Boston University
Boston, MA, USA

Admissions

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Key Admission Stats

Institution Type
Private
  • Coed

Need Aware

This school may consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission

Level of Institution
4 Year
Campus Setting
Major city
0
100
19%
Acceptance Rate
75,778
Students Applied
43%
Transfer Acceptance Rate
681
Transfer Students Admitted

Admissions Requirements

SAT
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No
ACT
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No
SAT Subject Tests
Item is checked
Yes
AP Course Credit
Item is checked
Yes
Dual Enrollment
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No
Transcript
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Yes

Important Deadlines

Application TypeApplication DeadlineReply Deadline
Early Decision Acceptance is binding so student must attend college if accepted.November 1
Fall Regular DecisionJanuary 4
Spring Regular DecisionNovember 1
Other
Early Decision 2
January 6
Test Optional
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Yes
Application Fee
$80
Rolling Admissions
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No

Admitted Student Stats

In-State Students
16%
Out-Of-State Students
73%
US States Represented
56
Countries Represented
119
13%
Submitting ACT
32%
Submitting SAT
Average ACT Composite: 33
0
36
Average SAT Composite: 1433
0
1600
SAT Percentiles

Math
25th
700
75th
780
Reading
25th
660
75th
740
3.90
Average GPA
Students Enrolled By GPA

3.75+
54%
3.50 - 3.74
36%
3.25 - 3.49
7%
3.00 - 3.24
3%
Students Enrolled By Class Rank

Top 10%
87
Top 25%
99
Top 50%
100

Admissions Resources

Admissions: visit page
Admissions Email: [email protected]
Admissions Telephone: 617-353-2300
For International Student Services: visit page
For Students with Disabilities: visit page
For Veteran Services: visit page

What Students Are Saying

Get out and enjoy the city. You'll get out of Boston what you put into it, see some music shows, check out the harbor or historical sites.
Get involved with some BU extracurriculars, find a group or activity with other students you can really have fun with, especially intramurals. The SPLASH event at the beginning of the year is great for letting you see what is out there.
Alex from Waco, TX
Look at the Quickie Jobs!
BU offers something called Quickie Jobs which you can make fast cash by doing odd jobs- like babysitting, being a test subject, or mailing paperwork. These jobs are easily accesible and put money in your pocket.

Go to the Hockey Games
Agganis arena is awesome and it really makes you feel that you are apart of a huge family.

If you are a quiet person look into a brownstone
The best decision I made was living in a Bay State B-stone. I have many friends in the noisy residence halls so its nice I have a dorm where I can relax and do work without distractions.
Gabby from NJ
Save save save your money and work work work hard! Then you will get the bang for your buck.
Cristina from Haverstraw, NY
Make sure you end your first semester with good grades because you have to work really hard to recover from poor ones. See your professors for help if you're having any trouble. It really helps to get to know the faculty there, even the ones you don't have classes with. Also, make sure to use every resource you can to really get your money's worth.
JR from Boston, MA
take ap's if your school has them! you're not required to have straight a's to get in. try the sat and act once each, then compare composite scores and retake the one you did better on. (you will usually find one is easier for you, and the other isn't worth stressing about.) do well in school, work hard on your application, be thoughtful in writing your essays and get strong letters of rec. the first semester of senior year does matter so try!!! there are lots of schools in boston, so talk about why you like bu, not just the city. good luck :-)
elizabeth from northern virginia
It's not a party school. It's not high school. However, it can be if you want it to be. Just remember that this is a research-oriented university and everyone here is pretty much a devout nerd.
Katherine from Joliet, IL
Do not attend this school if you are not getting a large scholarship or having wealthy parents. You should calculate your expenses before submitting your deposit to attend this school as I see many students transferring back to community college because they can no longer afford it later on. Prospective students should also be very open to new ideas as Boston University is not a traditional college experience. It does not have the school pride feeling or college campus structure but there is plenty to do if students are willing to step outside their boundaries and do something new. Boston University will not carry your hand through anything while you are there.
Daniel from Staten Island, NY
Try to get good grades in high school so that you can get as much financial aid as possible, other than that just try your best, take the SAT's seriously, take the ACT's since a lot of people do better on them than on the SAT's, and just be ready for a great college experience. Everything you could want is possible at BU.
Chelsea from Rumford, ME
First, academic tips. Get to know your professor as soon as possible. If you are in a lecture setting, it is almost impossible, and sometimes intimidating to speak up in class, but the professors here at BU have great office hours and they make themselves accessible if you can't make it then. They are great and really helpful if you are having problems or just have general questions.
Second, if you can learn/study in groups, start a study group. If not, there are awesome study lounges in Warren Towers, and the other main dorm buildings too, and Mugar library has a great atmosphere to learn. If its a nice day out, BU Beach is an awesome place to lay down and read.

Tips for social aspects of college-life. First off, get to know the students on your floor as soon as possible. If you live in warren towers, which most freshmen choose to live (like me), most people here will be freshmen, and everyone is in the same boat as you. There are people there who have left home for the first time, people who are 10 minutes from home, international students, outgoing and shy people. Getting to know the kids who will be living amongst you for a whole year is a great way to start the year and it makes for a great atmosphere.
Second, allow yourself to try new things. Try new clubs, join an intermural sport, talk to the person who sits next to you in class. Not only will you meet great new people, but you might also discover a new activity you love to do. Here at BU the most popular and the (personally) most fun have been Quidditch, Flag Football, I.M. soccer, Fencing club, and academic clubs.
Michelle from Miami, FL
It is probably good for some people, but I would highly suggest researching about your major or program and comparing it to other schools. If you are pre-med, DO NOT take Chem 101. Take Chem 109 if you can because Chem 101 will ruin your GPA unless you are one of the very, very few people that gets an A or a B. Live in West if you like to party and east if you want to be near classes.
Anonymous from NH