Boston University Reviews

"The physics PhD program at BU is definitely hard work, but once you finish your coursework and comprehensive exams, it can be a lot of fun. Professors are generally pretty laid back about when you get your work done, as long as you get it done. Most support students traveling. Incoming graduate students are assigned an older student as a mentor and all the incoming graduate students are housed together so it's easy to make friends. Boston is an expensive place to live, but the stipend is generous and the health insurance is very good. Incoming students get a 5-year guarantee of funding and also have access to paid parental leave."

"The HEM program is a great program for those students which want to get the degree at a short term. You can be a part-time and full-time student BOTH. The teachers and the technology for class are perfect."

"Its a great school. One of the best choices for a research oriented graduate experience."

"This is a wonderful program to be a part of! The faculty and senior graduate students create a very welcoming and inspiring environment for newcomers, and fellow students are able and encouraged to work together rather than against each other. Although our resource availability leaves a lot to be desired, it is worth it to be in Boston and have access to a passionate, engaged team of faculty members and mentors."

"This program (Master's of Arts in International Affairs) is currently highly research-oriented and much less practice-oriented. The faculty are fabulous, but the curriculum doesn't enable internships for credit and doesn't offer much in the way of skills-based learning. As a newly endowed school (The Pardee School of Global Studies), some crucial services offered by most comparative programs simply do not exist. The program desperately needs a field-specific career services organization and an effort to build and engage their alumni network in addition to some curriculum changes to make the program more practical."

"The workload is heavy, but the program is less competitive than other schools."

"Professors are very approachable and supportive. Conference and research funding are good but sometimes conference funds are not sufficient if we go to more than two conferences a year. Boston provides a very good network and opportunity to take classes across Boston-area schools."

"My advisor is supportive but also pushes you to succeed. Hours are long but you learn a lot and I found the quality of BU to be high. I really enjoyed that I only had to take organic classes if I wanted to and didn't have to take all chemistry when mainly interested in organic"

"One of the pros of the CS graduate program at BU is the supportive faculty I get to work with. One of the cons is there aren't a lot of collaborative work in the department."

"Competitive international pull of graduate students in chemistry. Profs are a mixed bag as some are incredible and others less so."

"The workload is insane and the professors don't seem to care about your general well being."

"Pros- research environment, collaborative, teaching experience Cons- limited career planning, one-sided faculty opinions, limited course options, less focus on students and learning"

"BU is a great school, great faculty and interesting projects. Social life is a plus in Boston but a little expensive to live on student budget. School's stipend is livable if you are supported as an RA/TA. All in all pleasant experience."

"If your studies are in the sciences, such as Chemistry, the quality of your experiences will be largely tethered to your research advisor. It is very expensive to live in Boston, however, researchers receive adequate stipends for single-person households.The facilities are good, but career support could be improved. Find the right person to work for."

"The pros of my graduate program is that there are a lot of great resources in the area for collaboration, scientific expertise, and instrumentation."

"The graduate program at Boston University has many positives but would improve greatly from more support and established networks of resources."

"The Boston University School of Music Masters of Music Program is incredibly competitive, enjoyable, and inspirational. As young artists in the opera world, we have the chance to work with renowned full time faculty, world-known directors and performers in the field, and promising colleagues. Not only do you have the opportunity to pursue your passion through wonderful programs and high-level productions, you experience all that comes with a conservatory while still being part of a high-level university in one of the most wonderful cities in the world. The cons of the BU Masters of Music Program is the fact that they have very limited funds. For this reason, although they are able to attract high-level performers, the high quality of life those students desire is hard to achieve."

"Boston University is an awesome university--its student body is widely diverse and its strong values of community service are present in everything it does. Its education program as a graduate student is small--which is surprising for such a large university. It means I get a LOT of attention. The workload definitely keeps me busy, but all of it is so relevant and thought-provoking that it makes you feel that you are always the pioneer of your field. And you can't beat Boston in terms of a city to go to school in, either! Everyone here is a student, so although there are plenty of bars and restaurants to hang out in, so many people are on the same schedule that you never feel the distraction of a late-night too tempting."

"It's a great university, but the school means nothing if you're not meant for college. College taught me very little in terms of academic knowledge, and very much in terms of how life works. Those life lessons, while very valuable, could have been learned for a fraction of the cost of a private university either in state school, community college or even trade school. Remember, when you graduate you are being put into a global work force. You're not just going to compete for jobs with people in your area, you're competing with the entire world for many of the degrees that are offered. Art history sounds fun, but there's such a limited job market for it that unless you're the best of the best you'll never get a job that can actually support you. If you are not willing to give up a party to be studying avoid majors that have limited job opportunity. And seriously consider trades. You can't outsource fixing an engine to India. Don't give up on your dreams, but be honest with yourself about what your dreams are. If you're unsure, which I certainly was, don't make my mistake and stubbornly pick a major you're not passionate about and get into tons of debt because "that's what you're supposed to do." You spend the first 18 years of your life getting ready to be an adult, and you're expected to decide how you want to support yourself as an adult before you even know who you are as an adult. It's not really fair is it? That's the lesson I learned as I racked up $100,000 in student loans. It wasn't BU's fault, and if academics are what you really want it's a great school, but don't trick yourself into thinking you need to go to a great college."

"The Masters in Elementary Education program at BU is a rigorous three-semester program that heavily values service. The best features of the program are that it gives you teaching experience in high-need, low-income areas, the program advisor is extremely helpful and involved, and that the surrounding schools are so familiar with BU graduates that teachers get hired right after graduating. It's a small program, too, which guarantees plenty of attention and support. Boston University is also admirable for its generous financial aid, especially to applicants who show a dedication towards service. The things that I would change in the program are to maybe expand it slightly. There is also one professor who speaks unclearly about assignments and his class objectives. Other than that, Boston is a great city to be in for school since you will be surrounded by students, opportunities, and the things that go with them--think lots of coffee shops, restaurants, bars, bookshops, and the like!"