Boston is a popular place for graduate students — thousands of them choose to attend school here every year. That may be because there are at least 29 schools with graduate programs in the Boston area to choose from. But what really drives students to choose the Boston area? What makes Boston unique?
There are several reasons, and we’ve highlighted them here. If you’re interested in going to graduate school, take a look at these 10 reasons why graduate students love Boston. They may help you decide if this is the city for you.
1. Boston is “America’s college town.”
There are more than 50 colleges and universities — and more than 250,000 students — in the Boston area. Because of this, Boston is often cited as one of the smartest places on the planet. In fact, Boston has more educated people between the ages of 18 and 34 than any other U.S. city, according to The Business Journals. That means the city is teeming with people who have fresh ideas to contribute to the professional world.
2. Boston is diverse.
Boston is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, with residents speaking more than 200 different languages. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than half of Boston’s residents identify themselves as part of a diverse demographic, and a quarter of residents are foreign-born. That means graduate students looking to increase their cultural awareness are given tons of opportunities to meet and learn from people from all over the world. It also means fantastic ethnic restaurants.
3. Boston is rich in arts, culture, and attractions.
Boston is home to many famous art galleries, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Chain restaurants take a back seat in Boston, where locally owned, one-of-a-kind restaurants reign supreme — from Chinese to Indian to Irish to Mexican fare, Boston is a culinary dreamland. There are several distinctive shopping areas and boutiques, like those on Newbury Street and Downtown Crossing. And if you’re into sports (or even if you’re not), you’ll enjoy historic Fenway Park and the famous Boston Marathon, held on Patriots Day every April. No matter where your interests lie, Boston has something for everyone.
4. Boston is full of history.
As one of the oldest cities in America, Boston is full of rich history and tradition. You can see and feel the deep background simply by walking through the city, where there are cobblestone streets, century-old houses, and countless historical landmarks. The best way to take in the city’s history is through the Freedom Trail, which hosts 16 historically significant sites from the Revolutionary War.
5. Boston is undergoing a Renaissance.
Boston is currently number three in the country for venture capital funding, controlling 11.5 percent of the nation’s venture capital dollars. According to the Boston Globe, local firms tripled the amount of venture capital money they raised in 2013 — in comparison, the amount of money raised nationally decreased overall. Because of this funding, Boston entrepreneurs have overcome some of the biggest hurdles to starting companies, and Cambridge — right across the river from Boston — has been called the new Silicon Valley. This is giving entrepreneurial grad students a promising future in the Boston area.
6. Boston has a thriving startup ecosystem.
Because of that influx of funding, Boston is thriving with startups and small companies. Boston houses several coworking spaces, like the Cambridge Innovation Center and Workbar, which give entrepreneurs a flexible and supportive work environment that allows them to determine the corporate culture they’d like to have in their own businesses. Boston-area grad students who want to start their own business — or work with an already-successful startup — are very likely to get that opportunity.
7. Boston’s tech industry is booming.
The technology industry is bigger in Boston and the Northeast than almost anywhere else in the country. The combination of local research universities, insightful grad students and young professionals, and venture capital funding are spurring the technology innovation, and the Boston area is building all sorts of facilities to further attract the biotechnology industry. A few of the top tech companies in the Boston area include Acquia, Constant Contact, and iRobot, and recent Bentley grads have gone to work for local companies like Attivio, EMC Corporation, and IBM Global Services. The range of Boston’s technology ecosystem is diverse — from big data to robotics to life sciences — which is why tech-focused grad students find Boston a great area to get the skills and experience needed to further their technology careers.
8. Boston houses a large talent pool and lots of job opportunities.
If it’s not obvious by now, Boston’s plethora of higher education institutions positively impact the city in many ways. Because there are so many educated young people in the area, companies are actually locating or relocating to Boston just to take advantage of the large talent pool. And what’s more, grad students find that having so many other talented students and young professionals close by provides ample networking opportunities.
Because of the thriving startup community and booming technology industry, the odds of finding a job in the Boston area are high. There are also tons of internship opportunities for current or recent graduate students. Whether you’re living in Boston just during school or planning to stay after you graduate, there are many opportunities for employment.
9. Boston hosts several professional social activities.
Boston provides a ton of opportunities to learn new things in addition to your formal education. Local schools and businesses are always putting on events, so it’s easy to learn about different industries while meeting people and creating a professional network. Sites like Skillshare, Meet-Up, and Eventbrite will show you hundreds of educational and career-oriented events in the Boston area.
10. Boston is one of the best cities for young professionals.
If these nine facts weren’t enough to convince you that Boston is a great area for young professionals, take it from Forbes — they ranked Boston number five in the top cities in the nation for recent graduates. More than a quarter of Boston’s population is between the ages of 20 and 29, and 33 percent are millennials. This is no coincidence — Boston provides graduate students the opportunities needed to start successful careers.
Boston is best.
There are several things about Boston that set it apart from the rest of the nation. Graduate students love its rich culture, deep history, booming economy, and innovative atmosphere, which is why so many choose to call Boston home. If you’re still deciding where to attend graduate school, keep these things about Boston in mind — you may just find that it’s the right place for you.