Boston College (BC)

Boston College is a small private Jesuit college that has long been delivering a "prestigious" liberal arts education with a holistic focus on sending "well-rounded" individuals out into the world. That goal is furthered by a strong core curriculum spread across a variety of disciplines and "phenomenal professors" who work to make sure each individual has a "great experience academically." One student vouches for the faculty: "Boston College's professors are truly exceptional and are devoted to undergraduate learning." Even outside of the classroom, a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1 provides plenty of face time, and students find that professors are "easily accessible outside of classes" and "engaging, challenging, and understanding, [and] are genuinely interested in the student as a whole person." Post-graduation, BCers say that their "well-connected" teachers are happy to help with the job search, which is buoyed by a strong network of more than 200,000 alumni. Though the entire experience comes with "high expectations," students find that the support and knowledge are easily found on the BC journey, and they "feel prepared for whatever is next" after graduation. "I have always revered Boston College's academic and athletic reputation, and coming here, I have not been disappointed," says a student.

Each year, Boston College "becomes more and more diverse," moving away from its old nickname as "J. Crew U" to a present where one-third of students now identify as AHANA (African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent). The school's Jesuit affiliation continues to bring in "a large religious/spiritual community," but "it is only one group of many" among the greater pool of "really ambitious" and "hardworking" BC students. "The majority of students seem intelligent and academically driven as well as dedicated to and passionate about one or more extracurricular activities," and indeed the plethora of sports teams and extracurriculars makes it easy to mingle from the get-go. As one student puts it, "once you've settled in, you'll find that it's not at all difficult to find a group of friends." It helps, of course, to share a similar "work hard, play hard mentality" among this "academically oriented bunch," but ultimately, everyone "definitely [has] school as a top priority. They just also happen to be "into having a good time" and making the most of their college experience and location.

Located on the outskirts of Boston in a "perfect" suburban location, BC's "gorgeous campus" is the home to 31 "incredible [Division I] sports teams" and more than 40 intramural teams. Accordingly, there are "superfans at every event" and in general "just so much school spirit and love for the university!" Boston College offers a "plethora of extracurricular activities"-more than 300 student organizations, as a matter of fact-and students believe that "there's a club or group for everyone here." Students can easily head to Downtown Boston to partake in concerts, museums, and other cultural activities, but they seem equally as content to return to their "close-knit college" where they "feel very at home." That said, the school's Jesuit mission of faith and service means that "there is also a large service component" that supplements the college's academics, and students often "serve the community in Boston and communities all around the world." Ultimately, students laud the "great facilities" and "state-of-the-art resources" provided to them at every turn.