THE Boston College class of 2012 Forum

[sentinal5656]

I just want to say I have officially decided to go to BC in the fall! Hope to see some you people there =)

see you there Kiwi !!!

meee toooo

[etudiantededroit]

I just want to say I have officially decided to go to BC in the fall! Hope to see some you people there =)

Excellent choice

Has anyone heard anything about orientation yet?

[jro2012]

I called the admissions office last month and they told me the first day of Orientation would be September 1st. It seems awfully late, and I actually asked them to repeat it because I couldn't believe it wasn't until then. I guess we'll see...

[lrd]

Well, I'm not yet going to BC (WL), but I'd like to be... anyway, thought this might help:

--LinkRemoved--

[SpAcEmAn SpLiFF]

so who else is going to the grad housing fair? some of my friends want to do this after i get out of the fair: --LinkRemoved--
anyone else interested?

[sentinal5656]

i am going to the fair.

is anyone getting their laptop through BC computing?

[Falcone]

After recently getting in of the WL, and wrestling with the decision between BC and UCDavis, I'll be seeing you guys at the housing fair and in the fall

[IceAero]

I'm getting excitedddddddd.

[sentinal5656]

i am going to the fair.

is anyone getting their laptop through BC computing?

Bumping this question because I think it's important. The laptop's that BC offers are really cheap and they are really good. Has anyone looked into this. You have the convenience of on campus repair as well as pre-configured laptop to BC's security specifications..

Those are the pro's. The con's are that I can't configure it on my own (however the specs they have are far better than anything I was going to get anyway) and they are Dell's which I heard are not THAT great....

[collinet]

Hi all, congrats on getting into BC!

I just got my MA from BC (and will be applying to their law school this fall and figured I'd throw in some unsolicited advice on where to live, since I saw a discussion of cleveland circle in this thread.

Do not live in Cleveland Circle! My first year in the MA program I got an overpriced apt on Orkney Rd through BC grad housing, and I hated the apt, grad housing, and the kids in the area. There are lots of BC ugrads in the area, and I personally don't find the wannabe frat party scene fun. Seriously, on Sunday mornings I never failed to find condoms and broken glass on the sidewalks. (Caveat: I am an introvert who generally finds large social gatherings uncomfortable, so some of you may not find the area as unpleasant as I did.) Wander around the area before you move here and see if you like the vibe. You should go to CC to eat, though, as there are wonderful places like Eagles Deli, Fin's and Cityside.

If you will be bringing a car, I'd even look at areas as far away as Jamaica Plain and Cambridge, but Brookline at the very least. No need to try to find parking on Comm Ave/Beacon St if you don't need the T. If you won't have a car, check out Allston. I live near the Harvard Ave B line stop, and the area is far enough away from BC (although BU is pretty close...) ugrads to have its own quirky vibe, but close enough so that the commute to campus isn't so bad.

I hope all this unsolicited advice is at least marginally useful to someone...in any case, good luck at BC this fall!

[HesperusPhosphorus]

Hi all, congrats on getting into BC!

I just got my MA from BC (and will be applying to their law school this fall and figured I'd throw in some unsolicited advice on where to live, since I saw a discussion of cleveland circle in this thread.

Do not live in Cleveland Circle! My first year in the MA program I got an overpriced apt on Orkney Rd through BC grad housing, and I hated the apt, grad housing, and the kids in the area. There are lots of BC ugrads in the area, and I personally don't find the wannabe frat party scene fun. Seriously, on Sunday mornings I never failed to find condoms and broken glass on the sidewalks. (Caveat: I am an introvert who generally finds large social gatherings uncomfortable, so some of you may not find the area as unpleasant as I did.) Wander around the area before you move here and see if you like the vibe. You should go to CC to eat, though, as there are wonderful places like Eagles Deli, Fin's and Cityside.

If you will be bringing a car, I'd even look at areas as far away as Jamaica Plain and Cambridge, but Brookline at the very least. No need to try to find parking on Comm Ave/Beacon St if you don't need the T. If you won't have a car, check out Allston. I live near the Harvard Ave B line stop, and the area is far enough away from BC (although BU is pretty close...) ugrads to have its own quirky vibe, but close enough so that the commute to campus isn't so bad.

I hope all this unsolicited advice is at least marginally useful to someone...in any case, good luck at BC this fall!

Thanks for the advice! I'm an introvert as well so I'm even more interested in what you have to say. Are all BC grad housing bad? I intend to get a studio somewhere near the T and not too far away from campus since I won't have the luxury of a car.

I've been looking at their website (--LinkRemoved--), but it's not all that helpful.

Although the studios are definitely on the small side, I find the option of paying by semester very appealing.

As someone who had experience with BC grad housing, what do you think?

[matty]

Hi all, congrats on getting into BC!

I just got my MA from BC (and will be applying to their law school this fall and figured I'd throw in some unsolicited advice on where to live, since I saw a discussion of cleveland circle in this thread.

Do not live in Cleveland Circle! My first year in the MA program I got an overpriced apt on Orkney Rd through BC grad housing, and I hated the apt, grad housing, and the kids in the area. There are lots of BC ugrads in the area, and I personally don't find the wannabe frat party scene fun. Seriously, on Sunday mornings I never failed to find condoms and broken glass on the sidewalks. (Caveat: I am an introvert who generally finds large social gatherings uncomfortable, so some of you may not find the area as unpleasant as I did.) Wander around the area before you move here and see if you like the vibe. You should go to CC to eat, though, as there are wonderful places like Eagles Deli, Fin's and Cityside.

If you will be bringing a car, I'd even look at areas as far away as Jamaica Plain and Cambridge, but Brookline at the very least. No need to try to find parking on Comm Ave/Beacon St if you don't need the T. If you won't have a car, check out Allston. I live near the Harvard Ave B line stop, and the area is far enough away from BC (although BU is pretty close...) ugrads to have its own quirky vibe, but close enough so that the commute to campus isn't so bad.

I hope all this unsolicited advice is at least marginally useful to someone...in any case, good luck at BC this fall!

Thanks, its great to get some input from people with firsthand knowledge. But this post did confuse me a bit for two reasons:
1) I thought Allston was even more notorious for loud, drunken ugrads than Cleveland Circle. AM I mistaken on that point?
2) I also heard that commuting on the B line even from somewhere as close as Cleveland Circle was a bitch, so I'm assuming it would be that much worse from Allston. Can you give an estimated commute time from Allston to BC main campus on the T?

[collinet]

1) I thought Allston was even more notorious for loud, drunken ugrads than Cleveland Circle. AM I mistaken on that point?
2) I also heard that commuting on the B line even from somewhere as close as Cleveland Circle was a bitch, so I'm assuming it would be that much worse from Allston. Can you give an estimated commute time from Allston to BC main campus on the T?

1)Parts of Allston are definitely notorious for loud ugrads, but that's closer to BU (Packard's Corner T stop through BU East). Other parts of Allston are much different. The area around Harvard Ave and Brighton Ave is cool; there are plenty of hipster kids, but there is also a large Brazilian community and plenty of young professionals. I'm thinking of the area near Herell's Cafe. It's quieter, though there are some loud assholes. In my experience, though, it is nothing like Cleveland Circle. My advice is to stay away from the area close to BU (near Shaw's on comm ave and further towards the school). If you check out places near the Comm ave/harvard ave intersection, you can find some nice places. Keep in mind Brookline is close by, and the area of Harvard ave near Coolidge Corner is especially nice. Apts there are harder to find, but it's worth a shot. If you have any more specific ?s about Allston, ie good streets to look for, let me know.

2) Commuting on the B line is most definitely a bitch, but it's not that bad. It's significantly less crowded than if you were going into Boston (the B line through BU is HELL). But from Harvard Ave to BC's T stop, it's only a 15 min. ride most days. However, once you get to the BC stop, you obviously have to get to campus. I always left my apt an hour before I had to be anywhere on campus, and while I was usually 30 min early, the T can be random. I didn't go to the Newton Campus as much, but when I did the BC shuttle bus was relatively reliable, and it's a short ride from the main campus to newton. In short, assuming the T is waiting for you at the Harvard ave stop (usually not the case, more like 5-10 min, 15 on bad days) it's a 15 min T ride + 5 min walk to get to most of the main campus, with MacElroy being the exception. It's really not so bad...I personally found it kind of nice for grading papers and reading. Cleveland Circle is actually the end of the C line, which is about 1.5 miles away from BC's main campus, but there is a shuttle bus that comes by every 15 minutes (unless it's raining or snowing, in which case they take 1/2 hour just to torture you...jk!)

I know a few law students who lived in Newton and complained about how hard it was to get anywhere other than campus w/o a car, so fwiw I'd prefer access to stuff along the B line over being close to campus.

Final note: You might get lucky and find an apt on Beacon st closer to Washington Square or Coolidge Corner. That commute would be a 15 min T ride (C line) + BC shuttle bus (stop at Cleveland Circle) to campus.

[collinet]

As someone who had experience with BC grad housing, what do you think?

I didn't like BC grad housing. Even though all utilities are included, the apts are overpriced. I paid around 1100/mo. for a tiny studio. They are furnished, but the furniture is shitty and the bed was awful. Plus, they aren't as responsive to maintenance problems as other apts I've had...once I had to keep calling them for a week to come fix my toilet. One final thing that annoyed me: they randomly bust in with no warning to check for candles. Yes, candles. I had just gotten out of the shower once, and heard a knock, and before I could get to the door 2 guys had already opened it and looked like the freaking FBI doing some kind of bust. They were not nice, and acted mad I asked for a minute to put clothes on! Purely anecdotal, but I don't like being treated like a felon...over candles. They may have changed now, as this was over a year ago, but I think you'd be much better off staying away from BC grad housing.

[collinet]

OK so I'm bored and found examples of where I'd move to I were you all (from Craigslist)

The first 2 are in Allston (one where I'm getting ready to move from, Royce Rd): --LinkRemoved--

--LinkRemoved--

Pretty decent location in Brighton v close to campus: --LinkRemoved--

Wonderful area in Allston, a short walk to the T, but very nice area: --LinkRemoved--. ..If I were you all, I'd get this one!

[kiwislug]

Anyone know how to access the discounted hotel rate BC is offering for housing fair weekend?

[sentinal5656]

1) I thought Allston was even more notorious for loud, drunken ugrads than Cleveland Circle. AM I mistaken on that point?
2) I also heard that commuting on the B line even from somewhere as close as Cleveland Circle was a bitch, so I'm assuming it would be that much worse from Allston. Can you give an estimated commute time from Allston to BC main campus on the T?

1)Parts of Allston are definitely notorious for loud ugrads, but that's closer to BU (Packard's Corner T stop through BU East). Other parts of Allston are much different. The area around Harvard Ave and Brighton Ave is cool; there are plenty of hipster kids, but there is also a large Brazilian community and plenty of young professionals. I'm thinking of the area near Herell's Cafe. It's quieter, though there are some loud assholes. In my experience, though, it is nothing like Cleveland Circle. My advice is to stay away from the area close to BU (near Shaw's on comm ave and further towards the school). If you check out places near the Comm ave/harvard ave intersection, you can find some nice places. Keep in mind Brookline is close by, and the area of Harvard ave near Coolidge Corner is especially nice. Apts there are harder to find, but it's worth a shot. If you have any more specific ?s about Allston, ie good streets to look for, let me know.

2) Commuting on the B line is most definitely a bitch, but it's not that bad. It's significantly less crowded than if you were going into Boston (the B line through BU is HELL). But from Harvard Ave to BC's T stop, it's only a 15 min. ride most days. However, once you get to the BC stop, you obviously have to get to campus. I always left my apt an hour before I had to be anywhere on campus, and while I was usually 30 min early, the T can be random. I didn't go to the Newton Campus as much, but when I did the BC shuttle bus was relatively reliable, and it's a short ride from the main campus to newton. In short, assuming the T is waiting for you at the Harvard ave stop (usually not the case, more like 5-10 min, 15 on bad days) it's a 15 min T ride + 5 min walk to get to most of the main campus, with MacElroy being the exception. It's really not so bad...I personally found it kind of nice for grading papers and reading. Cleveland Circle is actually the end of the C line, which is about 1.5 miles away from BC's main campus, but there is a shuttle bus that comes by every 15 minutes (unless it's raining or snowing, in which case they take 1/2 hour just to torture you...jk!)

I know a few law students who lived in Newton and complained about how hard it was to get anywhere other than campus w/o a car, so fwiw I'd prefer access to stuff along the B line over being close to campus.

Final note: You might get lucky and find an apt on Beacon st closer to Washington Square or Coolidge Corner. That commute would be a 15 min T ride (C line) + BC shuttle bus (stop at Cleveland Circle) to campus.

Any thoughts on living in watertown?

[collinet]

Any thoughts on living in watertown?

Only if you have a car...watertown has a few buses that service the area, but it would be hard to get around solely relying on public transit. If you have a car, I'd say it's a pretty nice place to live--close enough to campus, not all the ugrads, and nice restaurants/shops near by. I'm not familiar with the apt prices there, but I want to say they'd be less than apts on T lines. Will you be bringing a car?

[sentinal5656]

Any thoughts on living in watertown?

Only if you have a car...watertown has a few buses that service the area, but it would be hard to get around solely relying on public transit. If you have a car, I'd say it's a pretty nice place to live--close enough to campus, not all the ugrads, and nice restaurants/shops near by. I'm not familiar with the apt prices there, but I want to say they'd be less than apts on T lines. Will you be bringing a car?

yeah, i will be bringing a car. how far of a commute is it?

[collinet]

yeah, i will be bringing a car. how far of a commute is it?

Depending on where in watertown you live, it can be a very easy commute. Some of the main roads (Mt Auburn, Main st, Arsenal) lead directly to Galen st, which quickly turns into Centre St, where the law school campus is located. It's a straight shot from there. My estimate is the heart of h2o town is no more than 3 miles away from the ls campus. Anywhere near Victory field and the country club (oakland c club?) would mean <10 min driving time, I think. I don't have a car, so this is obviously just an estimate.

Basically, if you're in the right area, it would be a super easy commute. Look for places near Summer St and Common St and that general area, and you'd be in a pretty sweet location.

[sentinal5656]

yeah, i will be bringing a car. how far of a commute is it?

Depending on where in watertown you live, it can be a very easy commute. Some of the main roads (Mt Auburn, Main st, Arsenal) lead directly to Galen st, which quickly turns into Centre St, where the law school campus is located. It's a straight shot from there. My estimate is the heart of h2o town is no more than 3 miles away from the ls campus. Anywhere near Victory field and the country club (oakland c club?) would mean <10 min driving time, I think. I don't have a car, so this is obviously just an estimate.

Basically, if you're in the right area, it would be a super easy commute. Look for places near Summer St and Common St and that general area, and you'd be in a pretty sweet location.

Thanks! my car is not a SUV tho. Its a small sedan. I am worried about driving in the snow. Do you think I will have probs if i drove from h20 town?

[collinet]

I am worried about driving in the snow. Do you think I will have probs if i drove from h20 town?

You'll definitely be doing some shoveling, but I doubt you'll have major problems. Boston is really good about getting the roads cleaned off pretty quickly, even non-major ones. My boyfriend has a similar size car, and he never had any problems this winter (he lives in Brighton, and drove to BC 4x a week). Just invest in a good shovel

[sentinal5656]

I am worried about driving in the snow. Do you think I will have probs if i drove from h20 town?

You'll definitely be doing some shoveling, but I doubt you'll have major problems. Boston is really good about getting the roads cleaned off pretty quickly, even non-major ones. My boyfriend has a similar size car, and he never had any problems this winter (he lives in Brighton, and drove to BC 4x a week). Just invest in a good shovel

ok, thanks for the info!

[rlf]

i am going to the fair.

is anyone getting their laptop through BC computing?

Bumping this question because I think it's important. The laptop's that BC offers are really cheap and they are really good. Has anyone looked into this. You have the convenience of on campus repair as well as pre-configured laptop to BC's security specifications..

Those are the pro's. The con's are that I can't configure it on my own (however the specs they have are far better than anything I was going to get anyway) and they are Dell's which I heard are not THAT great....

I don't know anything about getting a laptop through BC computing (as I already have one that I'm bringing), but I just thought I'd throw in my own 2 cents about Dells: Don't get one, they suck. From my own experience, and those of a lot of friends during undergrad, I know that they really don't last as long as other laptops and tend to have a lot of issues. When mine died unexpectedly, I bought a macbook and couldn't be happier with it.

[belligerentfuture]

When is the housing fair again? I'm still negotiating for money, but there is a HIGH likelihood that come June 1st, I'll be putting all of my eggs in BC's basket. It would be nice to go to the housing fair just to get an idea, and also to meet some of you fine people before classes start

Sentinal-- Just get some good snow tires, keep a collapsible shovel in your trunk, and if you can find an apartment with a garage space, you will be golden. SUVs are actually worse a lot of the time in snow because of the high center of gravity....and the selective tendency to consider it a license to drive like one is invincible Growing up in Upstate NY, we used to count the number of SUVs that would pass our Volvo station wagon on the highway, and then turn up in a ditch a few miles ahead