Despite the name, Boston College is not actually in Boston. When you step off the train at the very last stop of the Boston local rail system, you find yourself across the street from BC which is is surrounded by the sleepy town of Chestnut Hill, a far-flung suburb of Boston. While students still have access to all the opportunities of the city via a 30 minute transit ride, they also get to enjoy the relatively calm community that envelops Boston College. Because the college is further away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it has been better able to develop and maintain a distinct campus culture, rooted in the Jesuit tradition, and relevant to the students of today. This blend of city and small town appeals to many people and is one of the many reasons why BC is so popular.
Academics
Another reason BC is so highly sought after is the Jesuit style of education that is its bread and butter. This educational focus has led the college to its status as a tier one research institute even while class sizes are kept small; an average class has around 20 students. BC has around 9400 undergrad students and a large population of graduate students. All students are required to complete core education credits which they can select from a large pool of options and, while they are required to enter into a specific school, they can hold off declaring a major within that school until the end of their sophomore year. BC does a good job of ensuring that students get through their required course work with 89% of students graduating in 4 years.
At Boston College you can expect many of the same educational opportunities that many colleges have including research, study abroad, and internships which all work together to help students graduate with the connections they need to secure employment.
Campus Life
Freshman year at Boston College is a bit different than some might expect. Despite the historic and charming campus being outside of Boston, BC struggles with having enough space to house all the students who choose to live on campus. Consequently, the freshman class is split with forty percent living on a secondary campus a few miles away. A continuous bus services runs during most of the day to allow for ease of access in both directions. Despite the split, students report good experiences on both campuses, and campus spirit is strong, but students should know that they might not end up living “on campus” their freshman year. The secondary campus is not part of the tour.
The culture at BC is strengthened by faith. Students at BC mostly share a Roman Catholic heritage with 70% claiming a Catholic background and 30% active in their Catholic faith. Students who are not Catholic or even Christian, however, report that they feel accepted and that they appreciate the educational focus that comes with being on a Jesuit campus.
The overall community culture is also strengthened by the complete lack of social Greek life. This forces students to make a wide range of friends across campus. Students who are looking for a traditional Greek experience should consider other colleges.
Admission
Boston College, like most other schools, boasts a “holistic admissions process”. They are currently test optional for the high school class of 2023, but they have not made decisions beyond that. Admissions representatives stress that students who score in the 33+ range on the ACT (or the equivalent SAT) should absolutely submit their test scores. BC is a fairly selective college, admitting only about one quarter of applicants. As with most schools that have early decision, applying early decision improves a student’s chance at acceptance and, since BC meets 100% of demonstrated need, can be a good choice. As always, students must be completely sure that BC is their number one choice before applying early decision.
If you have any questions about college admissions or about my trip to BC please let me know! I am always happy to help.
Michal Strawn