Start New Discussion Title: Post:

College Prowler

Academics

The teachers vary at BC. Some are amazing, some are boring, and some shouldn't be allowed to teach (and luckily these don't have tenure—yet). The workload is completely unpredictable because it varies by teacher, so you can never be sure until you get in the class and look at the syllabus. If you e-mail a teacher and ask to see the syllabus before taking the class, he or she will most likely let you, which can be helpful for figuring out how much you can handle. BC is a solid school for philosophy and theology—obviously, with the Jesuit connection—and CSOM (Carroll School of Management) is also fairly well-recognized. It's pretty solid all around, but I wouldn't say it's known for anything in particular.

Athletics

There are tons of varsity sports on campus. We have good football and basketball teams and an awesome hockey team. All three are usually ranked nationally. There are also a lot of intramural sports, like football, basketball, and softball. here is definitely something for everyone at every level.

Campus Dining

There are basically three major dining halls and three smaller ones. McElroy is where freshmen primarily eat, or at Stuart on Newton Campus, and Lower is where upperclassmen eat, both of which have just about everything. Chicken, pasta, salads and sandwiches are pretty much the standard at both places. Breakfasts are awesome at BC, but the omelet line can be super long. For lunch, a lot of people like the Rat for fast food type meals and the Eagle’s Nest for sandwiches, salads, or soup. Hillside is a new and very popular addition to BC, and they have awesome sandwiches and a Starbucks as well. Watch out for the lines!

Campus Housing

You don’t really get a choice on where you live, but I was a Newton kid and I absolutely loved it. At first you might think it sucks and that the buses are annoying, but I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. Newton just becomes its own little community and everyone knows everyone else. At least it feels like they do. From what I can tell, the Upper campus kids aren’t as close or friendly, though they all think they’re a lot cooler than we are. It’s kind of a rivalry thing freshman year, Newton versus Upper, but it’s fun and basically either place you get, you will love it and think that where you live is better.

Campus Strictness

The campus police are more concerned with safety than getting people in trouble. If there's a party, they're more interested in breaking it up than writing people up for drinking. BC has a strong "no drinking games" policy, but it's enforced entirely by RAs and RDs, not campus police. The campus police are about safety, while residential life staff is concerned with rule breaking.

Computers

The computer network is great. I can get wireless Internet access almost everywhere on campus. The labs are often almost full, but I've always been able to get a computer when I've needed one. Definitely bring your own as well though, since it's easy to get Internet anywhere you want to do work.

Diversity

The campus is not very economically diverse, and I feel like a lot of people here are richer than they know what to do with their money. The campus is also not very ethnically or sexually diverse. The GLBTQ population is small, and probably would be bigger if the atmosphere at BC were more welcoming to the GLBTQ community, which it is not. It is rather homophobic. The population is mostly white—some people call it the "white wave." I was hoping for more ethnic diversity here. Politically, mostly everyone is liberal, but there are many Republicans. Our university is 60 percent Catholic.

Drug Scene

It's not really that noticeable. Most people drink, and depending on who you hang out with, people will smoke. There are rumors about more hardcore drugs, but nobody really seems to know who does them.

Facilities

BC does its best to try and create the best atmosphere for working out, but even though the machines are new at the Plex, the building is still outdated. There is a place for every sport, though. There is no real student center, but most of the dining halls are great places to study, hang out, and meet with friends. There is a library for every type of student with lots of spaces to study in private or with groups.

Greek Life

There are no fraternities or sororities allowed on campus, but that's okay because Boston College students don't need any more reasons to party! There are lots of alcoholic parties on campus, as well as at the off-campus houses and apartments where juniors live. There are still things to do on campus if you decide not to drink, but that's really where it's at on the weekends.

Guys & Girls

Most of the guys here can be described as "bros"—friendly guys looking to have a good time, all of the time. Most are outgoing. The girls are pretty, yet they are bundled up for the better part of the year, so it's easy to forget how pretty they are. But, when spring hits, they start dressing fashionably and get into summer shape—wow.

Local Atmosphere

Boston is an incredible place. There are so many different things to do that anyone can find something. There are 250,000 college kids in the area, so there are plenty of fun college parties and activities to take part in. For anyone who enjoys American culture and history, Boston is the place. The city is steeped in so much history-it's the "Athens of America". The Freedom Trail visits so many historic places within walking distance around Boston. There are also two great art museums—one contemporary and one classical. There are parks all over the city that are beautiful and green. I could go on forever-Boston is the best!

Nightlife

There are always a million parties going on, so if you’re willing to search, you’ll never be bored. Freshmen can’t have parties because the RAs are always on duty, but from sophomore year on, you can do what you want. Most of the good parties are off campus in the junior apartments. Once you go to a few, you’ll have an in to all the other parties at that apartment for the year.

Off-Campus Dining

The restaurants off campus are really good, and there are many different options for cuisine. There is also www.campusfood.com, which allows you to order in from the different restaurants. There are some great Italian restaurants in the city of Newton and in the North End in the city, but they are on the expensive side. There are some cheap pizza places around that are delicious and economical. There are also some great restaurants and bars on Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street and Harvard Avenue in Brighton, such as Zocalo and Joshua Tree. Other great spots for restaurants are Coolidge Corner and Cleveland Circle.

Off-Campus Housing

Most people live on campus for three years and only live off campus their junior year. There are plenty of houses and apartments off campus, but since BC is so close to Boston they are expensive. But, most people say that they love living off campus, so it is worth it.

Overall Experience

I don’t think I’d be this happy anywhere else. I absolutely love BC. I’m not just trying to sell the school to you, because, really what would I get from that? I’m just telling you how I feel and there are probably a lot of people at BC that don’t like it as much as I do. All I know is that out of all of my friends from home that went away to school, I am the happiest and having the best time away.

Parking

Parking on campus can be a nightmare. There are only a few streets where you can park for free, and you will get an expensive ticket if you park on campus where you are not supposed to without a parking permit, which are also expensive. It's probably better if you do not have a car until your junior or senior year—there's really no need for it. The campus is very compact and ideal for walking.

Safety & Security

BCPD is so hardcore-they're all Boston police, too, so they carry guns, and have proper cars and uniforms. There's barely any crime, and if there is, it normally involves students doing something dumb. The school has emergency blue-light poles everywhere if there's a problem, as well as Eagle Escort to drive students places if necessary, but they're not the nicest people.

Transportation

The T is very convenient. At BC, there's either the D Line or the B Line—the D Line is faster, but if that doesn't work out, there's always the B Line. BC also has buses for helping students get around. They're pretty convenient, too, but it's hard to judge the times to figure out where they're going to be and when.

Weather

There's every weather you could ask for in a full school year-when you get to school in the fall, it stays hot until about October, and then it will get blustery and possibly rainy. Snow keeps coming later and later, but there's normally snow right before Christmas break and then all through January and February. The best weeks are right before finals in May-it's gorgeous. Bring rain boots (they're good for snow and rain), an umbrella, and a light rain jacket. Also, bring a warm coat and gloves for winter—and even though some people think they're dumb, Uggs are really good for keeping your feet warm. Oh, and lots of scarves—they're fashionable and practical!