Wake Forest vs Boston College vs Villanova

[Anonymous]

What do Wake students do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do Wake students do?

What do you mean? Social life while there or what they do post-college?

[Anonymous]

Let them pick. Butt out unless they want to major in something that won't get them a job.

My sibling was "pushed" to go to BC which wasn't the right school for them. My cousin went to BC, thrived, and loved it (she liked to party and is very social). I am from Boston. It is a long ride on the T to get into the actual city, but handy for internships, travel, and things to do. The T is a mess rn.

Seriously, have your kid visit, attend a class, speak to students and decide what the right fit is (as long as $ is not an issue) for them.

[Anonymous]

They seem pretty similar to me. White, preppy, pre-professional schools where most kids are destined for a corporate career. There will be a lot of khaki at both schools. BC will have a New England twist with a small dose of small c catholicism. Wake Forest will have a more southern orientation. Both good schools. Both known to be fun. Both unlikely to produce the next Einstein or Gandhi.

I have no impression of Villanova at all except as a basketball school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do Wake students do?

Are there student bars? Places to eat near? I am trying to be realistic about what college kids look for. I see there is greek and the sports but any places to go out if you are not greek. FWIW also toured BC and felt like you had to go into Boston. At my alma we just rolled intone the school bars or parties just walking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do Wake students do?

Are there student bars? Places to eat near? I am trying to be realistic about what college kids look for. I see there is greek and the sports but any places to go out if you are not greek. FWIW also toured BC and felt like you had to go into Boston. At my alma we just rolled intone the school bars or parties just walking.

There are bars in Winston Salem.

[Anonymous]

There are bars in Winston Salem.

Within walking distance to WF, there's a gas station that's now a chill coffee shop and Reynolda Village which has the Village Tavern and a few shops (though none of interest for students). The cool bars are mostly downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are bars in Winston Salem.

Within walking distance to WF, there's a gas station that's now a chill coffee shop and Reynolda Village which has the Village Tavern and a few shops (though none of interest for students). The cool bars are mostly downtown.

I think the kids do like Monkees. There is also ice cream and a dumpling/boba place at Reynolda that seems geared to the students.

Downtown is a 10 minute drive. Lots of restaurants and bars there. Wake operates a shuttle from the main quad during the day to the Wake downtown campus. At night, the kids Uber.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There are bars in Winston Salem.

Within walking distance to WF, there's a gas station that's now a chill coffee shop and Reynolda Village which has the Village Tavern and a few shops (though none of interest for students). The cool bars are mostly downtown.

I think the kids do like Monkees. There is also ice cream and a dumpling/boba place at Reynolda that seems geared to the students.

Downtown is a 10 minute drive. Lots of restaurants and bars there. Wake operates a shuttle from the main quad during the day to the Wake downtown campus. At night, the kids Uber.

Wanted to add that admissions to all sporting events is free to students. The school offers shuttles to the off campus stadiums. Tailgating at football games is popular as are basketball, soccer and baseball games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BC is a suburban campus and students don't go into Boston proper as much as you'd think. It's a long trolley ride in.

Went to BC. You go into Boston from time to time. Once 21 you go a lot.

[Anonymous]

I went to BC and my sibling went to Villanova.


Both schools had a lot of students who went to single-sex Catholic high schools (we went to public schools in an area similar to McLean).

Villanova's Greek life seemed to be a high priority. There are people who attacked their studies with more rigor than my sibling, but years later, a lot their business major friends are wealthy. None are religious. The religious leaders were pretty conservative so it was a high bar and not what my sibling's peer group was looking for.

Boston College was lovely and has a lot of focus on social justice and service. Students liked to live off campus, which is where there were parties. The football tailgating was fun. Professors seemed to have so much time to talk and help us grow. Small class sizes. In the area, BC has a great reputation because everyone knows someone that went there. The people I know that became wealthy adults probably would have become wealthy anyway (family help).

Of the 2, I'd prefer my children went to BC but neither were interested/eligible.

[Anonymous]

South vs Very NE Catholic vs MidAtlantic Catholic.

First: decide Catholic/or not.

[Anonymous]

Also consider major and direct admit or not.

At Wake, business is not direct admit. You take a few pre-reqs then apply halfway through sophomore year. 60%-70% make it, the rest are SOL and have to change major. And to be even clearer, you do not just need a C or better in the prereqs. They start from top of pool and work down to a cut off around student 300 out of 450 or 500 depending on the year.

My student is in business at Wake, so no sour grapes, but I think it is absolute BS for the students and families that do not make it - some change majors, others transfer. My student's friend had a 3.67 GPA and a 3.0 in the prereqs and was shut out. Heard of another that was 3.7 overall and 3.2 prereqs, also shut out.

Whereas at Villanova or BC, if you are accepted at the start to those programs, you have to maintain a certain grade level but otherwise you can keep going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BC is a suburban campus and students don't go into Boston proper as much as you'd think. It's a long trolley ride in.

Yup. This is accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a suburban campus and students don't go into Boston proper as much as you'd think. It's a long trolley ride in.

Yup. This is accurate.

Not a long trolley ride & they go in whenever they feel like it. And half the campus is IN Boston. Are people so envious that they have to lie?