Men's Lacrosse Students Make Most of CAS-to-Questrom Journey
September 21, 2018 | Men's Lacrosse
Boston University student-athletes have an opportunity to pursue a wide variety of studies upon their arrival on Comm. Ave., no matter what school accepts them as freshmen.
While some students don't necessarily enter the school of their choice right away, BU offers a path to allow students to enroll in whatever school they wish should they meet the necessary requirements. This is particularly true for students wishing to study in the prestigious Questrom School of Business. Some men's lacrosse players are accepted into Questrom as freshmen, but others, like seniors James Burr, Tristan Ruh and Drew Lukacs, have transitioned from the College of Arts and Sciences into Questrom seamlessly. These seniors have shown incredible success with their ability to balance playing high-level lacrosse while also committing to a high level of academics.
We asked James, Tristan and Drew about their academic path while at BU and shared their thoughts below.
What was the transition like going from CAS to Questrom, especially in your sophomore and junior year?
James Burr: My transition from CAS to Questrom was as easy as it gets, and actually gave me a slight edge in terms of completing my non-Questrom requirements. Although I did not take the one Questrom course that Questrom freshmen are allowed to take in their fall semester, I took that course in the spring. The only difference between CAS students and Questrom students the fall of freshman year was that one course.
Tristan Ruh: My transition from CAS to Questrom initially started in the spring of my freshman year. Once I was accepted into Questrom after passing Intro to Finance and Intro to Business Ethics, the two required prerequisites, I was surprised to find out that I had been fulfilling class requirements for Questrom while enrolled in CAS. My transition into Questrom officially ended in the fall of my sophomore year.
Drew Lukacs: I started my switch from CAS to Questrom during of the spring of my freshman year and was officially enrolled in Questrom at the start of my sophomore year. The transition went very well for me and I did not fall behind any of my peers that started in Questrom. Similar to CAS freshmen, Questrom freshmen take all the introductory-level courses at Boston University (economics, writing, calculus and other electives of your choice), so we all took the same classes going into our sophomore year at Questrom.
How did your transition between schools affect your lacrosse?
TR: The transition had little to no impact on my lacrosse.
DL: The transition between schools did not affect my lacrosse at all. Of course, the workload at Questrom can be much larger sometimes, but that is just part of the sacrifice you make when you're a Division I athlete at a great business school.
Did you feel as if you were adequately prepared for the workload/class load in Questrom?
JB: Since the only difference between starting in CAS and starting in Questrom is taking SM131 in the fall (if you're in Questrom) rather than the spring (if you're in CAS), the workload was pretty much the same either way. I feel that people over-exaggerate that the transition from CAS to Questrom is hard or that it leaves you a step behind Questrom students. You only are one semester behind in one class, and I made up the difference before I finished my freshman year.
TR: I felt as though the workload for Questrom was intense at first, but once I got used to the way Questrom professors and classes operated, I learned how to manage my time and work smarter rather than harder.
DL: I was definitely prepared for the workload going into Questrom after learning some great study habits during my semester in CAS. The courses at Questrom are difficult, but all of the professors do an amazing job teaching and every class is both a fun and interesting experience.
Were there any benefits in not going to Questrom right away? Do you feel a bit more well-rounded having gone through CAS?
JB: It actually has benefited me that I started in CAS now that I am in my upper-level finance classes that I started in CAS. Because I did not take SM131 in my first semester here, I was able to focus on the CAS elective courses that are required of all Questrom students. Now that I am in the core classes of my major, I have those electives out of the way, something which some seniors who started in Questrom are still dealing with.
TR: Since Questrom requires you to take a fair number of classes in CAS in order to graduate, my time in CAS freshman year helped me complete most of those requirements early on. I don't think there is any real benefit to starting off in Questrom or in CAS. You end up in the same spot academically at the end of the day.
DL: I chose to go into CAS initially because there were a ton of options there and I did not know right away what I wanted to do. Furthermore, I knew that the switch from CAS to Questrom was a pretty easy option if I wanted to choose that route. I do feel a bit more well-rounded by taking CAS courses during my freshman year. I am getting my minor in history of art & architecture as well, so I am still taking CAS courses today. In fact, I would recommend getting a minor at CAS to become a more well-rounded Questrom student.
What was your experience in Questrom like, especially as a student-athlete?
JB: As a student athlete, being in Questrom is definitely a challenge, as it is one of the harder schools at BU. But just as you learn to adapt and adjust to the fast pace and packed schedule of college lacrosse, you adjust pretty easily to the academic workload as well. As an undergrad in business school, the work typically involves a lot of reading and is math-centric, with not too many long essays to write, which is something I've enjoyed.
TR: Being an athlete in Questrom makes you unique to your classmates. When working in teams, as you often do in Questrom classes, it is easy to tell that the athletes have superior teamwork skills. Athletes have an advantage when it comes to working with teammates and being effective communicators when compared to the average Questrom student.
DL: My experience at Questrom has been nothing but great. The professors are passionate about the courses they teach and love helping students out in any way possible. I have great connections with my professors who have actively helped me get internships in the past and are currently helping me land a dream job for after graduation. As a student-athlete in Questrom, the professors are very supportive and helpful if I have to navigate any obstacles for lacrosse-related activities, including games and travel. They make sure I have all the resources I need to succeed in the classroom and will continue to help me grow in whatever career path I choose.
James, Tristan and Drew are three of many students across campus who take this route into Questrom. Juniors Joe McSorley, Nicholas Ellerton, and Connor Pearce are all on similar paths in their pursuit of a degree from Questrom. Their exceptional work in CAS proved they had the academic drive and fortitude to succeed in the ever-challenging Questrom School of Business. James, Tristan and Drew are senior success stories of how, with hard work and dedication to academics, students can reach their highest goals not only at Boston University, but after graduation.
While some students don't necessarily enter the school of their choice right away, BU offers a path to allow students to enroll in whatever school they wish should they meet the necessary requirements. This is particularly true for students wishing to study in the prestigious Questrom School of Business. Some men's lacrosse players are accepted into Questrom as freshmen, but others, like seniors James Burr, Tristan Ruh and Drew Lukacs, have transitioned from the College of Arts and Sciences into Questrom seamlessly. These seniors have shown incredible success with their ability to balance playing high-level lacrosse while also committing to a high level of academics.
We asked James, Tristan and Drew about their academic path while at BU and shared their thoughts below.
What was the transition like going from CAS to Questrom, especially in your sophomore and junior year?
James Burr: My transition from CAS to Questrom was as easy as it gets, and actually gave me a slight edge in terms of completing my non-Questrom requirements. Although I did not take the one Questrom course that Questrom freshmen are allowed to take in their fall semester, I took that course in the spring. The only difference between CAS students and Questrom students the fall of freshman year was that one course.
Tristan Ruh: My transition from CAS to Questrom initially started in the spring of my freshman year. Once I was accepted into Questrom after passing Intro to Finance and Intro to Business Ethics, the two required prerequisites, I was surprised to find out that I had been fulfilling class requirements for Questrom while enrolled in CAS. My transition into Questrom officially ended in the fall of my sophomore year.
Drew Lukacs: I started my switch from CAS to Questrom during of the spring of my freshman year and was officially enrolled in Questrom at the start of my sophomore year. The transition went very well for me and I did not fall behind any of my peers that started in Questrom. Similar to CAS freshmen, Questrom freshmen take all the introductory-level courses at Boston University (economics, writing, calculus and other electives of your choice), so we all took the same classes going into our sophomore year at Questrom.
How did your transition between schools affect your lacrosse?
TR: The transition had little to no impact on my lacrosse.
DL: The transition between schools did not affect my lacrosse at all. Of course, the workload at Questrom can be much larger sometimes, but that is just part of the sacrifice you make when you're a Division I athlete at a great business school.
Did you feel as if you were adequately prepared for the workload/class load in Questrom?
JB: Since the only difference between starting in CAS and starting in Questrom is taking SM131 in the fall (if you're in Questrom) rather than the spring (if you're in CAS), the workload was pretty much the same either way. I feel that people over-exaggerate that the transition from CAS to Questrom is hard or that it leaves you a step behind Questrom students. You only are one semester behind in one class, and I made up the difference before I finished my freshman year.
TR: I felt as though the workload for Questrom was intense at first, but once I got used to the way Questrom professors and classes operated, I learned how to manage my time and work smarter rather than harder.
DL: I was definitely prepared for the workload going into Questrom after learning some great study habits during my semester in CAS. The courses at Questrom are difficult, but all of the professors do an amazing job teaching and every class is both a fun and interesting experience.
Were there any benefits in not going to Questrom right away? Do you feel a bit more well-rounded having gone through CAS?
JB: It actually has benefited me that I started in CAS now that I am in my upper-level finance classes that I started in CAS. Because I did not take SM131 in my first semester here, I was able to focus on the CAS elective courses that are required of all Questrom students. Now that I am in the core classes of my major, I have those electives out of the way, something which some seniors who started in Questrom are still dealing with.
TR: Since Questrom requires you to take a fair number of classes in CAS in order to graduate, my time in CAS freshman year helped me complete most of those requirements early on. I don't think there is any real benefit to starting off in Questrom or in CAS. You end up in the same spot academically at the end of the day.
DL: I chose to go into CAS initially because there were a ton of options there and I did not know right away what I wanted to do. Furthermore, I knew that the switch from CAS to Questrom was a pretty easy option if I wanted to choose that route. I do feel a bit more well-rounded by taking CAS courses during my freshman year. I am getting my minor in history of art & architecture as well, so I am still taking CAS courses today. In fact, I would recommend getting a minor at CAS to become a more well-rounded Questrom student.
What was your experience in Questrom like, especially as a student-athlete?
JB: As a student athlete, being in Questrom is definitely a challenge, as it is one of the harder schools at BU. But just as you learn to adapt and adjust to the fast pace and packed schedule of college lacrosse, you adjust pretty easily to the academic workload as well. As an undergrad in business school, the work typically involves a lot of reading and is math-centric, with not too many long essays to write, which is something I've enjoyed.
TR: Being an athlete in Questrom makes you unique to your classmates. When working in teams, as you often do in Questrom classes, it is easy to tell that the athletes have superior teamwork skills. Athletes have an advantage when it comes to working with teammates and being effective communicators when compared to the average Questrom student.
DL: My experience at Questrom has been nothing but great. The professors are passionate about the courses they teach and love helping students out in any way possible. I have great connections with my professors who have actively helped me get internships in the past and are currently helping me land a dream job for after graduation. As a student-athlete in Questrom, the professors are very supportive and helpful if I have to navigate any obstacles for lacrosse-related activities, including games and travel. They make sure I have all the resources I need to succeed in the classroom and will continue to help me grow in whatever career path I choose.
James, Tristan and Drew are three of many students across campus who take this route into Questrom. Juniors Joe McSorley, Nicholas Ellerton, and Connor Pearce are all on similar paths in their pursuit of a degree from Questrom. Their exceptional work in CAS proved they had the academic drive and fortitude to succeed in the ever-challenging Questrom School of Business. James, Tristan and Drew are senior success stories of how, with hard work and dedication to academics, students can reach their highest goals not only at Boston University, but after graduation.
Players Mentioned
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