Is Georgetown really that much better than BC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

Agreed - I went to BC and never considered Tufts and would not have wanted to go there. The culture and day to day life at these two schools are so different.

BC also requires extra essays which take down total number of applicants so that is why acceptance appears higher. BC wanted less apps.

Bus school is much better at BC. Not in same class. Look at hiring data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

US News never has current acceptance rates. For class of 2026:
BC 16%
BU 14%
Northeastern 7%
Georgetown 12%

I agree with other PPs that BC is not a big overlap school for BU and Northeastern - too different. Usually, kids applying to all three don't really know much about them and just want to go to school in Boston. Georgetown and other Jesuit and Catholic schools at varying levels of selectivity tend to be much bigger overlaps for BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

US News never has current acceptance rates. For class of 2026:
BC 16%
BU 14%
Northeastern 7%
Georgetown 12%


I agree with other PPs that BC is not a big overlap school for BU and Northeastern - too different. Usually, kids applying to all three don't really know much about them and just want to go to school in Boston. Georgetown and other Jesuit and Catholic schools at varying levels of selectivity tend to be much bigger overlaps for BC.

From these numbers, BC & GT appear closer than anyone here has said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

The schools that BC lists as the highest number of cross applicants are:
Villanova University
Georgetown University
Northeastern University
University of Notre Dame
University of Virginia
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Boston University
Harvard University
Cornell University
Duke University
University of Michigan

I think I'd like the "lower" of this list for DS, assuming that includes BC, Villanova & UMichigan; GT & UVA would be REACH, but interesting. No interest in ND.

Lol no interest in ND because there’s no way “DS” is getting in if he’s a reach for GT and UVA. So, yea, best that you focus on the “lower end.”

NP...and this is why you people are viewed with disdain. This is a superfluous comment and in no way helpful to the conversation. While ND is a perfectly fine school it is not the Holy Grail...in fact they still can't hold their own in modern day football.

My comment didn’t come out of nowhere. Merely responding to another poster’s gratuitous swipe. Pot meet kettle. And while you’re at it, check out the just released 2022-23 coaches football poll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

Agreed - I went to BC and never considered Tufts and would not have wanted to go there. The culture and day to day life at these two schools are so different.

Can you elaborate on your perception of the cultural and day to day life distinctions between these two schools (BC and Tufts)? Both may be considered by our younger daughter and I'd be curious to read your thoughts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

US News never has current acceptance rates. For class of 2026:
BC 16%
BU 14%
Northeastern 7%
Georgetown 12%


I agree with other PPs that BC is not a big overlap school for BU and Northeastern - too different. Usually, kids applying to all three don't really know much about them and just want to go to school in Boston. Georgetown and other Jesuit and Catholic schools at varying levels of selectivity tend to be much bigger overlaps for BC.

From these numbers, BC & GT appear closer than anyone here has said.

I don’t care what the numbers say. Georgetown is more selective than BC, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

Agreed - I went to BC and never considered Tufts and would not have wanted to go there. The culture and day to day life at these two schools are so different.

Can you elaborate on your perception of the cultural and day to day life distinctions between these two schools (BC and Tufts)? Both may be considered by our younger daughter and I'd be curious to read your thoughts.

For starters, Tufts is no one’s first choice, ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

The schools that BC lists as the highest number of cross applicants are:
Villanova University
Georgetown University
Northeastern University
University of Notre Dame
University of Virginia
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Boston University
Harvard University
Cornell University
Duke University
University of Michigan

I think I'd like the "lower" of this list for DS, assuming that includes BC, Villanova & UMichigan; GT & UVA would be REACH, but interesting. No interest in ND.

Lol no interest in ND because there’s no way “DS” is getting in if he’s a reach for GT and UVA. So, yea, best that you focus on the “lower end.”

NP...and this is why you people are viewed with disdain. This is a superfluous comment and in no way helpful to the conversation. While ND is a perfectly fine school it is not the Holy Grail...in fact they still can't hold their own in modern day football.

The incessant, tiresome ND booster on this thread (hopefully it's just the one) has done the rest of us self-respecting ND alums a grave disservice. I apologize on her behalf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

US News never has current acceptance rates. For class of 2026:
BC 16%
BU 14%
Northeastern 7%
Georgetown 12%


I agree with other PPs that BC is not a big overlap school for BU and Northeastern - too different. Usually, kids applying to all three don't really know much about them and just want to go to school in Boston. Georgetown and other Jesuit and Catholic schools at varying levels of selectivity tend to be much bigger overlaps for BC.

From these numbers, BC & GT appear closer than anyone here has said.

I don’t care what the numbers say. Georgetown is more selective than BC, period.

The numbers bear that out. The point is the numbers are not as disparate as one would think after reading this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yo crazy ND booster — lots of local kids, competitive for top 20 schools, are passing on ND. DD and friends just last night said they were relieved they never considered going to school in Indiana. ND can be a great school for some and others can choose to skip it. It’s fine. This should not rock your world. No need to challenge every single poster who mentions that it’s not on their kid’s list. More room for you and yours.

Yet another weirdo parent listening in on her children and their friends. So odd.

Crazy ND booster: it’s not listening “in” it’s listening to and talking with — this was a conversation among the girls AND moms. Clearly something you don’t understand. Converse with these 17 yr olds — they have a lot to say.

Yea, I'm sure the girls and their friends love their mothers breathing down their necks about colleges on a summer evening. You clearly are one of THOSE people. I feel sorry for the girls.

Considering yesterday’s news, we’ve been parts of lots of conversation about Indiana. Try it.

Indiana's abortion laws are not going to affect ND's applications.

You're mostly right, I'm sure. But it is affecting my kid's list and the lists of her friends.

Wonderful! Less competition for my DC!

Congrats. May be the last free choice you have. Good luck in Indiana.

We're pro life, so it works well for us!

We're all pro life. Not one of us is pro-death. Hopefully your daughter won't be in need of womens' health services while she's in Indiana.

She would never seek an abortion if that’s what you mean. She would carry to term before doing that. But you do you.

Because the only possible outcomes are abortion or healthy pregnancy and delivery? But you go ahead and educate yourself.

Look, I would zap a baby for convenience all day long cause I'm just wired that way. I do admit though that birth control is plentiful, cheap and pretty reliable. Should I get pregnant on plentiful, cheap and reliable birth control and can't figure it out in acceptable baby zapping time to the point where it is a danger to my life than that becomes a medical procedure beyond elective surgery to correct a mistake.

You seem disgusting but I'll just point you to ectopic pregnancy, as one deadly example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yo crazy ND booster — lots of local kids, competitive for top 20 schools, are passing on ND. DD and friends just last night said they were relieved they never considered going to school in Indiana. ND can be a great school for some and others can choose to skip it. It’s fine. This should not rock your world. No need to challenge every single poster who mentions that it’s not on their kid’s list. More room for you and yours.

Yet another weirdo parent listening in on her children and their friends. So odd.

Crazy ND booster: it’s not listening “in” it’s listening to and talking with — this was a conversation among the girls AND moms. Clearly something you don’t understand. Converse with these 17 yr olds — they have a lot to say.

Yea, I'm sure the girls and their friends love their mothers breathing down their necks about colleges on a summer evening. You clearly are one of THOSE people. I feel sorry for the girls.

Considering yesterday’s news, we’ve been parts of lots of conversation about Indiana. Try it.

Indiana's abortion laws are not going to affect ND's applications.

You're mostly right, I'm sure. But it is affecting my kid's list and the lists of her friends.

Wonderful! Less competition for my DC!

Congrats. May be the last free choice you have. Good luck in Indiana.

We're pro life, so it works well for us!

We're all pro life. Not one of us is pro-death. Hopefully your daughter won't be in need of womens' health services while she's in Indiana.

She would never seek an abortion if that’s what you mean. She would carry to term before doing that. But you do you.

Because the only possible outcomes are abortion or healthy pregnancy and delivery? But you go ahead and educate yourself.

Look, I would zap a baby for convenience all day long cause I'm just wired that way. I do admit though that birth control is plentiful, cheap and pretty reliable. Should I get pregnant on plentiful, cheap and reliable birth control and can't figure it out in acceptable baby zapping time to the point where it is a danger to my life than that becomes a medical procedure beyond elective surgery to correct a mistake.

You seem disgusting but I'll just point you to ectopic pregnancy, as one deadly example.

Ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency, not elective removal of a clump of cells, try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

Agreed - I went to BC and never considered Tufts and would not have wanted to go there. The culture and day to day life at these two schools are so different.

Can you elaborate on your perception of the cultural and day to day life distinctions between these two schools (BC and Tufts)? Both may be considered by our younger daughter and I'd be curious to read your thoughts.

For starters, Tufts is no one’s first choice, ever.

Very helpful. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

No, Georgetown was started by slave owners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

US News never has current acceptance rates. For class of 2026:
BC 16%
BU 14%
Northeastern 7%
Georgetown 12%


I agree with other PPs that BC is not a big overlap school for BU and Northeastern - too different. Usually, kids applying to all three don't really know much about them and just want to go to school in Boston. Georgetown and other Jesuit and Catholic schools at varying levels of selectivity tend to be much bigger overlaps for BC.

From these numbers, BC & GT appear closer than anyone here has said.

I don’t care what the numbers say. Georgetown is more selective than BC, period.

The numbers bear that out. The point is the numbers are not as disparate as one would think after reading this thread.

No, the numbers show that there is tremendous overlap in the populations at the two schools. They are very similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with ND >= GU > BC > HC. Only on DCUM would anyone debate these points. Selectivity matters, because the quality of your fellow students has a tremendous impact on the quality of the education. Sure, it is not everything, but it is important, and the differences in selectivity are huge between these schools.
BC’s undergrad business program is not better than GU’s. Neither is ND’s (at best they would be equal).
BC is on the rise and has a lot going for it, including being fun.
HC is solid academically.

Since selectivity is important, let’s look at BC’s real competition: the other selective universities in greater Boston. Harvard and MIT are in a different world, of course. BC’s real competition is BU, Northeastern, and Tufts. Admissions data is from last year (currently on US News): BU and Northeastern are 20%, Tufts is 16%, and BC is 26%. BC’s selectivity is not “on the rise” compared to this competition. (Northeastern is the school “on the rise” there, and that rise will only continue.) I don’t think selectivity is everything either: BC in my mind is just as or more “prestigious” than Northeastern and BU (though not Tufts). I am simply making the point that the BC/Georgetown “on par” analysis has to factor in internecine battles for prestige where a college is located. (Call this a local battle over future selectivity in the face of a New England demographic crisis, which is exactly what it is.) On that criterion, BC does not fare at all well — and Georgetown does.

Just because schools are close to each other geographically doesn't mean those schools are the "real" competition. To use just one example, I can virtually guarantee that BC's administration considers both ND and GT to be bigger competitors for students than Tufts.

Agreed - I went to BC and never considered Tufts and would not have wanted to go there. The culture and day to day life at these two schools are so different.

Can you elaborate on your perception of the cultural and day to day life distinctions between these two schools (BC and Tufts)? Both may be considered by our younger daughter and I'd be curious to read your thoughts.

Sure - I'm the PP who you replied to.

BC has a very very strong community and is very social. BC chooses smart students who are very well rounded. The kids are interested and accomplished in many things and are gung ho to try new things too - whether that be in class and outside of class. Even though the school approaches 10K students, the way housing is set up, the school shrinks a lot in effective size to focus heavily on your own cohort of ~2,500. By the time you are a junior/senior - if somebody says to you "Oh I know so-in-so at BC", if that person is in your same graduation year you will 99% either know the person or will have heard of them AND know who their close friends are. D1 sports (in football, basketball, ice hockey especially) create additional opportunities to be social and to bond as a community (even for non-sports fans). The Jesuits also promote a love of learning and the breadth of learning along with both internal school community but also to be a part in giving back to the broader community (whether it be Boston or the world). For housing, everyone WANTS to live on campus. In my day, among students who did not get 4 yr housing - we'd move off campus Junior year so we could be back on campus for senior year and in the most coveted housing. (I can't believe the MODs are still there!). This is very different from other schools where people move off campus as soon as they can. (I may? be that housing has a 4 yr guarantee now - as they have built new dorms over time and acquired property across Comm Ave). Getting downtown is much easier from BC than Tufts with the T being at campus. My friend group would go down into Boston often to enjoy all it had to offer....whether it be historical locations, museums, food, bars, professional sports (Sox, Bruins, Celtics). There's also the Boston Marathon that runs by campus in the spring. The BC community remains strong post-grad. Alumni network is strong for employment, reunion attendance is strong, and friend groups stay connected. (over 30 years for our cohort)

My friends that went to Tufts had a very different experience. I knew kids from HS, kids I met during travel abroad, and alumni at my first job in Boston after gradation. Tufts lacked the school spirit, liveliness, and curiosity of the BC campus. They never seemed to have that fond connection to their school. Their daily lives were more serious in nature - and I don't mean more studious - both groups were smart. They had their own traditions but these didn't tend to tie the community together in the same way. They also seemed to take less advantage of Boston as a "playground" for learning and fun.

These are not bad things about Tufts and I am certain there are many good examples of Tufts that are different from BC that I am not privy to. My main point above was that they are pretty different. The BC community is a special place. But it's not for everyone. For example, I personally think Tufts would probably be a better match for my oldest (although, they will apply to neither).