Boston vacay/college search

[zukeypur]

DD has decided that she wants to go to college in a "walkable" city, preferably in a cooler climate (as compared to TX). She has also been invited to attend a "senate" geared towards students interested in medical sciences in Boston in June. We are thinking of making a vacation out of her trip and doing some sightseeing while she's at her event, and hopefully taking some time to tour colleges in the area. I've never been to Boston and am 100% unfamiliar. Any advice is welcome and appreciated! We'll be there the week of June 19.

[essnce629]

If you're full pay and interested in bringing the costs down with merit aid, I'd run their net price calculators, and possibly check out Northeastern, Mount Holyoke (women's), Clark, WPI, Emerson, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, Endicott, Simmons, Wheaton, and Brandeis.

The majority of super rejective schools in Boston (Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University, Wellesley) are meets need and therefore don't give merit aid.

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[ett]

If you're full pay and interested in bringing the costs down with merit aid, I'd run their net price calculators, and possibly check out Northeastern, Mount Holyoke (women's), Clark, WPI, Emerson, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, Endicott, Simmons, Wheaton, and Brandeis.

The majority of super rejective schools in Boston (Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University, Wellesley) are meets need and therefore don't give merit aid.

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FYI ... UMass Boston is mainly a commuter school. Coming from out of state, the only school in the UMass system to consider would be the flagship campus - UMass Amherst.

[mom2binsd]

You could also take a side trip to Vermont, check out UVM (walkable small city) and Dartmouth.

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[ett]

If you're full pay and interested in bringing the costs down with merit aid, I'd run their net price calculators, and possibly check out Northeastern, Mount Holyoke (women's), Clark, WPI, Emerson, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, Endicott, Simmons, Wheaton, and Brandeis.

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Also, not all of these schools are in Boston and are not in a "walkable" city. DS1's friend goes to Wheaton and complains that there's nothing to do outside campus.

[ett]

There's Tufts too but it's very selective and very expensive!

Holy Cross is in Worcester where WPI and Clark are.

If she's interested in business, consider Bentley and Babson. They're close but not in Boston.

[solsister]

My daughter goes to BC and LOVES it! She came from a very small mountain town on the west coast and loves that the campus is removed from the city, but she can be there in 20 min on the T. She goes in almost weekly for concerts, museum hopping, visiting other colleges, thrifting, etc. Her best friend ended up at Emerson, and loves being in the heart of the city- she is also from the small town. They both go to very different schools, but love the same thing about the big town choices and options for fun. They go to sports events, have true Italian one night, and traditional Chinese in Chinatown the next time. They are both over the moon with Boston. I love where my daughter has landed and enjoy the city, as well, and I am very much a small town girl. Boston feels like a bunch of neighborhoods that are connected, somehow, so it's not overwhelming to me.

[essnce629]

Also, not all of these schools are in Boston and are not in a "walkable" city. DS1's friend goes to Wheaton and complains that there's nothing to do outside campus.

Oh I know, but if they're in the general vicinity then it's always good to stop by or even drive by, especially if it's during the summer when there's no official tours even happening.

Most schools actually in a city are very highly sought after and are therefore Seller schools with no merit aid. Some people are fine with that, others are not. She didn't list what their budget is so hard to give specific advice.

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[SnuggleBuggles]

Nm. Misread OP!

[jacksmomtobe]

There are lots of colleges to check out in the Boston area. Does your DD have a particular field of interest? What year is she in? I would agree that most of the schools within the City are pretty expensive. Housing also tends to be an issue. The City was pushing the schools to build more dorms but many kids at BC, BU, NE end up living in neighborhoods in Junior and Senior year. There are more schools than I mention below but if you provide more info on your DD's interests than I may have more suggestions for you.

To comment on some of the schools mentioned and a few others that come to mind:
*Babson - outside of Boston in Wellesley. Pretty accessible to Boston. Nice campus. If your daughter is considering business a school to consider. It is big on entrepreneurship. Schoo'ls non athlete gym is very nice. Lots of investment in their campus.
*Boston College - campus is in Chestnut Hill which is a zip code which is in both Boston and Newton. Very strong alumni network. The campus itself is very leafy and non city like. They have a campus in Newton where some freshman live. Quite a bit of recent investment in sports facilities and also built some new dorms. They keep acquiring more space in the area. There is a nice reservoir to walk around adjacent to campus. It is short walk to Cleveland Circle which has restaurants, a cvs etc. There is a MBTA t stop on one side of campus and also in Cleveland Circle so it is easy to get into Boston. This is a school where many students live in the neighborhoods at some point. The neighborhoods close by are safe.
*Brandeis & Bentley- are both in Waltham about 20 min outside of Boston. Waltham is a small city on the grittier edge with a main drag with good restaurants. It is easy for students to get into Boston. Bentley is primarily a business school.
*Emerson - right in the heart of the City in the theatre district. Strong programs in communications, film, theater but also have others majors that are offshoots of those.
*Northeastern - in the heart of the city. Near MFA and Gardner Museum. One side of campus borders a not very nice area though it is a pretty large campus. They took too many students from the hs class of 2021 so their acceptance rate has gotten lower. They are sending a lot of kids to a first semester abroad or to a CA campus. It is pretty expensive. The prices listed on their website are by semester. They have had a coop program for years (at least 30+). They are really promoting internships and being abroad.
*Lesley Univ in Cambridge is close to Harvard Sq. This Univ has a strong education program.
*Tufts - in Somerville, Medford very competitive. Nice campus close to Davis Sq in Somerville which is a cool area. Public transportation was pretty easy from there but they just owned another T stop right near Tufts to make it even easier. There is a fair amount of restaurants near campus and it is also close to Cambridge.


For the UMASS - as someone mentioned Amherst (about 2 hrs outside of Boston) is the flagship. All the others tend to have specialities Ie UMASS Lowell is engineering. The only two in a city are UMASS Boston which is mainly a commuter school and UMASS Lowell which is an old mill City. I don't think any of these would likely appeal to your daughter based on her criteria.
Mt Holyoke - is close to UMASS Amherst so also @2 hours outside of Boston. Lots of other smaller colleges in that area like Amherst, Smith, Williams.
Endicott - is in Beverly a nice coastal town but definitely not a city. Prob 45-50 min outside of Boston but reachable by commuter rail. Known for Nursing, Education programs
Wheaton - they are positioned equally between Providence and Boston. My DS toured there and there seemed to be a lot of mention of leaving campus to go to those cities. It made me wonder what there was to do on campus which goes along with what another poster said. It is prob 45 min from Boston maybe slightly closer.


Areas outside of Boston:

Worcester - a City 45 minutes outside of Boston. Worcester has been a city that has undergone many attempts at revival. Now they have the WooSox which is the minor league affiliate of the Red Sox so there is investment going into certain areas of the city. Lots of cool places in Worcester but it definitely has an edge to it and grittiness. Its a hilly city so some of the colleges are up on hills and in more neighborhood like areas. Commuter rail goes into Boston.

*College of the Holy Cross - a relatively small liberal arts jesuit college. Nice campus.
*Assumption - located in a neighborhood of Worcester
*Clark - don't know any specifics
*WPI - Not on a hill but in nicer section of Worcester. Big Engineering school. Fairly rigorous and known to be somewhat stressful but I think they are trying to work on that aspect.

Providence, RI - 45 minutes from Boston. Nice small city, great beaches 30 or less away.
*Brown - Brown is on the East Side of Providence which has cool shops/restaurants. Prob the best section of Providence.
*Providence College - Also in Providence RI. A small catholic school with strong alumni.


UVM -about 3 hours+ outside of Boston. People love Burlington where UVM is located.
Dartmouth - @2 hrs outside of Boston in Hanover NH cute area also close to Woodstock VT.