Boston College, or BC, is a private institution with a total undergraduate enrollment of roughly 14,000. Founded in the Jesuit tradition by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, BC has since expanded its initial course offerings from theology to include a wider range of liberal arts degree options. Boston College’s tuition and fees are comparable to local “Beantown” rival Boston University. BC is located at the end of the T Train line in Chestnut Hill, so students have the option of enjoying the collegiate campus life, or choosing to venture into the city for live sports, restaurants, and tourist activities. 

The university has a sprawling suburban campus that covers over 350 acres with historic gothic architecture and iconic Gasson Hall. Classes at BU follow a semester-based academic calendar, and the student-faculty ratio is a low 10:1, so average class sizes are typically under 20 students. 

Boston College is known for its competitive Carroll School of Management, Woods College of Advancing Studies, and Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program. Beyond academics, BC’s athletic teams compete in the ACC and are represented by their mascot, the Eagle. Their nationally renowned hockey program competes annually in the Bean Pot and the Frozen Four, which are local tournaments against rivals like Boston University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University. Notable alumni include fashion icon Clinton Kelly, actor Chris O’Donnell, and senator Ed Markey.