All else being equal: Boston College vs Colgate?

[Anonymous]

If the kid doesn't have a CLEAR favorite, I wouldn't use ED. What if they have a change of heart?

And I'm saying this as a BC grad. You have to really love your ED choice.

[Anonymous]

Flip a coin - ask him when the coin was in the air what they were hoping it landed on.

[Anonymous]

BC grad here again. Freshmen aren't housed on a separate campus. SOME freshmen live on the Newton campus.

The BC campus is built into a hill and has three tiers (lower, middle, upper). Lower is older students, athletics, and a few offices. Middle is almost all academic buildings. Upper is more housing for freshmen and some sophomores. Almost all juniors live off campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the kid doesn't have a CLEAR favorite, I wouldn't use ED. What if they have a change of heart?

And I'm saying this as a BC grad. You have to really love your ED choice.

This is a good point. ED is binding.

[Anonymous]

Bc all the way. Boston is fantastic as a young adult.

[Anonymous]

BC grad here and I can’t even imagine considering Colgate. It has quite a frat boy vibe. No frats at BC. And as the other posters said: Boston!

[Anonymous]

BC

Women are hotter

[Anonymous]

Another important difference between the two schools: Colgate University social life is dominated by Greek life while BC does not have Greek chapters.

Less privacy at LACs--although at 3,000 students--Colgate is quite large for an LAC. Still, gossip travels quickly in smaller, isolated settings.

Academics and career opportunities are great at both schools.

The happiest LAC students seem to be those involved in athletics as an active team member. Establishes close friendships and teams travel so less concern about isolation and monotonous social activities.

[Anonymous]

BC

[Anonymous]

If it's really true that the kid loves them both equally - for vibe - at the margin it's hard not to choose BC.
- Easy access to Boston, yet its own defined (gorgeous) campus. For many people, this would be reason alone.
- Way easier to fly into/out of Boston, if flying.
- Much, much larger alumni reach.
- Likely better on-campus recruiting.

The student should think harder on urban/suburban vs rural as that is the obvious deciding factor that most people will have strong preferences on.

[Anonymous]

I’d vote for Colgate, reason being that I think the LAC experience cannot be beat for an engaging undergrad experience, and your child will have plenty of time for city living, job opps, etc post-college graduation.

[Anonymous]

These are very different so your child should decide.

I can't speak to Colgate but as a BC alum:
BC alumni network is large and amazing for jobs after college (and for decades to come), the student community is fun/supportive while in school, and Boston is a great place to go to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BC grad here and I can’t even imagine considering Colgate. It has quite a frat boy vibe. No frats at BC. And as the other posters said: Boston!

BC has quite the frat boy vibe notwithstanding no fraternities, i.e.,walk around the campus of an all boys carholic HS in the DC metro area and you will get what I mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the kid doesn't have a CLEAR favorite, I wouldn't use ED. What if they have a change of heart?

And I'm saying this as a BC grad. You have to really love your ED choice.

+1 From a Colgate grad who applied early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BC grad here again. Freshmen aren't housed on a separate campus. SOME freshmen live on the Newton campus.

The BC campus is built into a hill and has three tiers (lower, middle, upper). Lower is older students, athletics, and a few offices. Middle is almost all academic buildings. Upper is more housing for freshmen and some sophomores. Almost all juniors live off campus.

But move back on campus for Senior year......