BU or BC PhD

[wyldekard]

I was just wondering which school had the better program in English

Thanks!

[lauras]

BU seems very snobby and they don't have the greatest reputation. I once called the English Department to get information about applying to the program after being out of school for several years (and working as a lawyer in Boston). The woman on the phone was fantastically rude and kept preceding all of her useless advice with the phrase "reality check." The real reality check is that US news and world report ranks them around 60th. I don't know much about BC, but they have to be better. Tufts has a pretty good reputation too. They are ranked a little higher and professors and administrators were very nice in responding to my questions and even offered to let me sit in on classes.

[Minnesotan]

Based on the perceived effectiveness of the department in terms of educating grad students, and how other phds rank their faculty quality, BU blows BC and Tufts out of the water.

Source: http://graduate-school.phds.org/ranking ... ?w1=5&w7=5

If you have other criteria in mind, there are quite a few options to choose from at the above site. I don't think "politeness of secretaries" is a category, nor can you sort by the "frequency of catch-phrases used" category, though it might be nice.

"Is that your final answer?" No. My final answer is a letter bomb sent to anyone who regurgitates idiotic sayings they heard on television programs.

Sorry re: the digression. It feels good to vent, though. =)

[dubitocogito]

The woman on the phone was fantastically rude and kept preceding all of her useless advice with the phrase "reality check." The real reality check is that US news and world report ranks them around 60th.

LOL. That's too funny.

I know I'm a little late with a response to this post, but I had the same experience with the history program. BC people, on the other hand, are extremely warm and helpful. They really went out of their way to respond to my messages.

[jadorefumer]

Hello, I know this reply is quite late...but I just discovered this site. I'm currently a MA student in BC's English department. I have inquired about BU's English PhD program, but found the people rude...plus I believe it is hard to get good funding at BU, while at BC PhD students are normally given generous TA positions and stipends. Even 12 of each year's incoming MA students get full tuition remission...for an MA English program this is unusual. Plus, the faculty at BC are wonderful, at least those I have worked with.