Friday, October 8, 2010

College of the Month: Boston College

Located in Chestnut Hill, Boston College is a private college with a Roman Catholic affiliation. Undergrads love the location, as they are in the midst of suburbia but it’s just a quick train ride into the heart of Boston. There they can find museums, concerts, shopping, and restaurants. They are also in the middle of a huge college area- with Northeastern University, Boston University, Harvard, Emerson, and others located nearby.

BC is described as one of the top universities in the northeast and those who attend are proud of where they hail from. Football and hockey games draw large attendance, including many alumni. Many students plan road trips to other colleges for BC football games, specifically the huge game at Notre Dame in Indiana.

With less than 10,000 students enrolled, BC is a competitive school that can be tough to get into. Students are usually at the tops of their classes in high school and are well-rounded individuals who are athletic and smart. BC has many students whose parents were also graduates.

Most students are white, although diversity is something that is growing with increasing numbers of international, Asian, and Hispanic students. Despite the numbers of non conformers, students still describe the school as having mostly preppy girls wearing UGGS, North Face and Abercrombie & Fitch, and collared shirt wearing guys. There is no Greek life on this campus; however, there are lots of student organizations to choose from and intramural teams to play for.

Students are huge on studying abroad at BC, many even turning their semesters overseas into a volunteer trip. BC offers programs at international partner institutions where students can continue to pay their BC tuition and receive financial aid. There are also approved programs, which aren’t affiliated with BC, but fortunately classes can still be transferred. Students are huge on volunteering and the Appalachia Volunteer Group gives students the ability to participate in local service opportunities throughout the year and then travel to a struggling region of the United States during spring break to lend a hand. Keep in mind that housing is NOT guaranteed junior year on campus, thus this is the time most students study abroad.

If you’re looking for a smaller college with competitive students who have lots of school pride, this is the place for you.

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