BU is a great option for someone wanting the urban college experience. Similar to GWU in some ways.

My DS applied to BU ED1 and received a delayed admission sophomore year. He was admitted to NYU ED2.

I agree with those who suggest that BU is better for kids who want a less intense, overwhelming urban setting.

BU also has Division 1 sports, unlike NYU, such as ice hockey and basketball and a small Greek life presence. BU is in an area with several other universities nearby, so there are plenty of social opportunities.

My DS applied to BU ED1 because he really liked it, a lot to recommend.

My high stats nova public school kid was accepted RD to Questrom (business) last year. We don’t qualify for aid and he was not offered any merit. It wasn’t a first choice so he ended up elsewhere but he would have considered it more seriously if he hadn’t gotten into schools higher on his list.

My kid transferred from big public to BU in second year for premed. Day and night in terms of academic rigor. Now he actually needs to study and stop partying and drinking. A lot more international students which is definitely different from the big state flagship.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:safety for NYU rejects

Not OP, but we're in NYC, so NYU isn't on our list. BU checks a LOT of boxes.

Same here — our son wanted a city school but after visiting decided NY was too much city, too crowded for him — Boston hit the sweet spot. He did not bother applying to NYU, but did apply to BU honors college.

Anonymous wrote:How was the admissions process? Aid? Share your /someone you know's experiences attending BU in the past 5 years. Good, bad, ugly.

Maybe some more info re BU on this other thread
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1299988.page

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are both GS 13s and we got a 10% need based aid.

My son loved it.

In the end, we only paid 40% because he ended up with a scholarship.

Without the scholarship at our sorry we would not have been able to afford it.

Yes there are stories of students receiving scholarships

DD is a freshman there and loves being in Boston, loves the school.

ED/ED2 definitely gives you a bump in admissions (55% of class is through ED). The why BU essay is important. They want kids who want to be there.

Very Safe area of Boston.

Downsides: Freshman dorms are small and old(no AC). However, they are in the middle renovating Warren Towers, one tower at a time (houses almost 1800 kids-mostly freshman). The first of three renovated towers is supposed to reopen in the fall. Supposed to be much nicer (will have AC etc. ). Housing is $$$

It’s easy for shy kids to keep to themselves, so some may have trouble making a lot of friends if they don’t get involved on campus. That said, there are a ton of clubs to join, most are non-competitive.

Anonymous wrote:safety for NYU rejects

Not OP, but we're in NYC, so NYU isn't on our list. BU checks a LOT of boxes.

My high-stat DD was accepted through RD and is now a junior at BU. We didn’t expect such generous financial aid (we paid full tuition at UVA), so we were happy for her to attend. It’s even better that first-year tuition is locked in for four years as long as you maintain a certain GPA.
This year, I believe BU offers free tuition for families with household incomes under $200,000, unless they have significant assets. There is also a four-year housing guarantee, so there’s no stress about finding an apartment.

So far, DD loves it, and the school has been great for her. It’s one of the schools we’re hoping our current high school senior will also get into. There’s really not much to complain about. Maybe the cold winters, if you hate that.

Just FYI, the overall vibe is very different from NYU. While some students apply to both schools to see where they land, my kids didn’t apply to NYU for a few reasons.

safety for NYU rejects

My husband and I are both GS 13s and we got a 10% need based aid.

My son loved it.

In the end, we only paid 40% because he ended up with a scholarship.

Without the scholarship at our sorry we would not have been able to afford it.

My high stats kid, who attends elsewhere, applied RD last year. He was denied freshman admission, but given an option for automatic transfer as a sophomore.

We didn't apply for aid, but generally, BU has a reputation for not being as generous as other private universities. If you aren't already aware of Net Price Calculators, you need to use those to see a financial aid estimate. You cannot survey random people on the internet "how was the aid" and get any info remotely relevant to your situation. Use BU's NPC https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/bu

If you have the $$$ - great. It’s NOT worth going into debt for. The school and city are very expensive.

Hard to evaluate without knowing alternatives and family financial position.

How was the admissions process? Aid? Share your /someone you know's experiences attending BU in the past 5 years. Good, bad, ugly.