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      Boston University

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      Boston University reviews

      4.2

      81% would recommend to a friend

      (3,692 total reviews)

      Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam

      91% approve of CEO

      64% positive business outlook

      Ratings by category

      4.1

      Diversity & inclusion

      4.1

      Work/Life balance

      4.0

      Culture & values

      3.8

      Career opportunities

      3.7

      Senior management

      3.6

      Compensation and benefits

      Boston University has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 3,692 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Boston University employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Educación industry (3.7 stars).

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Reviews by job title

      4K reviews
      5.0
      Dec 16, 2008

      BU is a good destination for a postdoc

      Graduate student
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Because BU is not Harvard or MIT, it tends to be a little more low key. This is a bit of a double-edged sword. Being a grad student, you definitely sense a bit of the inferiority complex, but at the same time, it's not nearly as cutthroat and allows you a little more freedom to live life outside of the lab. And being in Boston has it's perks both socially and academically. There are great resources in this town and ample opportunity for collaboration. For a postdoc position it would be a good place interact with a vibrant scientific community without a lot of the insane academic rivarly that might come with some other places.

      Cons

      It's not Harvard or MIT

      1.0
      Aug 20, 2008

      Great job if you want to pursue a PhD

      Graduate research assistant
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      The Research Assistant (RA) position is one of two methods for engineers to receive a Master of Science Degree for free. The other is a Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) which I am unable to comment on. The RA works 20 hours per week on research while taking two classes each semester. You have a large amount of control over the way you go about your research although your advisor will step in and micromanage if you are not making progress. The work / life balance definitely leans more towards "life" than "work". If you take summer courses you can finish in 1.5 years. Overall the RA is a great opportunity to get a MS in engineering relatively quickly without accumulating large amounts of debt.

      Cons

      As an RA you are at the mercy of your advisor. Most RA's work more than 20 hours per week although I was lucky enough to keep my hours down. Upon entering a research program many MS students hope to deliver some sort of a completed project, whether it be a piece of software or a hardware component. The reality is that professors want students who are interested in learning for the sake of learning. If you are motivated by delivering a completed project this is not the job for you. Unless you plan on pursuing a career in the area of your research, it does not add much strength to your resume. If you plan on working in industry after you graduate, a GTF position will give you a more marketable skillset.

      Viewing 3679 - 3681 of 3,692 Reviews
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      ReviewsBoston University reviews

      Glassdoor has 4,078 Boston University reviews submitted anonymously by Boston University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Boston University is right for you.