Decidering, Part 13

Jill is applying to Yale, Boston University, Boston College, and Tufts. She hasn't been to New Haven but really loves Boston. Out of the three Boston colleges, which one is the best for her?

First of all, let me just take a moment to point out that Jill was in my class back when I was a teacher meaning that, holy hell, I might have actually taught something to a person going to Yale! Sure, maybe all I ever taught her was the Rule of Thirds (and, to be fair, she probably already knew the Rule of Thirds) but, in any event, she must have learned something in the few hundred hours we spent together. Tell them, Jill! I taught you something right? Like, maybe, where you can find the best ice cream in Paris?

In other words, it was clearly, like, one one-millionth MY DOING that she is such a genius. Ahem.

So, presumably Jill will be going to Yale if she gets in. She didn't ask which of the four colleges she should go to, just which of the Boston colleges she should go to. This makes my job a tiny bit more difficult because picking Yale would just be so easy. Yale! Obviously!

Of the remaining three, my vote goes to Boston University.

First, "University" sounds fancier than "College." This is clearly only because I live in California where everything fancy is called a University.

Second, BU is the closest of the three to Boston proper, according to my stellar Google Maps skillz, with Tufts being in Medford and BC being in suburban Chestnut Hill. If you want to go Boston, go Boston all the way.

Third, the school mascot is the Boston Terrier. That is really cute. You could even own a real-live Boston Terrier some day and name it after a famous BU alum. On the other hand, the BC mascot is an Eagle (wasn't four years with an Eagle mascot enough?) and Tufts is an Elephant (which is just so, um, Republican). And, anyway, you can't keep an elephant or an eagle in your backyard.

So: Boston University!

(Will would like to point out that there is no football at BU. Clearly, I do not care about this sort of thing (I went to UCSB after all, where the closest thing to football is drunk ultimate frisbee) but if football rocks Jill's world (which I suspect it doesn't) then BC is clearly the way to go.)

Any East Coasters have an opinion? Please weigh in! BU, BC, or Tufts?

Comments

[Hope]

I work at Tufts. Jumbos all the way!

We're a fantastic school and we're actually much more urban than you'd think (a lot of people think that we're in the middle of nowhere, so it's a pretty common assumption). We straddle the Medford/Somerville line and both Somerville and Cambridge (very nearby) have a lot going on. It's also just 5 or so stops on the Red Line to Boston.

We also have a fantastic faculty. And it's only going to be getting better. Tufts is weathering the financial storm better than a lot of our counterparts and we've been able to hire a lot of talented new people due to hiring freezes elsewhere.

We also offer great financial aid and this year we have the lowest tuition increase in 40 years (partially thanks to my coworkers and me not getting any raises).

I have a lot of respect for our university president. He strikes me as an intelligent, nuanced type of person. I'm consistently impressed with the emails that he sends out to the community. Plus, he started up a marathon challenge (and ran every year until his knees gave out). That's pretty cool.

Mostly, Jill should come to Tufts because she can come and find me if she needs help with her computer.

Also, our elephant is named after a circus elephant and that is pretty badass.

[Jennifer Berthiaume]

I really have no opinion other than that I never want to see an eagle again. Especially with all the eagle logos we had to print, and I know that Jill can vouch for that!

Besides Jill's major dilemma, all this decidering is making me want to go to Boston. Then I think about the snow, and I realize why I'm still here!

[Benji]

I think Jill should stay in Berkeley where the weather is way better and she's closer to home (and Benji)

[j]

BU may not have football, but the hockey team is playing for the national championship tomorrow night!!!

I've worked at BU and Tufts and if she really wants to be in Boston, BU is definitely the best choice. Tufts is a wonderful school (as is BC) but it definitely does not feel like a city school.

[Operation Pink Herring]

Hmm, this is a realy tough one. When I was applying to schools, BC was one of my absolute favorites. It just seemed so... college-y. Like right out of a magazine! I am still kind of heartbroken that I didn't go there, I got in but I got a much better financial package from a school that was higher on the USN&WR list and in the fake-south where it's warmer than Boston... so I didn't go to BC. But I loved it. And I think Jill would love it too. All I remember about BU is that it is far less centralized, although it is much more integrated with the city. If Jill is looking for a close-knit campus, BC is the way to go. If she's looking to be more independent and be in the midst of city life, BU might be better. I know nothing about Tufts, except that I had a friend who went there and he liked it.

We need to know where Jill gets in before this decision can be properly debated! I call for a follow up post once decision letters arrive.

[Gwen]

Tufts all the way -- it's got the best aspects of a suburban school (trees!) while still being on the red line (and thus totally and very quickly accessible to the rest of the city).

[Sarah]

BU, I have many friends who are there for grad school now and love it. The snow will get some getting use to, but I have to say I have survived fours winters in VA.

[heidi]

only because i hate bu and bc (having gone to Northeastern University - they're our hockey rivals) i vote for Tufts! it's a super cute school, and their mascot is an elephant! Way cuter than terriers!

[Florencia Valle-Miller]

I have nothing to say about this post because I have one question: where is the "about" section??? I want to learn more about you and your experience as a law student. I am taking the LSAT in June and am scared!

[A Twitter User]

I mean, I go to BU and love it. That should b e enough for you :)

[A Twitter User]

Wait, I should say something else. You're so right about the city thing. Kids who go to BC and Tufts rarely come into Boston, which is super lame.

[Amanda]

I feel it is my duty to chime in with a resounding: BU! (And it's not just because I recently graduated from BU...ok, it's totally because I just graduated from BU.)

It's close to (really, in) Boston (and right next to Fenway Park). It's big enough to meet a ton of fun people, but the individual schools are small enough that you get to know people in your classes. It's basically awesome, and I'm sad I'm not there to celebrate their NCAA Hockey championship right now.