Boston College is one of those schools most easily understood by comparison. Traditionally placed beneath Boston University, BC has rocketed up the rankings over the last several years. Like BU, BC strongly places into Boston-based firms and is one of your best bets outside the T14 or New York schools for seriously getting into Big Law. But where BU is a little more ‘modern progressive and corporate’ in terms of vibe, BC’s Jesuit background brings that feeling of the older humanities and more storied humanitarianism. It’s extremely important not to confuse the two ‘Boston’ schools, though if you’re applying to one you’ll very likely be applying to the other.

Once again, there are broadly three reasons why you’d want to apply to BC.

First, you want Big Law but your numbers aren’t quite there for the T14. BC punches above its weight, thanks to the substantial Boston legal market, so it makes a strong safety for those applying elsewhere or an excellent reach if you’re looking for a way to break into a higher class of law school outcomes.

Second, BC takes its Jesuit mission fairly seriously. There’s a little more, “Hey, what are the principles behind all of this?” than you’d find at peer schools and much more attention paid to law as a venue for “service.” It doesn’t really have the ‘chasing the most elite public interest outcomes’ scene that you’d find in the T6, but is a great avenue for future corporate lawyers who are serious about pro bono being more than a resume-builder.

Third, of course, are people with Boston ties. That goes a long way, since Boston firms look for applicants who will actually stick around. Showing some connection to Boston or Greater New England is a great way to stand out in BC admissions.

The most successful applicants combine two or more of these into a strong “I’m actually specifically interested in BC” case. Other benefits are the lack of class rank and the generally more chill, collaborative culture that comes with it.