Admissions
Getting in, fall 2026
Boston admits about 1 in 7 applicants (13%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 97% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Applicants from Massachusetts and from other states were admitted at similar rates (17% and 16%).
$80 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Women were admitted at 14%, men at 20%.
Yield
43% of admitted students enroll, one of the highest nationally.
Wait list: 7,444 offered a place, 4,139 accepted, 352 admitted (8.5% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 33% admitted
1,434 of 4,288 early applicants
Apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 2; decisions by Feb 15
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Early action (not binding)
Where you stand
How Boston reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both important. Scores are required. 30% of first-years sent an SAT and 15% an ACT. Of the 27% whose high school reported a rank, 90% were in the top tenth.
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Important | ||||
| Essay | Important | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Important | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Important | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test required; other tests considered
Transferring in
28% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 13% of first-year applicants
1,480 applied · 410 admitted · 181 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
At least 9 credits completed to apply as a transfer.
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date March 15
- Spring entry: priority date November 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by January 2 for fall 2025.
- Decisions are sent by April 1.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year (2 years for.
Recent change: Stopped requiring high school GPA (still considered) in fall 2024.
Recent change: Requires the SAT or ACT again, for students entering in fall 2026.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2024 first-years
First-years' high school class rank
90% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 97% in the top quarter, of the 27% whose high school reported a rank.
This college doesn't publish first-years' .
Source:Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1490 on the SAT, 320 points above the median for colleges that report scores. It requires SAT or ACT scores again from students entering in fall 2026.
Required
Send SAT or ACT scores: they're required to be considered. For students entering in fall 2026.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
These scores are from the class that entered in fall 2024, before the change.
Score bands
Nearly all who sent an SAT (95%) scored 1400 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (99%) scored 30 or higher.
86% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an SAT (92%) scored 700 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (98%) scored 30 or higher.
80% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
Shares of the 30% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 15% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
711 studentssubmitted ACT
366 studentsRead with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:Boston College (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)