BU Fall 2014

[HopefulMSW]

To all, 

 

Just outta curiosity, did anyone happen to notice that BU's award letter includes scholarship information for the academic year 2014/2015 only? Is it safe to assume that you will receive the same scholarship amount for the 2015/2016 academic year too? (assuming you maintain the minimum GPA and apply for financial aid again)

[sweetpiepear]

Haha...I had the exact same question. But allstonrockers was nice enough to ease my anxiety. He said that he knew someone got his scholarship renewed. I did call the school and asked. They said that it is normally renewed if the student maintains the minimum GPA), but it is not guarantee. I guess they just wanted to be safe and do not want to make any promises. 

[MN_289]

@sweetpiepear thanks for the info! I will definitely need your experience in navigating my way around Boston. The cold will take getting used to. I'm Mexican and I can cook so if I can get to the ingredients we'll have to do Taco Tuesdays....

[sweetpiepear]

Nereida-

 

Mucho Gusto. Mis amigistas estan de Mexico. Tengo muchas amigas Mexicanas cuando estaba en la Universidad. Puedo cocinar la comida mexicana. Me gusta pozole mucho. Soy china media y tailandia media. =D 

I am still practicing my Spanish. lol...

[allstonrockers]

Ya'll need to head over to East Boston, lol. Ya'll will rejoice over the Colombian, Salvadorian and Mexican cuisines. Boston is wonderful...except the snow and cold. ))

[sweetpiepear]

Allstonrockers - yeah, tell me about it. Honestly, I haven't found a single good Mexican restaurant ever since I moved here. Any recommendations?

[MN_289]

@sweetpiepear Escribes bien el español! We'll have to find some acceptable Mexican restaurants. @allstonrockers I love Salvadorian food; pupusas are the best. 

[MN_289]

Does anyone know how many students are accepted and how many attend? I'm curious to how big our cohort will be. 

[SheTaz]

Hi everyone! I sent my deposit in for BU last week. I'm really looking forward to starting in the fall! 

 

I went to BU for undergrad so if any of you have any questions about the campus and logistics, feel free to ask! I've also been in the Boston area for about 6+ years now and have lived in several different areas in and around Boston so if you're looking for some insight for relocation purposes, I'm here!

 

Has anyone gotten a field placement packet yet or any sort of recognition that the admissions office received your deposit? I called to make sure everything was in order, and the office informed me that they have no way of tracking who sent what and what they've received. I'm a bit anxious to get a jump on a field placement and to have my spot there be official.

 

As for those of you who live around the Boston area or those who will be visiting before classes start, would anyone want to do a pre-classes meet-up?

[SheTaz]

For those that are out-of-state (e.g. not living in Boston) and are wondering what the average cost-of-living is here in Boston, I live in a 1 BD apt in Allston/Brighton and I pay $1625 a month.  Depending on the area you move to, most 1 BD apts will run around $1500-1700 a month.  The closer you live to the center of Boston (e.g., Back Bay) the more $$ you'll have to pay.  Also Brookline is pretty expensive too.  From what I saw when I was first deciding where to move here in Boston, Allston and Brighton were decently priced and both are accesible by bus/subway to BU & BC.  Obviously if you were to share an apt with roommates and rented a room, you'd be paying a lot less.  One of my co-workers shares a 4 BD apt with 3 roommates and she pays $675 a month, but the average cost to rent a room here in Boston is about $700-800. 

 

Also if you're wanting to rent an entire apt, most places around Boston require the use of realtor brokers.  And when all's said and done, chances are you'll have to pay 1st & last month's rent, security deposit, & broker's fee.  If you do the math for a $1700 apt that's $6800 up front!!!!  Places go really fast so it's highly recommended to start looking by April/May.  Some places waive the security deposit and/or broker's fee.  

 

Mass transportation (MBTA) costs $70 a month for unlimited subway/bus and as a student you receive a 10% or so discount but have to pay for a student pass each semester (e.g., 4 months x $63 or so).   

 

If you're bringing your own car to Boston, keep in mind that unless you have MA plates & a MA license, you won't be able to obtain a neighborhood parking sticker that allows you to park in certain areas.  Parking in Boston is at a premium and out-of-state vehicles are only permitted to park along certain desginated streets.  This becomes especially challenging & tricky when the mayor declares a snow emergency and you're required to move your car else getting towed.  No bueno.  So if you can live without your car for the 2 years you're in school, I'd highly recommend keeping it at home with the parents.

 

Lastly, for those that do decide to move to Boston (especially around Sept 1st), please note that that weekend is VERY chaotic as 99.9% of the leases expire on Aug 31st.  Make sure to reserve any moving trucks, UHauls, etc. well in advance and if you're able to, you can visit Boston City Hall and pay for a parking spot in front of the bldg and that reserves the spot for 12 hrs.  The cost of that is around $100 but it's definitely worth it as it guarantees a parking spot.  Trust me that's a good thing to have!   Moving day is chaotic and stressful enough, why add to that the inability to find a parking spot let alone having to unload and return the truck before it's due?

 

So as you can see Boston is not a cheap place to live but hopefully this information helps.  I've been living here in Boston for almost 2 years.

 I mostly agree with everything nightwolf said. Boston isn't cheap by most standards... but to those of you coming from NYC or the Bay Area may find the rent prices to be reasonable.

 

I just wanted to add some of my own experiences into the mix. I've lived in Brighton, Brookline, Chelsea, and currently have settled into the Back Bay area of Boston. To give some hope to you all, my current apartment is about a 15 minute walk to BU and is centrally located to Newbury Street, Copley Plaza, and all the green T lines. My apartment is a decent-sized 1 bedroom (for Boston), utilities included for $1500/month. I did use a realtor to find it and am still kind of shocked that a place like this exists. I've used craigslist in the past to find other apartments and haven't been nearly as satisfied (but, this could just be my own luck...). Other more reasonable areas are Cambridge, Brighton/Allston, and Brookline. I wouldn't recommend living in Chelsea to any young female living alone.

 

Good places move FAST. It's not uncommon that apartments come on the market and are rented all in the same afternoon. Be prepared to agree to renting the apartment as soon as you see it.

 

I have many friends who live in Brighton/Allston who love it. It's right on a T line and is probably 15 minutes from BU by train. Rent is typically more reasonable and parking is easier to find (you can rent a space for about $100-200/month on top of rent). The downsides are that you'll most likely take the B line to school, which is notoriously unreliable (it'll come... but you may wait as long as 45 minutes for a train) and you'll be further away from the city's center. It does have its own perks and culture though, such as what I called Korea-town (a few blocks worth of mainly Korean restaurants) and many bars for hanging out. Of note, because of the more reasonable rent, Brighton/Allston attracts a lot of recent graduates. This can result in loud parties going on every day of the week. This could be a plus for some, but for those of you who prefer quieter areas/have young children, you may find that to be a huge turn off.

 

I agree that Brookline is definitely expensive, and you may end up paying just as much as you would if you lived in the Back Bay, but it offers some perks too. You'll still be on a T line, but you'll have a more suburban feel while still being fairly close to Boston's center (depending on where you're at). You could also be a 15-20 minute walk to the campus, again, depending on where you're at in Brookline. There's also a bigger possibility of getting off-street parking, in my opinion, than there is any of the other areas that are close to BU. Brookline typically attracts young families/young professionals as well as more upper class individuals. It's known for having a larger Jewish community and kosher delis.

 

I definitely recommend the monthly T pass for anyone around the Boston area. As far as public transit goes, the T is one of the most reasonably priced public transit systems in a major US city and goes pretty far out (commuter rail lines stretch into Maine, Cape Cod, and RI). When you factor in the bus lines, you can go just about anywhere in the greater Boston area if you have enough time. The biggest downside is that the T stops running around midnight or 1am, so no late-night study sessions for you unless you plan on taking a cab home.

 

I have my own car in Boston with a resident parking sticker and have a love-hate relationship around it. My loves are that I can drive to work in 20 minutes (it would take me 90 by T), park for free within 3 blocks of my apartment, pick up and drive anywhere with a moment's notice, and transport groceries super easily. I did have to transfer my driver's license and plates to MA and then apply for a resident sticker, but the process was fairly easy and just took a day.

 

However, I do want to caution that a neighborhood parking pass isn't 100% free. Boston will charge you an excise tax for owning a car in Boston that amounts to approximately $100-300/year. As far as I know, this only applies to Boston proper (not Brookline or Brighton). I was unaware of this when I applied for the permit. I guess they don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing! I can't complain too much though, as renting a space in a garage near me would cost about $350/month. Some people buy parking spaces... but they will run you about $300,000.

 

My biggest gripe about having a car in the city of Boston is parking in the winter. It's a big pain, and it can even be dangerous. For one, you need to pay attention to snow emergency signs as Boston is not afraid to tow your car. Once you have a decent spot picked out, you'll then need to not only shovel it out after it snows, but you'll need to shovel out any other spot you may fancy for the next few days. This mostly includes temporarily parking your car in the middle of the road and chipping out huge chunks of ice. The dangerous part comes in when people shovel out their spots and place a chair/table/anything large-enough-to-be-inconvenient-to-move in the spot. This is legal space saver for your spot for up to 48 hours after a snow emergency ends. If you move someone's space saver EVER (2 hours or even 2 weeks after a snow storm), it is not uncommon to discover your tires slashed or worse. I've never had this happen to me personally, but I have also never moved a space saver (nor have I ever used one).

 

Also, I agree with nightwolf. DO NOT MOVE INTO YOUR APARTMENT IN THE BEGINNING OF SEPT if you can avoid it (please, please avoid this at all costs). I can't stress this point enough. Every fall there is a great migration of people coming into Boston. Think of it this way: Boston is made up of 50+ colleges/universities. Now imagine all of those students moving into new apartments in the same weekend, both graduate and undergraduate. I don't have specific numbers... but it is HUGELY noticeable and makes driving and parking in Boston impossible and a nightmare. Don't do it. It isn't worth it. You most likely won't be able to park your moving truck anywhere near your apartment even if you obtain a temporary parking permit from city hall (which will cost you $100-200). Moving in a month sooner will completely avoid this headache for both your move in and your move out.

 

I think that mostly covers it. Feel free to message me or repost if you have any comments/questions!

[HopefulMSW]

Wow, thank you SheTaz!

[nightwolf1129]

so if I may recap and highlight the main points of what SheTaz and I said:

 

1.  Boston is an expensive place to live but has a comparable cost-of-living to places like the Bay Area and NYC

 

2.  Availability of affordable (and decent) apartments will quickly disappear the closer you get to Sept 1st, and if you're not willing to shuck out $$$ right away or put down a deposit (that doesn't always guarantee you'll get the apartment), then chances are 10 people are eagerly waiting for that same apartment.  So if you're able to, it's a wise idea to start looking within the next couple months when requests for lease renewals are sent out.  Tenants usually have by May to make a decision whether they will continue renting their apartment or move out by Sept 1st.

 

3.  Sept 1st = a complete and total nightmare in Boston.  Coupled with already crowded narrow streets & crazy ass drivers, it's best to avoid moving into Boston on Sept 1st at all costs.  And if you do decide to move on Sept 1st, it's best to arrive as early in the day as possible.

 

4.  If you can avoid it, don't have a car in Boston as yearly excise taxes, limited visitor/out-of-state parking, ticket & tow happy Boston PD system, and extra $$ each month for rented parking spots, makes for a wonderful experience.  So again, be forewarned if you decide to bring your car.

 

5.  Use the MBTA when getting around Boston.  It's a great and affordable transit system.  $70 a month for unlimited subway & bus use (need I say more? lol)

 

6.  Lastly, plan ahead.

 

Boston's an awesome city to live in, and if I may add something regarding the "B" line:  it's not as "unpredictable" as SheTaz makes it out to be.  I should know, I live right on the B line and it's far from unpredictable---I don't call it my 5am alarm clock for nothing  

[allstonrockers]

Hi,

 

You can find an apartment at a comfortable rate of $950 up to $1200. Depends on where you look though. I live in Allston, but in the neighborhood, where I am...there is a lot of Latino/Asian immigrant families...and its not as nice where the students tend to live. (Note: Allston is filled of rats...)....if living 5 minutes away from Brighton Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue is a big deal for you, then go ahead and live in those parts...but I do understand rent prices are a tad higher.

 

Its all about planning and doing things ahead of time! 

[MN_289]

@SheTaz I received the field placement information today. Here is some of the info it had................

 

 

Welcome to the Boston University School of Social Work. We know that many of you are eager for information about field education and the placement process, so we hope the following will be helpful to you.

 

In the spring and early summer, we will hold small group meetings at which the Field Education staff will present the purpose and design of the field education experience, describe typical placement sites and learning activities, and explain the process by which students are placed in agencies.  You will also be able to meet individually with a staff member and talk informally with other incoming students.

 

Please choose the session that you wish to attend and contact the Field Education office (617-353-3754 or sswfed@bu.edu) to reserve a spot on that date. Please note: if you intend to major in macro practice*, we encourage you to attend a session on Tuesday April 29^th or Monday May 19^th. All meetings will be held in the Conant Lounge on the 2nd Floor of the School of Social Work.

 

Friday, March 28                               9 AM-11 AM

Thursday, April 10                            3 PM-5 PM 

Thursday, April 17                            9 AM-11 AM

Tuesday, April 29                              8:30 AM-10:30 AM*

Wednesday, May 7                         2 PM-4 PM

Monday, May 19                              2 PM-4 PM*

Tuesday, June 3                                3 PM-5 PM

[HopefulMSW]

Hi all!! I've finally made a decision and have decided to join BU's Fall 2014 MSW cohort! I can't wait!!

[SheTaz]

nightwolf - Thanks for summing that all up!

I didn't realize until now how negative I sounded :-(. Truthfully, there are so many great things about Boston and the surrounding areas in general. I just find that I'm personally more interested in hearing all of the negatives when trying to make a decision. That way, I can figure out what things I'm more ok living with and what things I'm not.

 

nereida - Thanks for reposting part of the email you received. It was really helpful to know that they sent that out in an email instead of snail mail.

[JMM1020]

Hi all!! I've finally made a decision and have decided to join BU's Fall 2014 MSW cohort! I can't wait!!

I'm sad we won't be classmates but I wish you the best of luck at BU!

[HopefulMSW]

I'm sad we won't be classmates but I wish you the best of luck at BU!

JMM, I know, so am I! Ultimately I feel like BU would be able to offer more specialized training/mentorship in the trauma certificate program, and that's a crucial selling point for me. We're all gonna be in the Boston area though and I would love to meet up!

[JMM1020]

JMM, I know, so am I! Ultimately I feel like BU would be able to offer more specialized training/mentorship in the trauma certificate program, and that's a crucial selling point for me. We're all gonna be in the Boston area though and I would love to meet up!

For sure! I don't think I'll be living in Boston, I will likely commute from Rhode Island, especially since I didn't receive any scholarships and will be funding my education through loans. Once I figure out how to direct message I will send you one lol We'll have to stay in contact about our experiences!

[MN_289]

What session for field placement is everyone signing up for?  

[allstonrockers]

April 10th

[SheTaz]

may 7th!

[hiclub2]

I've applied BU online program today. Did anyone apply online program?

Edited March 26, 2014 by hiclub2

[Catlovers141]

hiclub2, I applied to the online program.  All that is missing from my application is a reference letter.

 

I'm not sure I will be able to handle it though with my job.  They require more field hours than the other online option I am considering, which can be really great, but I don't know how I would do it time-wise with my job.  I am disappointed though because out of all of the ones I applied to, it seems like the best program.

 

The other thing that I've found frustrating with applying to BU is that their deadline is May 1st, which is a few months after all of my others were due.  I will receive all my other offers before BU even looks at my application.

[nelle_008]

I got accepted into BU! Yay! I'm totally excited. I haven't received the official letter in the mail as yet, hopefully they give me generous scholarship. I REALLY need it.

 

BUT I'm a bit confused. I applied to BU's dual-degree program (MSW/MEd) and I only got an acceptance email from BU School of Education...but the email sounded like I got accepted to both programs.  

 

Has anyone else applied to the dual degree program at BU?