What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?

What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?
What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?

It varies a lot based on the particular school. Highly selective schools like the Ivies tend to accept students with higher GPAs, but many state schools and community colleges are open enrollment, which means they accept everyone. Most schools, like BC, are somewhere in between. There are loads and loads of SAT test prep guides and it’s a good idea to spend some time with one or more of them. BC has a few: https://bit.ly/bc-sat. Your local public library will have more. BUT: Important life note. Do your best, but there is a place for you whatever the numbers end up being.

Why do potato make french fries and how? and are aliens really?

Why do potato make french fries and how? and are aliens really?
Why do potato make french fries and how? and are aliens really?

Most potatoes I know would not want to make french fries out of their friends and family. They would rather chill out with them underground. People make french fries by slicing and deep frying them (although I hear oven fries are also pretty good, too.) Are aliens really french fries? That is a theory I had not heard before ???

What is your Dream?

What is your Dream?
What is your Dream?

My dream is to continue answering your questions for as long as I am able. It is my one true passion, and the way I can make a difference in my small corner of the world.

Why is chemistry so hard!!?

Why is chemistry so hard!!?
Why is chemistry so hard!!?

There’s a kind of logic to how elements bond… but there are sooooo many elements that bond in soooo many different ways. Even advanced chemists need hacks to help them. I heard of a BC chemist a while back who was stuck on understanding a certain molecular structure for months, until they finally printed a 3d model. Talk to your professors, and when the regular semester begins, sign up for tutoring with the CFLC: http://bit.ly/BC-connors. They’ll help you come up with hacks for understanding.

Does B.C. offer guitar lessons?

Does B.C. offer guitar lessons?
Does B.C. offer guitar lessons?

Yes! They can be taken for credit or not. The link to sign up for Fall will be available by Monday, 8/1 or possibly even by this Friday here (with link to more details on private lessons): bit.ly/BCMusicLessons

Is social media a net-positive?

Is social media a net-positive?
Is social media a net-positive?

What a great question. I don’t have an answer, actually. For some, yes – definitely net positive. For others, not at all. For broader societal issues? No? Yes? For these big questions, I like to turn to what others have written on. Browse HM742’s and HQ799.2’s. Look up danah boyd – their work is very helpful in thinking these things through I think.

Where can I play the piano at BC?

Where can I play the piano at BC?
Where can I play the piano at BC?

I’ve heard the music practice rooms on the top floor of Lyons Hall each have a piano, though they might be a bit out of tune at this point in the summer!

I want to read more…

I want to read more, but I feel like I never have enough time. Any suggestions?
I want to read more, but I feel like I never have enough time. Any suggestions?

Some thoughts: schedule your reading, always carry a book or try audiobooks if you are in situations where print doesn’t work, and set yourself a (modest and achievable) goal for how many books you will read this semester.

is there still hope for me to chnage myself and be who i dream to be?

thinking about whether I’d ever make it O wall, I have always dreamt of being the social, life of the party, outgoing person with some degree of influencer fame to my name while being the complete opposite person my entire life. is there still hope for me to chnage myself and be who i dream to be?

I could spend my life as a wall being dissatisfied with not being a ceiling, or I can accept myself for who I am. I think the most growth and potential for happiness happens with option 2. I am a wall, and I will be the best wall I can be.

How to grow taller

How to grow taller
How to grow taller

If you ask a wall about growing taller, expect to hear about stonemasons, bricklayers, or carpenters. My human friends are a wide variety of heights, at least on a human scale. I hear there’s not a ton of wiggle room in genetics; if your genetic stock is short, you may grow taller than others in your family by eating well, but not by much.

How is college?

How is college? Stressful?
How is college? Stressful?

Judging from what I see posted here, it can be stressful at times. There are ways to be proactive and manage the stress points. The Connors Family Learning Center (bit.ly/BC-connors) has both peer tutoring and academic coaching, which can help with academic stress, and the Office of Health Promotion (bit.ly/BostonCollegeHealth) can set you up with wellness coaching, which can give you tools to deal with the other sorts of stress.

Drums or Flaps? (chicken wing)

Drums or Flaps? (chicken wing)
Drums or Flaps? (chicken wing)

I don’t eat anything but post-its (I especially like the bright colored ones), so I asked all of my human library colleagues their preferences. Librarians are independently-minded, so some colored outside the lines. Here are the results. Flaps: 4 Drums: 19 Breast: 4 Thighs: 2 I like the part of the bird that made it over the fence last. flats I’m vegetarian so neither plant-based nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs aka the chicken’s formidable ancestors vegetarian Chick*n (or Quorn or Incogmeato or…)

How do I be happy more?

How do I be happy more?
How do I be happy more?

More and more researchers agree that a daily practice of expressing gratitude helps people become more satisfied with life. One could also listen to a podcast about happiness, such as 10% Happier by Dan Harris. If you have a hard time being happy at all, I recommend counseling. For BC students, connect with bit.ly/BC-counseling.

I’m learning how to draw…

I'm learning how to draw (which is sth I always wanted to do) but finds it really hard & people say I have not talent :( should I continue?
I’m learning how to draw (which is sth I always wanted to do) but finds it really hard & people say I have not talent 🙁 should I continue?

Learning a new skill is rough at first. Give yourself plenty of time and practice and patience. Anyone looking at someone learning something and judging their talent is being a jerk.

My dad has been using baby-talk…

whenever he talks to me, my brother and my mother for as long as I remember. I’ve started to get scared because I feel as if he’s is starting to sound kind of…sick. Everyone has talked to him about this, but he always just starts being his usual bipolar self with anger management issues (meaning he doesn’t know any emotion other than anger), he can’t take criticism. For my whole life he’s also been using the “you’re not a kid anymore” manipulation techniques when he wants to put me down or show dominance in a situation where he is clearly required to take a more submissive/observing position. How can I for Gods sake make him stop? I can’t see him ‘growing’ out of it, mainly due to him using baby-talk while talking with my mother as well. And the weird thing is, when he needs me for advice for example, he talks with me in a more mature baby-talk-free way (although he still uses the prior mentioned manipulation techniques), but all other situations are him talking as if he’s talking to an infant who doesn’t even know the concept of language yet. Let’s not mentioned his “you’re my kid, I can talk to you whatever way I like” mentality. I’ve discussed this with him quite a few times. Still no result. When me, my mother and/or my brother try to stop him from talking when he starts baby-talk, he just gets angry or says that we’re still his little kids.I’m genuinely concerned about his mental health, I have a feeling he is unable to accept that me and my brother aren’t babies anymore, and this bleeds into the way he talks with our mother as well. Or maybe he asserts dominance this way (he’s quite insecure and tries to act pretty “macho” if I may add). Is something wrong with him? Is it of any use to continue discussing this with him, asking him to stop, etc.?

It may not be easy or even possible to change your father’s behavior, especially as it has been going on for such a long time and you detail the issues he has. What might be achievable is to learn ways to deal with his behavior and set boundaries. It sounds like it is causing you a great deal of distress, so you might want to talk this over with someone with expertise. University Counseling Services (bit.ly/BC-counseling)might be a good place to start.