Boston University

[Billikan]

I have a daughter who is currently a junior at BU. She is in the physical therapy program that is rated as one of the best in the country. In terms of the academics, I think that a number of the specialty programs at BU are excellent and it is a huge school--approximately 35,000 students making it one of the largest, if not the largest, private schools in the country. The overall entry qualifications of the typical freshman students would be slightly higher at BU than at SLU.

In terms of basketball, BU has been improving in the past few years but the team looks more like that team from "Hoosiers" than a major college basketball team. That is accentuated by the fact that BU plays its home games on campus in a bandbox gym that looks like a large high school gym.

I know that the leaders at BU are very anxious to be more recognized and they are investing millions of dollars in expanding the campus and building very nice new high rise residential buildings so the students can live on campus. BU is definately a "city" school, and although the campus is large, and it is next to the Charles River, there is very little grass and a major street, Commonwealth Avenue--and the "T"--a rail based mass transit--runs right down the middle of the campus. In many ways, in terms of its appearance, BU reminds me of SLU prior to the street closings and the campus upgrades. The difference is that BU is a much bigger school.

The main sport is ice hockey. I would think that BU would be extemely interested in joining a new, more significant conference like the A 10. In terms of basketball history and credentials, the Billikens are head and shoulders above BU. This will be interesting.

[kwyjibo]

BU is building a new sports arena for basketball, hockey, plus (sorry, no circus).

You can watch it being built here (and learn more about it):

http://building.bu.edu/html/student_villag.../cam/index.html

Note: Fast connection required to see live web cam