Boston College Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Boston College (BC) admitted 5,497 students out of 39,686 applicants for the Class of 2029, giving it an acceptance rate of 13.9%.

Early Decision (ED) results for the Class of 2030 have been released, but the college has not yet shared detailed admissions data. Regular Decision (RD) announcements are expected in April 2026. BC sometimes releases headline figures shortly after decisions through university news or student media, but full statistics typically appear later in the Common Data Set.

In this blog, we’ll walk through Boston College’s latest available overall, early, regular, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and see how they’ve changed over time.

• Boston College Acceptance Rates
• Boston College Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Boston College Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Boston College Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Boston College Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Boston College Acceptance Rates

Boston College’s acceptance rate dropped to 13.9% for the Class of 2029, down from 16.19% for the Class of 2028. The decline was driven mainly by a surge in applications, from 34,779 to 39,681, while the number of admitted students held steady at around 5,500.

This tracks with Boston College’s broader trend of steadily declining acceptance rates over the past decade. Here’s the full picture:

Note: All data has been compiled from Boston College’s Common Data Set.

Applications surged from 28,454 for the Class of 2021 to a peak of 40,346 for the Class of 2026, driven in part by BC’s shift to test-optional admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite receiving the highest number of applications on record that cycle, BC admitted only 16.68% of applicants, roughly half the 32.41% rate from just five years prior.

Applications dipped to the mid-30,000s for the next few cycles, but admits also fell to around 5,600, keeping the rate in the 15-16% range. Then, for the Class of 2029, applications climbed back up to 39,681 while admits dropped to 5,497, pushing the acceptance rate to its lowest point in recent years at 13.85%.

Boston College Early Decision Acceptance Rate

Boston College has shared ED estimates for the Class of 2029. Roughly 5,000 students applied ED with around 30% admitted, putting the estimated number of admits at roughly 1,500. These are estimates and the exact figures will be updated once BC releases its full Common Data Set.

As for the Class of 2030, ED results have been released, but BC has not yet shared detailed stats. Since BC doesn’t follow a consistent schedule for publishing its Common Data Set, we’ll update this section as soon as the numbers become available.

Boston College Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Before diving into the numbers, it’s worth noting that BC switched from Early Action (EA) to ED starting with the Class of 2024. The policy change led to a drop in early applications and a bump in the admit rate, which hit 37% for that first ED cycle. Here’s how the numbers break down:

Note: Class of 2029 figures are estimates based on Boston College’s official website. All other Early Decision data come from its Common Data Set and early admissions announcements.

Early applications dropped sharply from 15,862 to 3,920 after BC made the switch, resulting in nearly a 9-point spike in the admit rate for that first cycle. That kind of drop is common with ED because the binding policy requires admitted students to enroll, discouraging those who are still weighing multiple colleges. Since then, early applications have stabilized between roughly 3,200 and 4,300, with admit rates ranging from 28% to 39%, including 30% for the Class of 2029.

Still, applying ED gives you significantly better odds. The latest ED admit rate of approximately 30% is more than twice the admit rate of 11.53% for RD, reflecting how much Boston College prioritizes applicants who demonstrate it’s their top-choice school.

Boston College Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

Based on available estimates for the Class of 2029, approximately 34,681 students applied RD with around 3,997 admitted, putting the RD acceptance rate at 11.53%. The exact figures will be confirmed once BC publishes its Common Data Set.

RD results for the Class of 2030 are expected in April 2026, though detailed statistics will likely appear later once BC releases the data.

Boston College Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Boston College’s RD acceptance rate has fallen steadily over the past decade, dropping from 32.50% for the Class of 2021 to just 11.53% for the Class of 2029. Here’s a closer look at the numbers:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting early admissions data from overall totals in Boston College’s official admissions announcements and Common Data Set.

Boston College’s RD applications rose from 25,480 for the Class of 2024 to a peak of 36,625 for the Class of 2025, when more than 6,000 students were admitted. Since then, applications have settled in the mid-to-low 30,000s, reaching 34,681 for the Class of 2029. Meanwhile, admits have dropped to just 3,997, pushing the RD acceptance rate down to approximately 11.53%.

Overall, the numbers show how Boston College has tightened its RD admissions even as application numbers remain high.

Boston College Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available BC transfer data comes from Fall 2024, with an acceptance rate of 27.70%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Boston College’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

At 27.70%, BC’s transfer acceptance rate is significantly higher than the overall freshman rate of 16.19% for the same cycle, making the transfer path noticeably less competitive than applying as a first-year student. While Boston College typically admits around 200 transfer students per year, the admit rate can fluctuate depending on the number of available spots in a given cycle.

Boston College Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent waitlist data is from the Class of 2028, with an acceptance rate of 8.50%. Here’s how it breaks down:

Note: All data has been compiled from Boston College’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Out of 7,444 students placed on the waitlist, 4,139 accepted their spot and BC admitted 352, resulting in a waitlist acceptance rate of 8.50%. That’s still lower than the overall acceptance rate of 16.19% for the Class of 2028, showing that getting off the waitlist remains competitive.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Boston College’s current acceptance rate?

Boston College’s current acceptance rate is 13.85% for the Class of 2029. Out of 39,681 applicants, 5,497 were admitted.

2. Is it easier to get into Boston College through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Yes, applying ED gives you much better odds. The most recent ED acceptance rate was roughly 30% for the Class of 2029, compared to 11.53% for RD that same cycle. Still, ED applicants tend to have some of the strongest profiles, so the round remains competitive.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Boston College?

It’s competitive, but less so than first-year admissions. BC’s transfer admit rate for Fall 2024 was 27.70%, significantly higher than the overall freshman rate of 16.19% for the same cycle.

4. What are my chances of getting off Boston College’s waitlist?

It depends on the year and BC’s enrollment needs. The college states that they typically admit around 200 students, but for the Class of 2028, BC admitted 352 out of 4,139 confirmed waitlisted students, resulting in an 8.50% waitlist acceptance rate.

5. Why is Boston College’s acceptance rate so low?

More students are applying and fewer are being admitted. BC’s applicant pool grew from 28,454 for the Class of 2021 to 39,681 for the Class of 2029, while admits dropped from 9,223 to 5,497 over the same period, pushing the acceptance rate from 32.41% down to 13.85%.

Takeaways

• Boston College’s acceptance rate was 32.41% for the Class of 2021 and has since fallen to 13.85% for the Class of 2029, reflecting a decade of growing applicant pools and fewer admits.
• ED applicants have a significantly higher chance of admission than RD applicants, with the most recent ED rate at 30% compared to 11.53% for RD for the Class of 2029.
• BC has been slow to publish its Common Data Set, so full admissions data for the Class of 2029 is not yet available, with only official estimates released so far.
• Transfer and waitlist admission are both possible but competitive. BC’s Fall 2024 transfer rate was 27.70%, while the waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 8.50%.
• With acceptance rates at record lows, thoughtful guidance can make a real difference. Working with an admissions expert can help you refine your application, highlight your strengths, and better understand what Boston College looks for in applicants.