Academics

Some teachers are really good—they want to get through to their students and teach them something, and they try to learn everyone's names. Other teachers are just there for research or their own work and take teaching less seriously, which can be really frustrating when you're trying to learn the material. Overall, the workload is manageable.

Athletics

For the most part our hockey and basketball teams are supported on campus because they are so successful. Other sports tend to fall under the radar because there is a lack of school spirit on campus. We don't have a football team, which is a bummer and probably the explanation for the lack of spirit. IMs are popular, some more than others, but it's entirely up to you to get a team together and play. I highly recommend broomball—it's extremely popular and very fun.

Campus Dining

Food is amazing. Watch out girls: The Freshman 15 can become the Freshman 20. The cafeteria food is probably the best cafeteria food I have had on any university or high school campus. The problem is that you want to eat everything on the buffet, every day, three times a day. We also have late-night food that is open until 2 a.m. for people who might need to sober up or just need a midnight study snack.

Campus Housing

Dorms, like everything else at BU, are too expensive. The school makes up for it, though, by guaranteeing housing all four years. Freshman dorms are monstrous with tons of people in small rooms, but they're the best places to meet people your first year. They also have the best food. As an upperclassman, however, you have your pick of tons of newly renovated, dorm-style brownstones or apartments or the newly built Student Village, which—if you can foot the bill—offers high-rise apartments and suite-style living for juniors and seniors.

Campus Strictness

The campus police are extremely strict about underage drinking and even of-age drinking if a student has more alcohol than the allowed amount. I would suggest not to drink on campus—go off campus. There is no amnesty at BU. If you have a friend who needs medical attention from drinking and you call the authorities, you will still get in trouble with BU if you are underage.

Computers

Computer labs tend to be more crowded in mornings when people are trying to print out assignments for the day. Most people have their own computers, but I don't think it is necessary for students to bring one to classes. However, for the convenience of doing homework from your dorm or apartment, you should have one.

Diversity

Compared to other schools in the area, I would say that Boston University is diverse ethnically, but I still feel that minorities are under-represented and the admissions office should really try to boost minority admissions. I wouldn't say BU is as diverse economically because the university doesn't offer as much financial aid as it should, so I'd say the majority of the students are well off. Ideologically and politically, BU is very liberal, and I'd say that while expression of thought and opinion is diverse, overall, the University has a very liberal image.

Drug Scene

You will definitely encounter drugs at BU. While not needing to do them to fit in, many kids seem to be into them and experimenting with all sorts of things (be careful, as I have seen it both screw people up and open their minds to new things).

Facilities

The athletic facilities here are the best-we have a great gym, and lots of other facilities for those who may not like gyms. The student meeting places are pretty nice overall. There are a pretty good number of fast food places.

Greek Life

Greek life is around, but I wouldn't say it has any effect on the social scene at BU. The school is so large that I think it's impossible for one organization to have any meaningful impact on social life. I have a lot of friends who are in frats and sororities, and they enjoy them, but you can have a great time at BU without being in one.

Guys & Girls

There are lots of girls, and way too few guys! Of course, it is very easy to hook up; it is college after all, and the boys are seemingly just going nuts. Suitable mates, on the other hand, are definitely more difficult to come by. The effects of the low population of males, as compared to females is felt, but it’s not the end of the world. There are plenty of places to go to seek out members of the opposite sex. Just step outside.

Local Atmosphere

You live in the city when you go to BU. We're also surrounded by tons of other universities. Our rival BC is a trolley ride away, MIT has frats on our campus, Berklee and Northeastern are also really close by, and Harvard is a 15-minute T ride away. Everyone interacts with everyone, and since BU has strict partying policies, BU tends to party at other universities, so we get to hang out with everyone, and they also tend to come to our school-sponsored events. There's always something going, even though Boston pretty much shuts down at 9 p.m.

Nightlife

Parties on campus are lame. I went to one my freshman year and never went back. Everyone just goes to the same two streets, Ashford and Gardener, looking for a party. It's much better to go to a bar or a club since BU is so close to downtown Boston and Allston. In Allston, some of my favorite bars are White Horse and Our House.

Off-Campus Dining

There are so many restaurants within walking and public transportation distance, that one cannot possibly visit all of them. There are five Thai restaurants within a few blocks of campus—including some on campus. My favorite is Nud Pob, which is on central campus and is extremely cheap for the amount of food—each dish is enough for two meals! It's a really cozy hole-in-the-wall places where the owners are extremely friendly and the service is extremely fast!

Off-Campus Housing

There are apartments everywhere, and if you want to fork over $1,000 per person per month, you can get one that's basically on campus. Nicer, more reasonably priced places are farther out, but you have to pay for the T. So, it's a balance. A lot of people think off campus is the way to go, but with BU's upperclassman apartment-style living, I'd just rather stay on campus.

Overall Experience

College was amazing for me. I had a lot of positive and negative experiences, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I met some of the most amazing people on the planet at BU. I am very glad that I chose to come here. Advice: ask questions! Ask professors, advisors, upperclassmen, and kids in your classes. If you don’t get answers, talk to your dean. Remember that you and your parents pay the salaries of these people, and you are entitled to know your rights as a student. Figure out all of the perks that BU life offers, like a computer lab that is open 24 hours, with $50 of printing quota per semester, and different associations that have career opportunities for your major. Think about your future, try to get involved with internships, research opportunities, or jobs that suit your interests. Remember that you are there to learn; play is secondary.

Parking

It is extremely unreasonable for someone to have a car on campus. Being in the city, parking is a rare commodity. Also, if you want to purchase a parking permit, it is extremely expensive. Also, it's not extremely safe to have a car on campus. Because it's in the city, one must park on the street, and it's not uncommon to have a car broken into.

Safety & Security

BU is not just in Boston, it's a part of it. There's no real boundary between where the University ends and the city begins, which terrified both me and my mother coming from a small farm town. Crime happens, but BUPD and BU security is extremely vigilant, and emergency alerts get texted to everyone's phone within minutes of anything happening. I never worry, though, because most crime is just a bike or laptop getting stolen, and getting into the dorms without a BU ID or someone signing you in is virtually impossible. Just be smart on campus: Don't sign in anyone you don't know, and don't walk down any city alleyways by yourself at 3 in the morning. And don't put your cup down EVER if you go to any MIT frat parties, which are practically on BU's campus—they're renowned for spiking unsuspecting freshman girls' drinks.

Transportation

The MBTA is not efficient, it's never on time, and they're jacking up prices and cutting down on service due to the economy. With that being said, whether it's the bus, the T, or the commuter rail, you can always get where you need to go, even if it takes a while. The BU shuttle is amazing, too, and always reliable for getting around the main campus and going between the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus in South Boston.

Weather

Winter is rough and long, so bring clothes that can handle a lot of snow and a lot of cold. There's rarely a snow day—I actually had walk across campus to take exams when there was a blizzard that accumulated almost 3 feet. The spring and summer are worth it, though.