Campus Visit Report: Boston/ Providence

Two things are true to be successful in my field of Independent Educational Consulting: 1) you need to annually invest in visiting college campuses, talking to admission officers, current students, and learning about the points of distinction between different schools; 2) you should be wicked-sharp on the wonderfully diverse colleges and universities in-and-around “Baahhhston”. 

I recently accomplished both of these objectives with a 6 day, 12 campus, 83k steps, fueled-by-Dunkin’ visit to the Boston-area. While I have pages of notes and accompanying pictures from my visits, in this post, my goal is to give you a sampler platter of what I heard, observed and learned during my New England journey.

Note: these observations are based on my recent experiences on these campus. I firmly believe that there are “exception” experiences to any college, so my advice is to use the below as a starting point for your own exploration, if this is an area of the country that you are considering. 

(In order from smallest to largest undergrad populations)

Hampshire College (Amherst, MA) 600 undergrads

Notable: Retreat-like location for free thinkers who want to create a personalized college experience and learning pathway

Caution: If you are a student who thrives with some structure, the openness of this curriculum is a mismatch for you

Vibe: Unconventional

Amherst College (Amherst, MA) 1,800 undergrads

Notable: Quaint campus with diverse student body, modern curriculum, and state-of-the-art science lab and teaching facility.

Caution: Smaller town vibe with a main street a few blocks away, but nothing directly adjacent to the campus within a walk.

Vibe: Friendly and focused

Smith College (Northampton, MA) 2,500 undergrads, women only

Notable: Emphasis for students to have “academic freedom” and find the intersection between passions and academic study. Beautiful campus layout that blends modern facilities with timeless residential communities.

Caution: Be prepared to work hard. Very high bar on academics leads to a high-achieving culture.

Vibe: Distinguished

Babson College (Wellesley, MA) 3,000 undergrads

Notable: Renown business-focused curriculum. Tremendous hands-on opportunities for start-up minded business students.

Caution: If business isn’t your jam, this place will be too limiting for you.

Vibe: Shark Tank (but kinder!)

Brandeis University (Waltham, MA) 3,700 undergrads

Notable: Students are passionate about building community on and off campus. Jewish roots but open to all.

Caution: Campus felt less modern and updated compared to others at this price range.

Vibe: Studious

Providence College (Providence, RI) 4,500 undergrads

Notable: Catholic school (Dominican Friar’s live amongst students on campus) with a strong liberal arts curriculum. Very impressive facilities across the campus especially in health sciences. Strong enthusiasm for athletics including having one of the top student sections in college basketball.

Caution: Run-down neighborhood outside the campus gates. School is about 10 minutes from downtown Providence.

Vibe: Spirited

Tufts University (Somerville, MA) 6,800 undergrads

Notable: Strong interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Charming campus with exceptional facilities and lots of outlets to get involved in activities outside the classroom.

Caution: Demonstrating genuine interest is crucial for admission consideration - find ways to make a connection to the admission office, faculty, current students.

Vibe: Involved

Brown University (Providence, RI) 7,800 undergrads

Notable: Classic ivy league feel influenced by the artsy vibe of RISD which is literally next door. Students here love learning and talking about what they are learning.

Caution: Open curriculum that shuns pre-professional pursuits too early. Come for the learning, jobs will follow.

Vibe: Philosophical

Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA) 9,500 undergrads

Notable: Beautiful architecture in a cute neighborhood 5 miles from Boston. Very connected student body via strong academics (founded on Jesuit principles), notable sport spirit and a dedicated community of students and faculty.

Caution: 40% of first-years live on the Newton campus which is a 5 minute shuttle ride from the heart of the main campus. Pros and cons to this set-up.

Vibe: Proud

Boston University (Boston, MA) 17,500 undergrads

Notable: City-centric campus with a focus on research and clear global vibe (student body, dining options, coursework). Flexibility within the curriculum to carve your own academic path once you complete the “hub” gen ed requirements.

Caution: Truly urban feeling campus that exists on two sides of a major Boston thoroughfare with a dedicated T-stop for access around town.

Vibe: Worldly

Northeastern University (Boston, MA) 21,000 undergrads

Notable: Distinguished investments in outside-the-class learning via global experiences, in-semester co-ops, internships. Urban campus with modern buildings on either side of a busy street with a dedicated T-stop.

Caution: The flipside of the experiential opportunities is that students exist in smaller groups defined by their international or co-op choices. Less community apparent on campus. Also, struggling with overcrowding currently. 

Vibe: Experiential

University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA) 24,000 undergrads

Notable: Well-resourced academic environment with a multitude of team-based learning classes and supportive faculty that go out of their way to connect with students. Impressive arts, science and business facilities and a large campus layout that serves as its’ own eco-system a couple of miles from the small town of Amherst.

Caution: Antithesis of BU and Northeastern. Definitely not a city school. Just under 2 hours west of Boston-central.

Vibe: Collaborative

For those of you familiar with these campuses, what resonates with you? What surprises or differs with your impression? Please comment or set up 30-minutes to connect live with me.

If you are a current sophomore or junior in high school who is looking for support, coaching, or advising during this wildly wonderful time, please contact me directly at adam@maxcollegeadvising.com. I am an Independent Educational Consultant based in Boulder, working with students and families across the country. I was an admission officer at Emory University and have an MBA in Marketing from the University of Texas. I provide personalized guidance and strategies throughout the college admission journey. You can find more information about my practice, credentials and philosophy at maxcollegeadvising.com.