Boston CollegeStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Boston College. Free for students.

Private Non-Profit Liberal Arts College in Chestnut Hill, MA. Operating on a semester system.

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15K+

Total Enrollment

Liberal Arts College

Institution Type

41

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Full Summer

The semester, explained for Boston College

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Full Summer
Campus terms
43
Local details
36

Academic calendar

Full Summer runs May 13, 2026 – Aug 14, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

32 entries
  1. GSOM Summer 1
  2. BC Summer Session Undergrad 1WCAS Grad Summer 1
  3. GSEHD Summer 1
  4. GSON Summer 1
  5. Full SummerGSMCAS SummerWCAS Grad Full SummerRelevant now
  6. GSON Full Session
  7. SSW Summer 3
  8. Catalyst
  9. Chemistry 1
  10. SSW Summer 7
  11. SSW Summer 4
  12. GSOM Summer 3
  13. CSTM Summer 4
  14. CSTM Summer 2
  15. GSOM Summer 2
  16. BC Summer Session Undergrad 2
  17. WCAS Grad Summer 2
  18. SSW Summer 6
  19. SSW Summer 5
  20. GSEHD Summer 2
  21. Chemistry 2
  22. GSON Summer 2
  23. CSTM Summer 5
  24. GSEHD PSAP
  25. CSTM Summer 3
  26. MessinaOTE
  27. Fall 2026 Half-Term 1
  28. Fall 2026 Half-Term 2

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

43 terms

4

48 Hours
A popular weekend retreat designed specifically for freshmen to reflect on their transition to college.

A

Addie's
Addie's Loft, a dining location in McElroy known for specialty items like meatballs and custom salads.
AHANA
An acronym used at BC to refer to African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students.
ALC
AHANA Leadership Council, a branch of UGBC dedicated to supporting students of color.
Appa
Appalachia Volunteers, a popular service organization that sends students on spring break service trips.

C

CAB
Campus Activities Board, the student-run organization that plans major events like concerts and speakers.
Comm Ave
Commonwealth Avenue, the main road that runs through the center of the campus area.
CoRo
College Road, a residential area housing sophomores located across from the main campus gate.

E

Eagle's
Eagle's Nest, a popular lunch spot in McElroy Commons known for bowls and sandwiches.

G

GLC
Gender and Sexuality Diversity Coalition, an advocacy group within student government.

H

Hillside
Hillside Cafe, a dining location on Lower Campus known for Starbucks coffee and sandwiches.

I

Iggy
Ignacio Hall, a senior apartment complex on Lower Campus.

L

Lower
Corcoran Commons, the primary dining hall for students living on Lower Campus.

M

Mac
McElroy Commons, the main dining hall for students living on Upper Campus and College Road.
Marathon Monday
The day of the Boston Marathon, which passes right by campus and is a major student holiday.
Million Dollar Staircase
The long, steep set of stairs connecting Lower Campus to Middle Campus.
Million Dollar Stairs
The long, steep staircase connecting Middle Campus to Lower Campus.
Mod Lot
The parking lot adjacent to the senior Modular housing units.

N

Newton
Newton Campus, a satellite campus 1.5 miles away where the remaining 40% of freshmen live.
Newtonite
A freshman student who is assigned to live on the Newton Campus.

P

PULSE
A popular service-learning program that fulfills core requirements through community service and philosophy/theology classes.

R

Rubi
Rubenstein Hall, a senior apartment complex located next to Ignacio Hall.

S

SAP
Student Admission Program, the student volunteer group that conducts campus tours and panels.
Stuart
The sole dining hall located on the Newton Campus.
Superday
A day of significant campus-wide social activity, most notably during the Boston Marathon (Marathon Monday).
Superfan
The official moniker for BC students who attend athletic events, often wearing yellow 'Superfan' shirts.
Superfans
The collective name for the Boston College student body at athletic events.

T

The BC Look
A term describing the stereotypical preppy style of dress common among students.
The Gasson Gram
A photo of Gasson Hall posted to Instagram, a common student cliché.
The Gutter
The nickname for the basement level of O'Neill Library, often used for late-night studying.
The Heights
A nickname for the Boston College campus and the name of the independent student newspaper.
The Million Dollar Staircase
The long, steep set of stairs connecting the Lower Campus to the Middle Campus.
The Mods
The Modulars; highly coveted senior-only housing units known for social life and tailgating.
The Plex
The Margot Connell Recreation Center (formerly the Flynn Recreation Complex).
The Rat
The nickname for the dining hall in Lyons Hall, officially known as the Welch Dining Hall.
The Res
The Chestnut Hill Reservoir, a popular running and walking path adjacent to campus.
The Rez
A student-run coffee shop located in McElroy Commons.
The Rez
A student-run coffee shop located in McElroy Commons.
The T
The MBTA Green Line light rail, specifically the B-line which terminates at the Boston College station.

U

UGBC
Undergraduate Government of Boston College, the primary student governing body.
Upper
Upper Campus, the primary residential area for approximately 60% of the freshman class.

V

Vandy
Vanderslice Hall, a popular sophomore and junior suite-style residence hall on Lower Campus.

W

Walsh
Walsh Hall, a large sophomore residence hall known for its social atmosphere and 'eight-man' suites.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

36 details
addie_s
Addie's
Agora
The Agora Portal, the central online system for registration, grades, and student records.
Agora Portal
The central online hub where students register for classes, view grades, and manage financial accounts.
Bapst
Bapst Library, the 'Harry Potter' style library known for its quiet study environment and stained glass.
brookline_campus_dining_hall
Brookline Campus Dining Hall
cafe_129
Cafe 129
Canvas
The learning management system used by professors to post syllabi, assignments, and course materials.
carney_dining_room
Carney Dining Room
Comm Ave Shuttle
The university bus system that transports students between the Main, Newton, and Brighton campuses.
Conte
Conte Forum, the arena where BC's basketball and ice hockey teams play.
Eagle Bucks
A debit-like feature on the Eagle ID used for laundry, vending machines, and participating off-campus merchants.
Eagle ID
The official university identification card used for building access, dining, and library services.
Eagle-One
The official student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and laundry.
EagleBucks
A declining balance account on the EagleID used for laundry and at participating off-campus vendors.
EagleID
The official student identification card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
eagles_nest
Eagles' Nest
Flex
Dining plan dollars used specifically for food purchases at on-campus dining locations.
Flex Plan
The mandatory meal plan system where students use 'meal plan dollars' rather than a swipe system.
Fulton
Fulton Hall, the main building for the Carroll School of Management (CSOM).
Gasson
Gasson Hall, the iconic Gothic building and clock tower at the center of campus.
GET Mobile
The app used by students to manage meal plan funds and place mobile food orders.
Gold Pass
The mobile app system students use to check into athletic events to earn points for high-demand tickets.
Maloney
Maloney Hall, which houses the bookstore, student services, and several academic departments.
Newton Bus
The university shuttle service that transports students between Main Campus and Newton Campus.
Newton Shuttle
The university bus service that transports students between the Main and Newton campuses.
O'Neill
O'Neill Library, the main research library on campus.
Pick-a-Time
The informal name for the online room selection process used for housing assignments.
ResLife
The Office of Residential Life, responsible for housing assignments and dorm management.
Stokes
Stokes Hall, a major academic building housing humanities departments and a popular coffee shop.
stuart_dining_hall
Stuart Dining Hall
The Newton Bus
The essential shuttle service that transports students between the Main and Newton campuses.
The Plex
The Margot Connell Recreation Center, the university's primary fitness and gym facility.
The Shuttle
The BC bus system that transports students between the Main, Newton, and Brighton campuses.
The T
The MBTA Green Line subway; the B-line ends at the Boston College station, while the C and D lines are nearby.
the_market_corcoran
The Market @ Corcoran
TransLoc
The mobile app used by students to track the real-time location of campus shuttles.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Full Summer runs May 13, 2026 – Aug 14, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
43 approved campus terms and 36 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Class of 2030 · Boston College

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What we’ll email you about

  • Jun 15

    Complete Math and Language Placement Exams

    Required · source

  • Jul 1

    Submit Mandatory Immunization Records

    Required · source

  • Aug 26

    Freshman Move-In Day

    Required · source

One email per real deadline. Source link cited every time. We re-check 7 days before each one fires.

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Find a few communities to try at Boston College

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

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Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for Boston College.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at Boston College

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Life in Chestnut Hill for Boston College Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Chestnut Hill.

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$3,334

Cost of Living Index

160

Student Population

14,000

City Transportation

Walkability

70

Bikeability

60

Public Transit

MBTA Green Line B Branch (Boston College), MBTA Green Line D Branch (Chestnut Hill), MBTA bus routes

Nearest Airports

Logan International Airport (Boston)

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid continental

Avg Annual Temp

49°F

Avg Snowfall

47 in

Data sources: Information compiled from available search results; some demographic and economic data not available in provided sources

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Commonwealth Avenue Garage

garage • Limited

Paid visitor parking; 20 mins free; Weekend rate $14 per 12 hours.

Beacon Street Garage

garage • Limited

Paid visitor parking; 20 mins free; Weekend rate $14 per 12 hours.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Boston College

Boston College Women's Soccer vs. Siena

August 12, 2026 at TBA

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Boston College

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

39 known dorm and housing options. The first 24 are shown below; the rest are available in the expandable list.

66 Commonwealth Avenue

Capacity: 233

Room types: traditional rooms

Cheverus Hall

Capacity: 159

Room types: traditional rooms

Claver Hall

Capacity: 560

Room types: traditional rooms

Claver/Loyola/Xavier/Fenwick (CLXF)

Capacity: 560

Room types: doubles, triples, quadruples

Cushing Hall

Capacity: 120

Room types: traditional rooms

Duchesne East

Room types: single, double, triple

Duchesne Hall (East & West)

Room types: traditional rooms

Duchesne West

Room types: single, double, triple

Duschesne

Room types: traditional

East Village

Room types: apartments

Fenwick Hall

Capacity: 190

Room types: traditional rooms

Fitzpatrick Hall

Capacity: 200

Room types: traditional rooms

Gabelli Hall

Capacity: 156

Room types: 4-person apartments

Gonzaga Hall

Capacity: 200

Room types: traditional rooms

Greycliff Hall

Capacity: 33

Room types: traditional rooms

Hardey Hall

Capacity: 190

Room types: traditional rooms

Ignacio Hall

Capacity: 364

Room types: 4-person apartments, 6-person apartments

Josephine Hall

Room types: single, double, triple

Keyes Hall

Room types: traditional rooms

Kostka Hall

Room types: traditional rooms

Loyola Hall

Capacity: 560

Room types: traditional rooms

Medeiros Hall

Capacity: 100

Room types: traditional rooms

Messina South

Room types: traditional rooms

Messina West

Room types: traditional rooms

Show the remaining 15 housing options

Modular Apartments

Capacity: 444

Room types: 6-person apartments

Modulars

Capacity: 6

Room types: 6-person apartment

Ninety St. Thomas More

Capacity: 381

Room types: 6-person suites, 8-person suites

Reservoir

Capacity: 4

Room types: 2-person apartment, 3-person apartment, 4-person apartment

Roncalli Hall

Room types: traditional rooms

Rubenstein Hall

Capacity: 363

Room types: 4-person apartments, 6-person apartments, 2- or 3-person apartments

Shaw House

Room types: traditional rooms

Stayer Hall

Capacity: 6

Room types: 6-person suites, 8-person suites

Thomas More Apartments

Capacity: 4

Room types: 4-person apartments, 6-person apartments

Vanderslice Hall

Capacity: 423

Room types: 8-person suites, 9-person suites

Voute Hall

Capacity: 218

Room types: 4-person apartments

Walsh Hall

Capacity: 789

Room types: 4-person suites, 8-person suites

Welch Hall

Room types: traditional rooms

Williams Hall

Capacity: 160

Room types: traditional rooms

Xavier Hall

Capacity: 560

Room types: traditional rooms

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Private Non-Profit

Email Domain

@bostoncollege.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

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