Anonymous
02/27/2026 19:59
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The kids who are paying the full boat are helping to fund the program for other kids. Without full boat kids there isn't a program.
And I agree that lots of schools have this program. Here is one at Notre Dame.
https://admissions.nd.edu/gateway-program/
Exactly. It looks like Messina was an innovative but not lucrative way to allow the Pine Manor campus to help a lot of kids who showed promise.
To help make it sustainable, some well-off kids are included. This same model is used everywhere, all the time.
It’s the way the entire USA is run. Rich people pay taxes so poor people don’t have to. Where’s the beef?
This is a misunderstanding of financial aid. Mostly endowed funds fund poor people.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 19:54
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:Why do you bother with student articles in student newspapers? Read some of the comments. “As with most student publications, authors need to learn balance in their reporting…”. Never bother with student newspapers. You are going to get juvenile, slanted writing
This is mostly nonsense. Student reporting gets the attention of international press all the time. The only people who make this heavy handed distinction are people who didn’t go to university.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 18:34
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP. This has given me a lot to digest.
At the end of the day, there are lots of pathways and IPs. We all know this.
The discomfort comes from the cagey responses from the admission office. They did not sound transparent. Nor did they sound proud of the program. If you feel like you are doing something dodgy, you likely are. On some level they know this does not align with the school’s publicly stated mission. It’s sad.
Of course there will be a method for getting less qualified, full pay students in the backdoor. The ugly bit is that they are hiding them behind FGLI kids. It’s unnecessary, and feels exploitative. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this bothers me so much. But if you feel like you are observing something ick, you likely are.
They would be wise to codify the program, the admissions and the messaging on this before they do it again next year.
It’s putting lipstick on a pig. These kids weren’t worthy of regular admission and have to do this side program at significant cost, underwriting the FGLI. No kid dreams of this.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 11:14
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
I have no problem with this program. Frankly, the alternative is that these kids get in during the regular admission process.
My son is going to Penn State for Summer session. It costs extra. But he needs to gradually ease into college.
My son is going to Penn State for Summer session. It costs extra. But he needs to gradually ease into college.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 10:35
Subject: Re:The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:Ha! Poor people pay more taxes than rich people do.
What a moron.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 00:19
Subject: Re:The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:Ha! Poor people pay more taxes than rich people do.
You need to look at the stats.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 00:11
Subject: Re:The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Ha! Poor people pay more taxes than rich people do.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 00:03
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:The kids who are paying the full boat are helping to fund the program for other kids. Without full boat kids there isn't a program.
And I agree that lots of schools have this program. Here is one at Notre Dame.
https://admissions.nd.edu/gateway-program/
Exactly. It looks like Messina was an innovative but not lucrative way to allow the Pine Manor campus to help a lot of kids who showed promise.
To help make it sustainable, some well-off kids are included. This same model is used everywhere, all the time.
It’s the way the entire USA is run. Rich people pay taxes so poor people don’t have to. Where’s the beef?
Anonymous
02/26/2026 22:34
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP. This has given me a lot to digest.
At the end of the day, there are lots of pathways and IPs. We all know this.
The discomfort comes from the cagey responses from the admission office. They did not sound transparent. Nor did they sound proud of the program. If you feel like you are doing something dodgy, you likely are. On some level they know this does not align with the school’s publicly stated mission. It’s sad.
Of course there will be a method for getting less qualified, full pay students in the backdoor. The ugly bit is that they are hiding them behind FGLI kids. It’s unnecessary, and feels exploitative. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this bothers me so much. But if you feel like you are observing something ick, you likely are.
They would be wise to codify the program, the admissions and the messaging on this before they do it again next year.
+1
There are Catholic families that really want their kids to go to BC, families that have had several generations go there.
I don’t think BC is that special, but for them it is, a family thing.
My feeling is that BC is taking advantage of this loyalty through the Foundations program, both in terms of the Messina pathway off campus and the cost ($90,000!).
Anonymous
02/26/2026 21:03
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
I’m the OP. This has given me a lot to digest.
At the end of the day, there are lots of pathways and IPs. We all know this.
The discomfort comes from the cagey responses from the admission office. They did not sound transparent. Nor did they sound proud of the program. If you feel like you are doing something dodgy, you likely are. On some level they know this does not align with the school’s publicly stated mission. It’s sad.
Of course there will be a method for getting less qualified, full pay students in the backdoor. The ugly bit is that they are hiding them behind FGLI kids. It’s unnecessary, and feels exploitative. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this bothers me so much. But if you feel like you are observing something ick, you likely are.
They would be wise to codify the program, the admissions and the messaging on this before they do it again next year.
At the end of the day, there are lots of pathways and IPs. We all know this.
The discomfort comes from the cagey responses from the admission office. They did not sound transparent. Nor did they sound proud of the program. If you feel like you are doing something dodgy, you likely are. On some level they know this does not align with the school’s publicly stated mission. It’s sad.
Of course there will be a method for getting less qualified, full pay students in the backdoor. The ugly bit is that they are hiding them behind FGLI kids. It’s unnecessary, and feels exploitative. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this bothers me so much. But if you feel like you are observing something ick, you likely are.
They would be wise to codify the program, the admissions and the messaging on this before they do it again next year.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 20:01
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
Anonymous wrote:It's wild to see adults acting insecure because students journalists are doing a good job. Are you afraid they are going to expose you for something?
Exposing what? That these kids are second class citizens who will never fully integrate on campus? Sounds like a lot of weird sour grapes.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 19:53
Subject: The “backdoor” to Boston College just got outed by the student newspaper. Ouch.
BC is a pretty mid pace to begin with. Who cares?