Boston College Acceptance Rate: 19%

Shortcuts to sections offered for Boston College prospective students Boston College Acceptance Rate:

Successful Applicant Profile

• Demographics
• Majors
• SAT/ACT scores

Entry Requirements

• Tuition
• Scholarships
• Checklist of Application Requirements
• Application Deadlines

What Should You Expect

• Student life
• Academics offered
• Athletics offered
• Notable Alumni

Boston College is a private Jesuit school located in the heart of the historic and beautiful city of Chestnut Hill, Mass. First founded in 1863, Boston College is in fact classified as an R1 research university, but still uses the word “college” in its official title as a way to honor its rich history as a small liberal arts college.

While Boston College is quite a bit more accessible to get into for students compared to many of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the United States, the Boston College acceptance rates still hover right around 32 percent. That means that only one in four students who apply get in!

When it comes to getting into Boston College, high school students need an experienced and responsible admissions consultant so that one in four students who get into Boston College is them! AdmissionSight has the necessary tools and required resources to help high schoolers make their dream of attending Boston College a reality.

Just like many of the top universities and colleges in the United States, Boston College does not only offer its students an incredible education, it also allows them to take advantage of a proud and engaged alumni network. This can help students in so many ways.

From getting that first summer internship to meeting new friends and communities, to even landing that dream job right out of college. Going to Boston College helps the most dedicated and passionate youngsters get the leg up in life that they need to achieve their goals.

While Boston College is hard to get into, it’s all worth it when you look at the education you can receive and the fantastic networks that you can be a part of.

Boston College’s acceptance rate currently sits at 32 percent. It’s certainly higher than the most competitive schools in the country, but a whole lot lower than many more. Based on our analysis, students who are able to earn a high school GPA of 3.9 and an ACT score of 32 or SAT score of 1366 should have a great chance of gaining acceptance to Boston College.

However, before we dive into all that, let’s quickly break down how you should create an applicant profile that will make you look as attractive to the Boston College admissions officers as possible.

Successful Applicant Profile

Boston College offers an incredibly diverse and engaging list of academic programs. On top of that, some of the best undergraduate professors in the country work full-time at Boston College as part of their faculty. Perhaps that is why a total of 31,000 high school students applied last year (with only 8,4000 accepted).

While doing well on your standardized test of course matters if you are trying to get into Boston College, a student’s GPA as well as the rigor of their high school course load matters a lot as well.

This means that if you are dedicated to getting to Boston College, you will want to take challenging courses and excel in them! This includes courses within the AP program, which can look especially good to college admissions officers.

Where are the applicants from?

When it comes to Boston College, one thing to know is that as a Jesuit school, Boston College is not blind to religion. In fact, students who identify as practicing Catholics may receive priority over students of a different religious affiliation.

With that being said, Boston College remains as diverse as many of the other top universities in the country. While the majority of domestic students do come from the New England and East Coast area of the United States, Boston College is also a favorite choice amongst students from sunny California.

At least 49 international countries are also represented in the Boston College student body, with some of the most popular including China, South Korea, and Spain. About 11 percent of the current student body is made up of international students!

When it comes to demographics, women are the majority within the Boston College student body, outweighing the men at 53.6 percent to 46.4 percent. Just over 60 percent of the student body identifies as white, 10.2 percent as Hispanic/Latino, 9.5 percent as Asian, and 4.0 percent as Black or African American.

When it comes to Boston College, the school is more ethnically, geographically, and gender diverse compared to the national average.

What are the common programs?

For students at Boston College, some of the most popular programs include Economics, General Finance, General Biology/Biological Sciences, General Speech Communication and Rhetoric, and Psychology.

There is a long is of exciting and engaging majors, whatever your passion, you will surely find a major that will help you pursue the collegiate experience and career after graduating that you are dreaming of.

What is the average SAT/ACT score of affiliated students?

While the acceptance rate into Boston College is higher than Ivy League schools and some of the most competitive schools across the country, it is still highly competitive. When it comes to getting into Boston College, students need pretty fantastic standardized testing scores.

When it comes to the SAT, students will have to score somewhere between 1320 and 1490 out of the total 1600 in order to maximize their chances of getting into Boston College.

As for the ACT, students will want to score somewhere between a 31 and a 34 out of the perfect 36 in order to gain admittance to Boston College.

The average weighted GPA of students who gained admission to Boston College was 4.06. This means that taking accelerated courses such as AP courses is highly recommended. You will need to reach as high as possible to improve your chances of getting in.

Entry Requirements

Boston College is an elite university and currently has a total undergraduate enrollment of 9,377 students that call the 371-acre campus in Chestnut Hill home.

When it comes to the cost of Boston College, is it quite expensive to go there? However, it is fully worth it considering the top-notch education and network that opens up to you once you enroll.

Whether you get admitted or not does not just depend on your scores and grades. It also heavily depends on your extracurricular activities, the difficulty of your coursework, personal statements, and essays, as well as your letters of recommendation from your high school teachers and/or counselors.

With that being said, before you jump to start your application, take a look at the cost of attendance, as well as what type of financial aid might be available to you.

How much will it cost to attend?

When it comes to Boston College, the tuition is $57,910. That is nearly $20,000 more than the national average cost of tuition of $40,550.

When it comes to the price of room and board for Boston College students, you can expect to pay approximately $14,800.

With those two prices, as well as library services, books and materials, student gym facilities, student centers, and more come in at around a hefty $75,886.

Luckily, there are a lot of options for financial aid available for students who are dedicated to attending Boston College.

What financial aid opportunities are available?

Financial aid refers to funding that is specifically allocated for students who are awarded scholarships based on need or merit.

Need-based aid is determined by your family’s demonstrated ability to pay for college. This is calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA. The average amount of a need-based scholarship at Boston College last year came out at $41,896.

Merit-based aid, also called non-need-based aid is awarded for a specific talent or athletic or academic achievement. In 2020, the average non-need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at Boston College was $5,181.

Below is a graph showing the percentage of students who had their needs met. As you can see, Boston College boasts a perfect 100 percent.

What are the application requirements for Boston College?

Boston College accepts the Common Application and requires that all of its applications be completed and submitted online.

• When it comes to applying, candidates are required to apply to one of the university’s four undergraduate academic divisions: The Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, or Connell School of Nursing.
• From there, students must submit a Boston College Writing Supplement, which has a word limit of 400.
• From there, students will have to submit their standardized testing scores. They accept either the ACT or SAT tests.
• Students will also have to submit their curriculum and transcript. The transcript must be sent by the high school and can be submitted online at org
• Beyond that, students are required to submit a list of supporting materials such as the following:
  • School report and counselor recommendation form
  • Teacher evaluations
  • Mid-year grade report (for first-year applications)
• Finally, the application fee for students who are applying to Boston College is $80

It is crucial that you double-check everything once you have filled it out, but before you submit your application.

Important dates for your Boston College application?

Much like many of the most competitive universities in the country, Boston College offers a range of application options and dates. In all, Boston College offers Early Decision I, Early Decision II, Regular Decision, and a Spring Freshman application date. Below is a table from Boston College’s official site that details the days in which you will have you apply to meet these deadlines.

What to Expect

Boston College is one of the most well-respected and historical universities. It was founded back in 1863 and has a beautiful suburban campus that spans 175 acres. Boston College utilizes the semester-based calendar.

The Chestnut Hill main campus is just six miles away from downtown Boston. The campus boasts over 120 buildings and the campus is located on the National Register of Historic Places.

Boston College opens students’ eyes to top-notch education and a diverse and educated student body. There is no question that students at Boston College get what they want out of undergraduate experience and more. But don’t take AdmissionSight’s word for it, see what current and former students at Boston College have said about their experiences.

What do students think of life at Boston College?

Often, the best way to get a feel for how students feel about a school is to speak to them one-on-one about their experience.

Thanks to the site Niche, you don’t have to worry about not knowing any students who are currently attending or have attended Boston College. Here are some of the best quotes about attending Boston College that we found:

“I love Boston College. I feel like I have made friends with similar values and work ethics as me but that I have also been introduced to new ways of thinking and cultures. I have always felt academically challenged but also supported.”

“Boston College has great professors and provides a great education to its students. I personally loved the vast number of student groups offered on campus, and was always in awe of the beautiful architecture on campus.”

“Boston College has a community that I am yet to find anywhere else! People are kind all over campus and the community revolves so much around service to others.

With the many clubs on campus, one can see that it is very easy to get involved with the school and the local community. I have never seen a school with so many people as involved as they are here at BC”

When it comes to Boston College there are countless incredible programs for you to get involved here. Here, you can pursue your passions out of the classroom. Better yet, if there is not already a group or club dedicated to your interests, the school gives you the tool to create your own!

That being said, here are some of the most popular clubs that already exist on campus:

• Bike BC
• Boston
• Bystander Intervention
• Cura
• BC TV
• FACES
• Jammin’ Toast
• Moneythink
• Start at Shea
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Buddhism Club

You can get more information about campus life and the admissions process at Boston College by calling the undergraduate admission office at 617-552-3100 or by emailing them at [email protected].

What academics are offered?

Boston College has one of the best student-to-faculty-ratios in the United at an astounding 11:1, and nearly half of the classes that are offered have less than 20 students per class. Boston College is a research university that is comprised of eight colleges and schools:

• Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
• Carroll School of Management
• Lynch School of Education and Human Development
• Connell School of Nursing
• Boston College School of Social Work
• Boston College Law School
• Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
• Woods College of Advancing Studies

In all, students need 120 total credits to graduate. In all, this includes 45 credits in the school’s Core Curriculum, 30 to 36 credits in a major department, and elective courses in other departments.

What athletic options are available to you?

The Boston College teams are known as the Eagles and compete in the NCAA Division I level for all sports except men’s lacrosse for every sport since the 2005-05 season. Primarily, their most popular sports include football and hockey, but there are many more teams available for student-athletes.

The others include:

• Basketball
• Baseball
• Soccer
• Women’s lacrosse
• Softball
• Wrestling

Notable non-varsity sports include rugby and men’s rowing.

Who are some famous Boston College alumni?

Boston College has a number of famous and influential alumni including politicians, business people, entertainers, artists, and more. Some of the most famous include:

• Brian Leetch
• Amy Poehler
• Leonard Nimoy
• Ed McMahon
• Tip O’Neill
• John Wieners
• Cheryl Jacques
• John Kerry
• John F. Fitzgerald

Do you hope to one day see your name on this list? You can achieve all that and more with the right test scores, grades, extracurriculars, and well-written essays.

Boston College may be amongst the toughest schools to get into in the country, but there is little doubt that you have what it takes!

A strong letter of recommendation and essay can do incredible things for your application. On top of that, having a tough course schedule and being passionate about what you do out of class also helps.

Here in AdmissionSight, we can help you make the most out of your achievements and compelling stories in the best light so that you can get the leg up you need to make your application stand out!