Boston College Top Questions

The academics are top notch. The courses are somewhat difficult to figure out at first depending on the subject and the workload may put some students off initially. However, the professors are more than helpful for students who are struggling and the subjects taught in school courses are interesting and engaging.

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There are quite a few big lecture halls especially the introductory courses in the sciences. Professors will not learn your name unless you give them a reason to. It is very easy to glide by without looking your professor in the eye. The courses vary in difficulty depending on the department. The sciences are pretty difficult whereas the social science classes are less vigorous.

BC has a HUGE core requirement that includes like 15 courses or something like that if you don't have any AP credits. These core classes are generally pretty big and pretty boring but they really do help you narrow your focus if you have no idea what to study when you first enter college. I think one of the best programs we have is the Cornerstone classes as well as the PULSE and Perspective programs. Cornerstone classes are first year seminars that help freshmen learn about themselves and their vocation as well as learning how to navigate college. It makes students take time out to reflect about their experiences in college and think deeper about their studies. The PULSE program is my favorite class so far. It is a service-learning course that knocks out the 2 theology and 2 philosophy core requirements in one course over 2 semesters in conjunction with 10-12 hours of service. It is by far one of the most popular program that everyone tries to sign up for besides Perspectives (which also knocks out the theology and philosophy core without the service component). But PULSE is special because it connects philosophy text to current life and with the service we do in the communities around us. It was PULSE that helped me find my vocation and future career path. I can also say that every single PULSE professor is loved by their students and they care so much for their students on personal levels that I don't think other programs have. Some professors even invite students over for dinners. We have things like "Professor and Pastries" where students can just come and chat with professors over coffee and desserts. One of the complaints I have about our academic system is the academic advising. We really don't have any besides your adviser giving you the access code to register for classes, at least that's been my experience so far.

I've not had any problems with the academics - though I be a poor model to go off of. Je suis brilliant, but also incredibly lazy

No matter where you decide to attend college, you will get out of your studies what you put into it. If you choose to take easy classes and breeze through, you will probably still graduate, but you won't have much knowledge or skills to show for it. At Boston College, there are lots of opportunities to challenge yourself. In general, I found the faculty and available courses to be truly exceptional. Some academic departments are stronger than others, but I think that's probably true of most educational institutions. Boston College does have extensive core requirements, which means that students must have a certain number of credits in a variety of specific subjects (English, math, history, theology, philosophy, science, etc) in order to graduate. While this requires students to take courses they might not otherwise take, it can seriously limit your freedom to take things you're really interested in. Also, because fulfilling the core requirements often eats up a significant portion of your schedule, pursuing a double major is sometimes out of the question.

most the the professors here actually care, theyll set up office hours and give extra credit. all but one of my classes freshmen year were under 40 people, the one that wasnt was lecture style and that was only 150 people. even though BC is known for academics, most people arent nerds who study 24/7, im pretty sure the rigor and study hours are the same at most other colleges. the thing that sets it apart is the extensive core. theres a moderately large list of core courses everyone has to take. if you do well on APs/IBs youll get exempt from a lot though-i came in with 24 credits and got rid of most of my core! as a jesuit college you do need to take theology as part of the core but especially if you pair it with philosophy, its really the philosophy behind religion-its NOT shoving religion down anyones throat

I was a chemistry major, so I took many of the same classes as the really competitive pre-med students. These classes are huge lecture based classes thus making faculty interaction minimal. Most of the chemistry department never bothered to learn anything about their students. One standout was Steve Bruner. His classes always were interesting and he made an effort to remember anyone who came to visit him at his office. I also was a math minor, which I loved. I thought the math department was great. I loved each of my professors.

While there are certainly some students who slack off, they're only hurting themselves. BC is a tough academic institution, and if you want to be at the top of the hiring pool or readily admissible by the best graduate/law/medical programs in the nation, then you better work-work-work during your four years here! The type of work you have depends on your major (I wrote a LOT of papers), and if you plan your time properly and manage your reading and assignments, you'll never have to miss a football game or pull an all-nighter.

Classes aren't as hard as one might think, lots of great professors, diverse classes and majors, going abroad is EXTREMELY well supported if you want to study in another country for a semester or two (I'm going to University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia next year :)))).

While BC offers a challenging curriculum for the students, it's doable. You should expect several hard weeks with papers, midterms and exams, but it's not every week which helps to balance the work load out. Depending on your major, you could be on campus in class for 5 hours a day to 2 hours a day. You're required a minimum of 5 classes each semester (or the equivalent of it by the end of each year to be eligible for your freshman/sophomore/junior/senior status). The best part of academics at BC is that the professors and TAs (when you have them) are amazing. I've never and a professor I felt I couldn't approach to help me study, or go over a paper with and if you can't make it to their office hours, there's the Learning Center that offers tutoring five days a week in almost every subject. The professors and administration really like to get involved in the students life, and if you get lucky enough to get a Jesuit as one of your teachers, or advisors-you're in for an amazing experience.

Depending on the classes you take (seminars, or big introductory classes) professors dont always get to know your names. Professors do respond rather quickly to emails. BC students are very competative. Class participation is very common.

professors know your name if you want them to know your name. the size of classes vary from 200 kids to 5 kids which i found was great. studying is necessary at BC, but doing so every night is not common. being prepared for class discussion is always expected, and participation is highly desired by professors. I can't think of a class i thought to be unique, but my favorite class was Media, Law and Society. I loved the professor who taught it and the class was extremely interesting. I majored in Communications and minored in History. both departments were great and very helpful in directing me through courses over the years. BC is also extremely helpful in finding their students jobs and internships

Class size ranges from 300 to 10. Students are very competitive, and most come from a high-level high school in which the student is used to getting straight A's (therefore they expect the same in college). Students have intellectual conversations outside of class but often times it's just to make themselves seem smart in front of others, most likely out of insecurity so that they can tell themselves that even though they don't get perfect grades, they're still smart. I've been taking core classes so far and none have been unique.

Some classes are good and some just plain suck. You'll find that at any college. The PEPs on the UGBC website are great to read. Students really try to give a clear view of what a class or professor is like. The math department is pretty dry, but there are a few shining professors that you will want to take for every class. They are working to change the curriculum for education and math majors which will be golden for the future, because the math major is pretty darn difficult. Some classes like Capstone and PULSE really allow you to bond with your professors. The core requirements sometimes are a real damper, like the history, but it does force you to take a class that you would normally overlook which adds to the Jesuit education.

BC has quality academics, its the main reason i put up with all the bro's and stick it out. the classes range in size, but outside of the science (pre med) and business school classes, the classes get to an intimate size (10-40) after the initial, 'core' freshman year classes. Of course the professors vary, but I have met very many good ones and only a couple bad ones. Many make an effort to learn the students names, but if you reach out to them, they generally respond well. and UGBC, the student government, has an online database of student reviews for every class, which are very helpful for avoiding the bad professors. I have found my major/minor depts, history and philosophy, full of very friendly, open, accepting faculty. Many people find the core requirements annoying, but personally I didnt mind. Admittedly I got out of the majority of them with AP Test scores, but the ones I did take -first year writing seminar, sociology, and philosophy/theology -very intriguing. BC requires 2 semester of philosophy and 2 semester of theology, but you can fulfill all 4 classes by taking 1 two semester course called perspecitves, which covers all western philosophy and theology together, in context, chronologically, from plato/the old testament to nietzsche and kierkegaard, and is generally pretty easy, which is doubly good since an A in the class really means two A's per semester. highly recommend it. definitely the most painless way to get through two semesters of theology for irreligious people (which are somewhat rare at this catholic university) One major drawback: they offer virtually no theology/philosophy outside the western tradition (ie indian, chinese religions are neglected)

Academics at BC are what you want them to be. There are a variety of classes to chose from, and depending on what you major in, you may find yourself in a 300 person lecture hall or a discussion setting with ten students. Most students have a combination of big and small classes. Depending on your major, your academic experience differs. Those enrolled in the premed program have twice as much class time as other students and find themsleves in a competive environment. However, for many other majors the experience is more centered on learning, especially from eachother. However, regardless of your major, students are expected to work hard.

Academics are what you make of them. Some people take really hard classes, and some people can pull off close to a 4.0 with almost no work. I was in the pre med program for a while, which was really competitive and classes were extremely difficult. The major classes freshman year (introductory courses) will have 150+ students, but most have about 20 students. The vast majority of kids here follow the "work hard, play hard" mantra and are smart (they have to be to get into BC). However, while the students here are bright, this isn't Tufts or Harvard, and you won't get into conversations about U.S. foreign policy at a party.

Depending on your program, academics are very challenging. Some majors are easier, and one can get away with and do well with minimual work. The pre-med and business programs tend to be more challenging, and these students can be found in the library at all hours of the night. As a finance major, I am in the library everyday for 4-7 hours. Students do have intellectual conversations out of class, often about politics. People want to learn from their peers, and students go to events when speakers are brought to campus or there is an opportunity to learn out of the classroom.

The academic workload at BC is pretty tough, but of course that depends on your major. Professors are pretty willing to help students and for the most part want them to do well. I am in the School of Education and a Human Development major, which is considered easy(for the most part true). This department has a lack of good professors and I look for challenging but rewarding classes outside of my major.