College of Arts and Sciences freshman Maddy Barrett said Boston University became her top choice school only after Northeastern University denied her.
“[BU] wasn’t everyone’s first choice, but at least the people I’m friends with really, really like it,” Barrett said.
While BU may have served as a safety school for a number of applicants, students said they feel content with the academic programs BU offers.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said though he is frequently asked if BU is a safety school, the “sheer volume of applicants” proves the school’s attractiveness.
BU accepted about 20,011 students for the Class of 2016 and aims to enroll 3,900, Riley said. By enrolling in September, incoming students have made BU their first choice.
“[By September,] they’ve reconciled all their issues about where they had applied to and where they’re accepted to and made the decision that BU is the school that they’re looking forward to attending and spending the next four years,” Riley said.
Still, College of General Studies freshman Wendy Ayers said she has noticed that BU is deemed a backup school for many students.
“The people who say BU is their back up are typically the ones who didn’t get into [New York University] or Ivy League schools,” she said. “If you are comparing BU with a top Ivy League school then of course BU is not going to be your first choice.”
Dan Garisto, a senior at Bellport High School in Brookhaven, N.Y., was recently admitted to BU. He said BU, though desirable, is still one of his safety schools in case he is not admitted to Columbia University in the fall.
“[Where I end up depends on] wherever provides the best education possible and the best possible college experience,” Garisto said. “I’ve been to Boston before, and I really liked the city so I wanted to apply to the kind of place that had a great atmosphere and academic program that I really liked.”
However, College of Fine Arts sophomore Emily Bearce said BU’s school of theatre for technical production was always her top choice.
“I joined here because I could jump right in,” Bearce said. “One of the other big reasons that I came here was BU’s school of theatre is mostly professionals.”
Bearce said the University of Connecticut placed her on the waiting list, and though it would have been cheaper, UConn was her safety school.
Another senior Bellport senior, Dan Santana, listed BU as a backup school.
“I saw [BU] as a safety school, somewhere where if I know my top schools didn’t pan out, it would be someplace I would be satisfied with,” Santana said. “It’s a quality school on the lower end of my list.”
Santana said he gathered from friends’ experiences that he would be happy at BU if he ended up attending.
“Honestly, when I applied, I didn’t know too much about it except that I have friends who went there, it’s in Boston and it’s a highly ranked school,” Santana said. “That was basically the extent of my knowledge.”
In addition to BU, Santana was admitted to Dartmouth College and Columbia University, though he was placed on the waiting list at Harvard University and John Hopkins University.
However, the deciding factor has switched from academics to cost, and BU granted him a presidential scholarship, Santana said.
“Originally it was the location and academics,” he said. “Now it’s down to the wire, and I’ll have to choose soon.”