Boston College Vs Boston University (how much, best schools, low cost)

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by rranger

This might be an instructive read for you: How Northeastern University Gamed the College Rankings

BTW: I find the responses to this thread interesting - particularly the bizarre notion that a world-class institution like Northwestern U. is subject to confusion with Northeastern. Also, BU is a leading research institution, and has been for a long time, ridiculous US News rankings notwithstanding. Can't really say the same for either BC or NU.

I do too. Before recently, with the advent of students who choose colleges based upon their location, Northeastern was largely a commuter school, and it was rather easy to obtain entrance. Northeastern was known for it's Co-op programs. It was more of a technical and health care oriented institution than it was a scholarly university.

Now, it takes the spill over - the students who could not gain entrance to BU, and to a lesser degree, other Boston area colleges.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I do too. Before recently, with the advent of students who choose colleges based upon their location, Northeastern was largely a commuter school, and it was rather easy to obtain entrance. Northeastern was known for it's Co-op programs. It was more of a technical and health care oriented institution than it was a scholarly university.

Now, it takes the spill over - the students who could not gain entrance to BU, and to a lesser degree, other Boston area colleges.

This is more personal information than I ever planned on sharing on this website, but I'm currently a student at Northeastern.

Not only was I also accepted to BU, they offered me a bigger financial aid package. I chose Northeastern because their campus and programs appealed to me more. I've been in touch with friends from high school who went to BU, and I don't think I made a bad decision.

I also believe that there were more people at my high school who were accepted to BU and not to Northeastern than vice versa. Your opinions are outdated.

[sawyer2]

Originally Posted by iAMtheVVALRUS

I also believe that there were more people at my high school who were accepted to BU and not to Northeastern than vice versa. Your opinions are outdated.

Lots of outdated 'commuter school' opinions on this thread.

My friends who went to these schools back in the day say that they would not have a hope of being accepted to any of them today.

[BicoastalAnn]

FWIW I'm a millennial (for age reference) who grew up in CA and never heard a peep about Northeastern. Didn't consider it very prestigious. BU was considered an OK school, but BC was considered a great school. It was really competitive at that time - IDK if that has changed but back then I wouldn't have even thought to compare them.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by BicoastalAnn

FWIW I'm a millennial (for age reference) who grew up in CA and never heard a peep about Northeastern. Didn't consider it very prestigious. BU was considered an OK school, but BC was considered a great school. It was really competitive at that time - IDK if that has changed but back then I wouldn't have even thought to compare them.

That's because it is only "prestigious" on the East Coast. Most "overlaps" do not think of Northeastern as their target school.

It has overlaps with large, private universitities some smaller - and a few public ones. Notably Boston University, University of Massachusetts @ Amherst, New York University , University of Connecticut, Boston College, several SUNY Colleges and Universities and Syracuse University.

I am a professional independent college consultant. These schools have very little in common, other than than they have names that are linked with large cities or states.

Northeastern is REALLY nothing like Boston College - except that they are both in Boston. By all right there should be NO OVERLAP THERE.

But there obviously is.

I attribute that to students who select college on the basis of detestation or popular fame - rather than academics. And parents who want desperately to have the name of a famous college to plaster on the back window of their cars.

Sad state of affairs.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by BicoastalAnn

FWIW I'm a millennial (for age reference) who grew up in CA and never heard a peep about Northeastern. Didn't consider it very prestigious. BU was considered an OK school, but BC was considered a great school. It was really competitive at that time - IDK if that has changed but back then I wouldn't have even thought to compare them.

Just curious, what do you consider to be a great school in CA? As someone who grew up on the East Coast, I can only think of Stanford, Cal Tech and UC Berkeley. BC would be on the same level as UCLA and USC. I'm having a hard time thinking of any other universities in CA besides the UC schools. The other UC schools were considered mediocre when I went to college and in my mind Northeastern is better than all of them (besides Berkeley and UCLA of course).

EDIT: I just remembered Cal State, although that's so far down on the totem pole that it doesn't even compare to UMass.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Just curious, what do you consider to be a great school in CA? As someone who grew up on the East Coast, I can only think of Stanford, Cal Tech and UC Berkeley. BC would be on the same level as UCLA and USC. I'm having a hard time thinking of any other universities in CA besides the UC schools. The other UC schools were considered mediocre when I went to college and in my mind Northeastern is better than all of them (besides Berkeley and UCLA of course).

EDIT: I just remembered Cal State, although that's so far down on the totem pole that it doesn't even compare to UMass.

I'm not from the West Coast either, but had a child recently go through the whole college admissions process. I would agree with your list but also add the Claremont colleges (Pomona, Scripps, etc.) to the list of "elite" schools out west. Nonetheless, the list is FAR shorter than the Northeast!

[BicoastalAnn]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Just curious, what do you consider to be a great school in CA? As someone who grew up on the East Coast, I can only think of Stanford, Cal Tech and UC Berkeley. BC would be on the same level as UCLA and USC. I'm having a hard time thinking of any other universities in CA besides the UC schools. The other UC schools were considered mediocre when I went to college and in my mind Northeastern is better than all of them (besides Berkeley and UCLA of course).

EDIT: I just remembered Cal State, although that's so far down on the totem pole that it doesn't even compare to UMass.

I think generally people here would say Stanford, Berkeley (my alma mater), and UCLA reflexively. I don't disagree but it's only after thinking a little longer would someone remember CalTech and Claremont McKenna (and those are definitely just as competitive if not more than Berkeley). I think they're just not on most people's radars in the mainstream. Yeah I probably would've compared UCLA with BC.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Just curious, what do you consider to be a great school in CA? As someone who grew up on the East Coast, I can only think of Stanford, Cal Tech and UC Berkeley. BC would be on the same level as UCLA and USC. I'm having a hard time thinking of any other universities in CA besides the UC schools. The other UC schools were considered mediocre when I went to college and in my mind Northeastern is better than all of them (besides Berkeley and UCLA of course).

EDIT: I just remembered Cal State, although that's so far down on the totem pole that it doesn't even compare to UMass.

Having never lived on the West Coast, I would add Occidental College as a high caliber school. University of Washington is also very good.

I think UCSB is more comparable to UMass -- it seems to be the place for the California kids who were smart enough and did reasonably well in school but not well enough to get into UCLA or Berkeley.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Having never lived on the West Coast, I would add Occidental College as a high caliber school. University of Washington is also very good.

I think UCSB is more comparable to UMass -- it seems to be the place for the California kids who were smart enough and did reasonably well in school but not well enough to get into UCLA or Berkeley.

UCSB is a party school. Did you mean USC?