College Bound: Why I Chose BU
Setting and Reaching Goals
Alessandra Vento, with permission
Boston University campus at sunset.
May 15, 2018
College touring can be a daunting and tiring experience, especially if you’ve toured around 10+ schools like me. However the cliche that “you will get a ‘feeling’ when you first step foot on the college campus that is meant for you” is oddly true.
I’m the kind of person who needs diversity and a constant changing atmosphere to thrive, and Boston University (BU) offered that unlike no other school. From the first minute of being on BU’s campus during my college tour, I knew it was the right place for me.
The diverse population of students and the vastness of the campus was all I’d ever searched for in a school. In fact, Boston University is known for being one of the most diverse universities in the world. Forty five percent of the class of 2016 was from China, if that says anything!
However, the one downside of falling in love with a school is being faced with the harsh reality that you might not even get in. — Marc Vento
For me, being exposed to people of a different culture is so important. Opening my mind to new foods, experiences, and other cultural experiences is always something I find very fun and interesting. BU will provide me with access to these types of people to interact with on a daily basis, which is also a main reason why I committed.
However, the one downside of falling in love with a school is being faced with the harsh reality that you might not even get in.
Although BU happens to be academically out of my league when it came to standardized test scores and GPA. with a 25% acceptance rate, the board of admissions suggested that incoming applicants had at least a 2.6 GPA, a 1290-1470 SAT score, and a 28-32 score on the ACT.
Therefore I was constantly missing the mark by a few points with what they expected from incoming freshmen. Because of numbers, a feeling of hopelessness clouded my dream of becoming a future Boston University student, but I didn’t let this stop me. I studied harder, put more time into my school work, and brought my grades up from Bs to As.
I also still had my college essay to write that would hopefully boost my credentials up to gain access to the college. It took about a month and a half to complete my essay, but it was all for a reason. I read it over hundreds of times, adding and taking things out, simplifying and expanding until I was 100% satisfied with the outcome and ready to send it out.
After submitting my application, I received an email two months later confirming that I was granted guaranteed admission for the fall 2019 semester, even while not meeting their credentials exactly. This whole experience allowed me to see that when a large goal is set, one needs the drive to reach it.
In the end, I succeeded and am proud to be a part of the Boston University Class of ’22.
