BU's EXCEL program

[ananda]

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I would like to know people's opinion on EXCEL. My main concern is whether or not to take it... if it is worth the money after all.

Can anyone let me know about their experiences... did it help at all? Did you feel better prepared for that first semester of classes? What kinds of things should I expect to do if I enroll??

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated because if I decide to enroll I would have to do it right away!

THANKS EVERYONE!

 

[ananda]

anybody???

 

[4thQtrDreams]

hey.. is excel the accelerated month long summer program? If so, the dentist i shadowed is a BU graduate and he did attend the summer thing. According to him, it's great for getting a head start in finding an apartment in Boston, finding people to room with, and meeting some of your classmates..

 

[PedioDr0185]

I was told by a BU second year that it isn't necessary if you are coming directly from undergrad and have recently taken upper level science classes.

 

[MALOKINMARTIN]

My two cents: Don’t go unless they make you. To tell you the truth I don’t think there’s a reasoning behind who they make go and who they don’t. About 20 people went from my class and we never could quite figure out why they made some of us go and why some of us didn’t have to.

As I recall it’s over 3,000 to do this thing (That’s over your COA by the way i.e out of pocket), but regardless of the price I wouldn’t do it. You have to stay in the dorms and if you’ve already experienced dorms you wouldn’t be super stoaked to pay 3g’s to stay in a sweltering box again. You do take some introductions to classes , but you’re already going to take them again when school starts, and there’s no special info given out. The only other minor perk is that you get your laptop distributed early, but again, unless you are dying to do some word processing, this wouldn’t be a reason to attend. Some of the folks that went did do some early “bonding”, but you are going to be with these people for 4 years and have plenty of time to get to know your classmates for 8 hours a day in the foul living hell that is room 301. If you’re freaking out about finding an apartment, just show up a week early, save yourself some cash, go out with the excel people at night and apartment hunt during the day.

My advice: In the next four years of your life you will never have a huge chunk of time free again (no APEX does not count). Do yourself a favor, spend that money on a plane ticket to somewhere exotic. I went to Peru for three weeks for the same price and I wouldn’t change that final burst of freedom for anything. Boston will still be waiting for you in the fall.