). I would venture to guess that BC wasn’t the top choice for a majority of freshmen (i.e. Ivy rejects). That’s not to say they’re unhappy once they’re there. In fact I’d say the opposite is true. In my own experience, I reapplied to my top choice after my first year, got in, and decided to stay at BC. Strangely enough the only time I’ve actually heard BC called “Backup College” is at BU or Notre Dame, though I’m guessing it’s due more to sour grapes on the ice/gridiron than anything else. ;)</p>
<p>Oh and yeah … with a solid B average, I’d say BC is a reach in your case. But you never know; BC is notoriously easier to get into as a legacy. Good luck!</p>
<p>heightsman, if you dont mind me asking, what other school were you trying to go to instead?? </p>
<p>i’m a transfer and I’m having an incredibly difficult time choosing between BC and Brown.</p>
<p>Not at all: Georgetown had been my “dream school” since I was a kid. I’m the first in my family to attend college so I was never really conscious of which schools were “Ivy League” growing up. My family made a trip to DC when I was in 5th grade, and I still remember how in awe I was of the Healy clock tower. So since that trip I just thought it was the best. By senior year, it remained my top choice, and I was confident I’d get in. When I was denied (not even waitlisted), I was crushed–especially since I gotten into several “better ranked” schools. I actually chose BC partly because I thought it would be the best place from which to transfer to Georgetown.</p>
<p>My freshman year was a rollercoaster. I was unhappy for the first few months–my initial attitude was pretty much “I’m just here temporarily so why bother getting too attached to the place.” But that ended up not being so easy. I met a few amazing people and made some great friends (students and profs). And, cheezy as it sounds, I fell in love with the place. By the time I got the Georgetown acceptance that spring, leaving BC was out of the question. For one thing I wasn’t willing to give up my friendships. More objectively, I’d come to appreciate Boston and BC itself–the trees, the hills, the gothic architecture, places to be loud and have fun and places to be quiet and just think–things Georgetown just didn’t offer. And while I was undecided at the time, in retrospect Georgetown would have been a poor choice for my majors. I’ve heard a few similar stories too (mostly with ivies) though I only know one person who ended up actually transferring out (to stanford). I think for many of us, it was important just to prove to ourselves that we could do it. In my case, it also helped me realize the merits of BC over Georgetown.</p>
<p>red- can’t help you much between BC and Brown, since I didn’t apply to Brown and have only seen it briefly (and in passing, visiting a friend at RISD). The campus seems a bit cramped, though my friend loves Providence. Obviously if you’re choosing based on rankings, Brown wins hands down. But I’m guessing if you’re having a tough time with the decision, you’re looking beyond what US News et al say. I would ask: What aspects don’t you like about your current school? How does BC/Brown compare, point per point? Also a few basics: What are you studying? What opportunities (research/publishing/etc) does the department offer? And how easy is it to take advantage of those opportunities as a transfer? Also, the deal breaker might end up being money or housing (BC doesn’t usually offer on-campus housing to transfers during their first term, but also built new dorms last year, so be sure you know). Good luck!</p>
<p>heightsman, thanks so much for such a detailed response. </p>
<p>im not sure if you were just asking rhetorical questions that i should just answer to myself and not post…but haha hey, im going to answer anyway…who knows…maybe ill be convinced by the end of this. </p>
<p>okay. for starters, I’m certain that I am leaving my current institution, NYU…so that isn’t so much the question. </p>
<p>BC has been my #1 choice since maybe sophomore year and I didn’t get in freshman of college year so that was a huge bummer. I love the school, I honestly do. In fact I was pretty offended when I saw this backup college post but I’ll leave that aside. What I like about BC is mainly the social atmosphere…I really like the culture and the people and even the jesuit presence. I feel like the school pushes for a community that is totally in sync with my own outlook. Alot of people complain about homogeny or whatever but I’ll be honest…im pretty normal so that doesnt bother me a bit. </p>
<p>the academics isn’t really the strongpoint of BC considering im a Classics major and Brown has like 6th ranked program or so. i mean of course everyone is telling me to go to Brown becuase of rankings and whatnot but I made that mistake freshman year and i’m really trying to set aside the elite ivy aspect or whatever. Academics, however, is a really big issue.</p>
<p>i think brown would offer alot for my major and I think it is different enough from NYU (not in a huge city that is way too expensive and close to Boston) to keep me happy. I’ve wanted BC for so long though, so its just wild that I actually have another contender. I am a bit afraid that Brown might have some of what i really didn’t like about NYU. NYU had some amazing people but i felt like i met alot more of the antisocial or completely wacky kids. </p>
<p>Housing isnt really an issue…becuase i feel like if I go to BC, i can meet people easily and find a roommate. (hopefully). Money isnt really an issue either because i dont qualify for any. </p>
<p>I really cannot make a decision. any more suggestions?
im actually leaning towards BC.</p>
<p>heightsman, that was almost the exact same story as me…
I lived in Alexandria, VA for 5 years, and moved away, so I wanted to go to GU to get back in the area and I wanted to major in PoliSci too.</p>
<p>It was my top choice, interview went great, etc. Then I applied Early action, got deferred, then complete denied. The worst part is that one of my friends applied regular decision, just to throw another school on her list, got in, and is going to UVA instead.</p>
<p>Well congrats on getting in! I know how nice it feels to get in after being denied the first time around … so first off nice job. Yeah I meant those questions as an exercise for you, but writing it down can sometimes help too, and I guess that’s what cc is for. So here are a few thoughts in response:</p>
<p>Classics is actually supposed to be a strong department at BC: small program, small classes, tight student/prof relationships, good grad school/fellowships record, etc. but I’m guessing all of that is true at Brown too. </p>
<p>I think your concerns about the social atmosphere at Brown are probably unfounded. Again, I don’t know much about Brown, so you’d better find a better source on this. My take: big city schools like NYU generally attract students for whom community isnt all that important. Brown isn’t a big city school. I’d imagine its similar to BC in terms of the sense of community/identity.</p>
<p>The nature of that community is probably very different though. You seem to know and be attracted to the social/cultural atmosphere at BC. For me that culture has both its strengths (strong BC identity/pride, diversity of opinions/political views, social justice causes) and weaknesses (racial/ethnic diversity of the faculty/admin, somewhat polarized student politics, sense of isolation from the “real world” (a.k.a. the “BC Bubble”)). In my experience here, the strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses. The fact that you say you felt offended by the title of this thread could mean that you already have a little BC pride and that BC is really where you want to be … or it could mean that you’d be better off at Brown, where you wouldn’t have to worry about “ivy-envy.” Not trying to be judgmental here, just seeing it from a couple perspectives.</p>
<p>Finally a word of caution: I have heard a few stories from disgruntled transfers who say they had a hard time initially feeling “part” of BC because they had to live off campus during their first term. There’s a special orientation for transfers and you’re right you’ll probably find a roommate there, but from what I hear the whole housing/orientation set-up for transfers isolates them from the rest of the student body.</p>
<p>Hope this helps. Congrats again and good luck!</p>
<p>^ was for red</p>
<p>dc- I’d say go ahead and apply to GU next year if you feel like you need to get it out of your system. Like I said, for me it was therapeutic. </p>
<p>But <em>DONT</em> do what I did in terms of getting to BC with a bad attitude. I was lucky in that I had awsome profs/other students in my classes with whom I really connected and ultimately convinced me that this is the best place for me. But I do regret not making more of an effort initially on my floor/getting involved in clubs/etc.</p>
<p>I agree with Chris who gave you the first reply. I applied to BC my senior year with 1410 SAT I, 730ish SAT IIs and really good extracurriculars. Although I was accepted, I didn’t realize how much I “underrated” BC after seeing kids with 1400+ SAT get waitlisted or in some cases, straight out rejected. I would expect BC’s new SAT average around 1850-2000 for the new version, but honestly, BC is a great school and even great standarized test scores don’t warrent your admission. It’s becoming a really competitive school with I believe more than 24,000 applicants vying for admission (this year) and it definitely shouldn’t be taken lightly as a backup for most high school seniors.</p>
<p>Hi green, I’m not trying to second guess you here, but if BC is that great (and I do think it is) why did you chose Missouri? I’m asking because as much as I like BC, it is very expensive and I probably won’t be receiveing much financial aid. My GPA is very good but I’m also at a pretty competitive high school so I dont think I have a chance for any merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Actually, BC’s financial aid package wasn’t too bad considering my family situation where my father makes over $120,000 a year. I think they gave me about $13,000 so it wasn’t too shabby. In the end, I chose Missouri for their prestigious journalism school, full-ride to school, and close proximity from my home in St. Louis. I’m actually a law-school aspiring student so my family and I agreed that I didn’t want a $120,000 debt coming out from just undergrad. But I must say, I did regret my decision a couple of times.</p>
<p>as a victim of BC’s waitlist…I must say, BC is far from a Backup College. A matter of fact, I think they actually pick out of a magic hat. Kids with better credentials than me got rejected immediatley, and other students far greater than me received a waitlist status. BC is too fickle, and thereis no guarantee. I had a friend who got into Middlebury, Lehigh, and Notre Dame only to be rejected from BC and lord knows she’s smarter than me. So no it is not a backup college for you. However, do apply and see what happens, and it most likely will be a shock. It is not a safety for anyone. let me repeat that for everyone – BC IS NOT A SAFETY FOR ANYONE!</p>
<p>BC didn’t even qualify as one of my safeties it was so low.</p>
<p>4feynman–you seem a little full of yourself, and judging from some of your other posts, it isn’t the first time you have belittled someone about a college choice. Everyone has to have a list of the schools that will be right for their interests, abilities, finances, etc. If you have been fortunate enough to have all the numbers, ecs, then you certainly deserve to go to Princeton–and it seems that you will be happy there. But do not come to the BC site to swagger and be rude to those who are seriously interested in this school. We have a D at BC. She is an excellent student, did very well in HS, is loving BC and we are crazy about this school for many reasons. It is a great fit for her, and the many other students we know who are there. It is extremely competitive on admissions, particularly in the last few years, and we couldn’t be more proud of her for choosing it. Our S, on the other hand, has different academic interests–and chose Duke. We couldn’t be more proud of him either–and we’re crazy about it, too. That’s why there are so many colleges out there–so each student can find the best one for the person they are, and would like to become. </p>
<p>I wish you well at Princeton–and I hope they teach you some diplomacy, tact and humility.</p>
<p>Green–an 1850 on the new SAT really isnt that good… well it is, but not for BC. It converts to a 1230 (really a 1233 when doing the math hahaha), which is far below BC. Katie, good luck getting in, theres always a chance and with a legacy yes, but in my opinion you should retake that 1820.</p>