BU?

[Anonymous]

When did it get so competitive? I honestly didn’t think it had a great reputation, either academically if for the experience, and thought it was sort of equivalent to GWU, decent school for kids really wanting a full city experience but apparently it has gotten more competitive?

My DS and I were using collegevine and BU is coming up as a reach with less than 20 percent chance of admission, equivalent to a lot of schools in the 10-20 range. It just surprised me.

DS is finishing 10th grade and I can tell this whole experience is going to be a PITA.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much every single school is more competitive these days. Yes, it's a whole new world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did it get so competitive? I honestly didn’t think it had a great reputation, either academically if for the experience, and thought it was sort of equivalent to GWU, decent school for kids really wanting a full city experience but apparently it has gotten more competitive?

My DS and I were using collegevine and BU is coming up as a reach with less than 20 percent chance of admission, equivalent to a lot of schools in the 10-20 range. It just surprised me.

DS is finishing 10th grade and I can tell this whole experience is going to be a PITA.

If your kid loves BU they should apply ED.

[Anonymous]

25% of BU is international students. We were told this on the admissions tour. That enables them to up their stats for the domestic kids. We worked out that part for ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Bu has serious grade deflation.

If you kid can’t handle B’s and C’s not a good place for them.

[Anonymous]

BU had around 18,000 applicants this year for the freshman class. The huge increase in applications at many schools is reflected in the decreased acceptance rate. (My own kid was waitlisted at BU this year.) My advice: don’t let your kid fall head over heels with any one school. Even if applying ED! Be optimistic but realistic. And apply to lots of true matches and true safeties.

[Anonymous]

Many of the 1-25 range schools used to have 20%-50% acceptance rates back in the days.

Welcome to the 21st century.

Some of the 26-50 schools like NYU, Tufts, BC, BU, Northeastern, Tulane are very competitive almost on par with many of the 15-25 schools

If you like a school, chances are that many others will like it for similar reasons, hence increase in the popularity and competitiveness.

[Anonymous]

BU was competitive when we were in college, too. It's gotten more competitive, obviously, but acting like all of these colleges used to be easy to get into and everything changed in the last few years isn't accurate.

[Anonymous]

I know several kids who attend BU and they love it. They've made great friends at the school and since Boston is a college town, they've made friends at several of the other universities in Boston. Academically, it's challenging and there isn't grade deflation as another poster mentioned, but they have maintained the same rigorous grading structure that most universities had 30 years ago (i.e., other national universities have grade inflation). I feel this helps students realize their actual standing relative to others and better prepares them for the realities of the workforce. Most employers hiring from BU understand the grading structure so we haven't noticed it impacting future employment.

Its a very selective school to get into and the bar is high (average 1430 SAT average / 32 ACT) but it's not the most selective. I know we need to take university rankings with a grain a salt, but it is a top 50 nationally ranked school and has been for years.

[Anonymous]

I’m the OP, I guess I was just surprised because I had never heard that great things about BU and while it may not have been a cakewalk to get in years ago, yeah, I thought a high 1400s SAT, a 4.3 (3.85), 10 APs, (these are estimated at this point end of 10th) and lots of APs would have at least made it a target not a reach.

It’s not likely to be DS’ choice for an ED, so it would be in an EA/RD batch if he needs that, but we were just looking to plan some visits and we are going to Boston do it seemed like one to check out.

I was just surprised. I wonder if urban schools are increasingly of interest to kids now.

The good thing about my DS is that he’s pretty chill. At the end of the day he’d probably be fine at JMU even if it’s not his first choice, which (I think/hope) should be an easy admit for his stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BU had around 18,000 applicants this year for the freshman class. The huge increase in applications at many schools is reflected in the decreased acceptance rate. (My own kid was waitlisted at BU this year.) My advice: don’t let your kid fall head over heels with any one school. Even if applying ED! Be optimistic but realistic. And apply to lots of true matches and true safeties.

For the class of 2026 over 80,000 applications resulting in an acceptance rate of 14%

[Anonymous]

Our experience was that BU yield protects. DD got into 7 of the 8 colleges she applied to, including several that were higher ranked. She was waitlisted at BU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP, I guess I was just surprised because I had never heard that great things about BU and while it may not have been a cakewalk to get in years ago, yeah, I thought a high 1400s SAT, a 4.3 (3.85), 10 APs, (these are estimated at this point end of 10th) and lots of APs would have at least made it a target not a reach.

It’s not likely to be DS’ choice for an ED, so it would be in an EA/RD batch if he needs that, but we were just looking to plan some visits and we are going to Boston do it seemed like one to check out.

I was just surprised. I wonder if urban schools are increasingly of interest to kids now.

The good thing about my DS is that he’s pretty chill. At the end of the day he’d probably be fine at JMU even if it’s not his first choice, which (I think/hope) should be an easy admit for his stats.

Looks like a good shot at W&M and VT(non-engineering)

Visit BU, BC, Tufts, and Northeastern when you have chance to go to Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know several kids who attend BU and they love it. They've made great friends at the school and since Boston is a college town, they've made friends at several of the other universities in Boston. Academically, it's challenging and there isn't grade deflation as another poster mentioned, but they have maintained the same rigorous grading structure that most universities had 30 years ago (i.e., other national universities have grade inflation). I feel this helps students realize their actual standing relative to others and better prepares them for the realities of the workforce. Most employers hiring from BU understand the grading structure so we haven't noticed it impacting future employment.

Its a very selective school to get into and the bar is high (average 1430 SAT average / 32 ACT) but it's not the most selective. I know we need to take university rankings with a grain a salt, but it is a top 50 nationally ranked school and has been for years.

It's incredibly expensive for what it is though, and they are sheepish on merit unless you're a super stat kid or have something else unique to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know several kids who attend BU and they love it. They've made great friends at the school and since Boston is a college town, they've made friends at several of the other universities in Boston. Academically, it's challenging and there isn't grade deflation as another poster mentioned, but they have maintained the same rigorous grading structure that most universities had 30 years ago (i.e., other national universities have grade inflation). I feel this helps students realize their actual standing relative to others and better prepares them for the realities of the workforce. Most employers hiring from BU understand the grading structure so we haven't noticed it impacting future employment.

Its a very selective school to get into and the bar is high (average 1430 SAT average / 32 ACT) but it's not the most selective. I know we need to take university rankings with a grain a salt, but it is a top 50 nationally ranked school and has been for years.

It's incredibly expensive for what it is though, and they are sheepish on merit unless you're a super stat kid or have something else unique to offer.

It's a campus located right outside of downtown Boston in the middle of a great place for students to live. That alone makes it attractive