Boston College Reviews

Because we are a Jesuit...

Because we are a Jesuit university, there is no Greek life.

I love it here. It was the best...

I love it here. It was the best choice I have ever made for myself.

Campus police aren't that bad at...

Campus police aren't that bad at all. RAs can be a huge pain though. They can easily write you up for a noise violation, and if there is alcohol in the room, you will most likely get busted.

A lot of kids live off campus...

A lot of kids live off campus their junior year. It's definitely worth it because it gives you a little bit more freedom since you don't have to worry about RAs.

Computer labs, particularly those...

Computer labs, particularly those you use to print, are usually crowded in O'Neil, but people are only on them for five minutes or so. Students should still bring their own computer. I live and die by my computer, especially since almost all of campus is WiFi.

I love Boston College. It's full...

I love Boston College. It's full of well-rounded people who are able to balance their social life with academics. I wasn't even going to apply to BC—I just checked it off on the Common Application at the last second just for the heck of it. It was the best knee-jerk decision of my life.

The weather is really hot in the...

The weather is really hot in the beginning of September, but starting in early December, it gets very, very cold. There is a lot of snowfall and icy conditions from late December to March. Bring warm clothes, lots of socks and layers, a very warm winter coat, and hat and gloves. Also essential are rubber rain boots and warm snow boots or Ugg boots. An umbrella and a raincoat will be helpful, as well. Bathing suits will not be necessary!

Parking on campus can be a...

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.

The food on campus is truly...

The food on campus is truly exceptional. You should really invest in a meal plan if you are living on campus. There are five dining halls on campus, and they each offer a variety of good food. If you are living off campus or in a residence hall that has a kitchen, I would still invest in the Flex Dining plan, which offers discounts.

There are no fraternities or...

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.

The libraries are really nice, and...

The libraries are really nice, and the Recreation Complex, also known as the Plex, is so-so. Alumni Stadium and the Flynn Center are good.

Avoid Newton campus because the...

Avoid Newton campus because the Newton shuttle bus is really annoying, and it's usually too cold and inconvenient to wait for it. Shoot for upper campus when you are a freshman. Walsh, Vanderslice, or 90 St. Thomas More Hall is a good place to live when you are a sophomore. Lower campus is definitely the place to be no matter whether you are a sophomore, junior, or senior.

The restaurants off campus are...

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.

The campus is not very...

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.

Off-campus housing is pretty much...

Off-campus housing is pretty much for juniors, and a lot of juniors go abroad and many live on campus. My friends who live off campus didn't have any trouble. The only problem is the bus system and the weather.

The campus police just want to...

The campus police just want to keep us safe, for the most part. If they see something ridiculous, they will get you in trouble. The city police are the ones to watch out for.

Drugs are definitely present, but...

Drugs are definitely present, but you can avoid them if you want to. Most people smoke, and some people do more, but you have to look a little harder.

The dorms vary, but there's really...

The dorms vary, but there's really no way to avoid any of them because it's the luck of the draw. Kostka (on upper) is the one I was in freshman year, and it's one of the oldest up there, but there's no way I could have picked it. A lot of dorms have no air conditioning, and even though the Mods are a BC tradition, they aren't the nicest housing. The nicest dorms are probably Gabelli, Voute, Vanderslice, and the Gate because they're the newest on campus.

The teachers vary at BC. Some are...

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.

The campus police are more...

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.

BCPD is so hardcore-they're all...

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.

The libraries are really nice—and...

The libraries are really nice—and there are eight of them, which is helpful—and the athletic stadium is smaller but really nice, too. The Plex, where everyone goes to work out, is definitely lacking, though. There aren't enough treadmills, ellipticals, or other machines for people, which is annoying because BC is a very fitness-conscious school. The dining halls are nice and there are plenty of options.

There's every weather you could...

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!

The T is very convenient. At BC,...

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.

Although my experiences here have...

Although my experiences here have not always been great, I think they definitely prepared me for the future.