Issuu

INSIDE

INDEX

THIS ISSUE

NEWS...........A2 ARTS...........A7 METRO........A4 OPINIONS.....A8 FOOD..........A5 SPORTS.........A9 MAGAZINE....A6

www.bcheights.com

Monday, April 11, 2022

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

MAGAZINE

OPINIONS

In her final column, Grace Christenson reflects on finding her voice and how she realized she has stories worth telling.

Try Res walks, journaling, and other ways to beat academic burnout this semester.

Young Talent Shines in Spring Game

FEATURED GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CORRIGAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

BC Admits 16 Percent of Applicants to Class of 2026 By Sofia Laboy Asst. News Editor Beth Verghese Asst. News Editor

Boston College accepted 16 percent of a record-high 40,477 applicants for the Class of 2026, according to a University release. Four years ago, the University admitted the Class of 2022 with a then-record-low 27 percent acceptance rate. Now, that acceptance rate has dropped by almost 41 percent. “BC is getting more ‘best-fit’ students than ever in our applicant pool, who see themselves as aligning with BC expectations and values,” said Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin in the release. Students averaged 1510 on the SAT and 34 on the ACT this year. Though BC is test optional, 67 per-

cent of admitted students submitted standardized test scores. Forty-two percent of admitted students identify as AHANA+ students, with nine percent international and 11 percent first-generation college students. Early decision (ED) students account for approximately half of this year’s admitted students. The introduction of BC’s ED I and ED II program in 2019 and the test-optional admission plan account for the recent trends in BC’s increasing selectivity, according to Gosselin. “We have every reason to believe that the degree of academic excellence among our undergraduates will continue to rise,” Gosselin said. Lucy Michael, a current senior at The Harley School in Rochester, N.Y. and MCAS ’26, applied ED II to BC, explaining that she would pick BC out

of all of the other schools she applied to “in a heartbeat.” “I love the culture of it—the sports and academics balance,” Michael said. “And it’s also just the prettiest campus I visited out of all my college tours.” Michael said the variety of classes BC offers also caught her eye. “I was looking into the classes, [and] they all seem really interesting,” Michael said. “Not that I’m really looking forward to class, but they seem better than other schools I’ve seen.” Giovanna Giuditta, a senior at Ridge High School in New Jersey and MCAS ’26, said she decided to apply to BC after hearing about her brothers’ positive experiences at the University and learning about BC’s strong Jesuit values.

See 2026, A2

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

By Jack Bergamini Assoc. Podcast Editor

No tackling. Quarterbacks can’t be sacked. Punts with zero pressure. Head coach Jeff Hafley crouching 10 yards behind the offense every play while standing on the field. It seems like the NFL Pro Bowl, but it’s Boston College football’s annual Jay McGillis Spring Game. “We ran like three or four offensive plays today,” Hafley said in his postgame press conference, alluding to the game’s relaxed tone. “The biggest takeaway is you have to teach those young guys that [the reason] you make practice harder than the game is so when you go out there, you can play confident and let it go.” BC’s roster was divided into Team Boston and Team Eagles. Phil Jurkovec led Team Boston, while backup quarterback Emmett Morehead led Team Eagles with Alec Sinkfield at running back.

BC named senior Jaiden Woodbey the recipient of the Jay McGillis Scholarship, given to the defensive back that best exemplifies the qualities of team leadership and dedication. Woodbey, a 6-foot defensive back, recorded 55 tackles and two interceptions last season, his first year on the Heights, after spending three years at Florida State. “I feel like this is such a great honor just for the simple fact that I didn’t start my career at BC,” Woodbey said. “So for me to come here and just get the trust and the development from the coaches and for them to reward me, you know, it’s amazing. The first half featured a scrimmage style of play, while the second half featured a running, 35-minute clock with a more situational style of play. In the second half, reserve quarterbacks Jack Brandon, Matthew Rueve, and Daelen Menard switched in, and Team Boston earned a 22–10 victory.

See Football, A9

Metro

Newton Joins MBTA Youth Pass Program

By Caitlin Clary Heights Staff

The City of Newton has announced plans to join the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Youth Pass program, which provides some people from ages 12 to 25 with substantial discounts and affordable access to public transportation in Greater Boston. An MBTA Youth Pass will allow eligible Newtonians to purchase one-way fares at a 50 percent discount and monthly LinkPasses for $30, according to an April 1 news-

letter from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. A regular monthly LinkPass costs $90. According to Nicole Freedman, the city’s director of transportation planning, the goal of the Youth Pass program is to accommodate the needs of lower-income communities in commuting to work, school, and other functions. Newton’s poverty rate is 4.3 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. “There are substantial numbers of people in Newton that are low income, and we want to make sure that we are supporting them,” Freedman

said. “I think these people are overlooked. Newton is a higher-income town, but there are definitely people that are struggling. I absolutely feel that it is important that we focus on these people.” The reduced-cost LinkPasses can be used at any area bus, subway, and Fairmount Line Zone 1A commuter station, according to the newsletter. The 50 percent one-way fares apply to Commuter Rail, Express Bus, and ferry rides purchased by Youth Pass holders.

See MBTA, A4

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR