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How to Get Into Boston College: Admissions Stats + Tips
Boston College was the first institution of higher education established in Boston. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the university has earned national acclaim and counts among its alumni actress and comedian Amy Poehler, former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State John F. Kerry, sportswriter Bob Ryan, and author Chuck Hogan. What does BC look for in applicants? And how can you improve your chances of admission? Let’s take a look. During the 2024–2025 admission cycle, 34,779 students applied, and 5,632 were admitted, for an acceptance rate of 16%. Of these students, 4,288 applied Early Decision I and II combined, and 1,434 were admitted, resulting in a 34% Early Decision acceptance rate and accounting for more than half of the students enrolled in the 2024-2025 academic calendar. BC’s acceptance rate is quite low, but your personal chances of admission will vary according to your profile strength. Find out your real odds of admission using CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator. This tool uses your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, and other factors to estimate your chances, plus gives you tips on how to improve your profile for success. Boston College does not publish the average GPA of admitted students, but it’s safe to assume they have strong academic profiles—90% of first-time, first-year students enrolling in 2024–2025 graduated in the top 10% of their high school class. The middle 50% SAT range for students enrolling at BC in 2024–2025 was 1460–1520, while the middle 50% ACT range was 33–35. Boston College uses a holistic admissions process, seeking students who demonstrate academic excellence as well as diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences. It’s important to note that the college continues to operate according to Jesuit principles, on which it was founded. “Boston College urges students to look inward but always to reach out—to develop their minds and talents to the fullest and use them in service to others,” the college says. “There is no specific formula to gain admission—our goal is to enroll a class filled with various types of scholars, learning styles, talents, and personalities.” To that end, the college considers “grades, standardized test scores, what you do outside of school, teachers’ and others’ appraisals, and how you express yourself through writing.” According to their 2024-2025 Common Data Set, Boston College considers the following factors “very important”: These factors are “important”: These are “considered”: And these are “not considered”:
[amp-cta id="9459"] Nine out of ten students enrolling at Boston College graduated in the top 10% of their high school class and 97% graduated in the top quarter. Competitive schools such as BC often use the Academic Index, which combines academic factors like GPA and test scores for a single metric that filters out students who don’t meet certain thresholds. Grades alone are not enough, however. BC also wants to see you challenging yourself with the most rigorous classes available to you. Taking AP, IB, and honors courses—and succeeding in them—demonstrates that you are well prepared for BC’s curriculum. If your GPA is lower and you’re earlier on in your high school career, you still have time to increase your GPA. If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to improve your Academic Index is to get high test scores. To be a competitive candidate at BC, you should aim for an SAT or ACT score at or above the 75th percentile of accepted students—1520 or 35, respectively. Anything within the middle 50% range (1460-1520 SAT or 33-35 ACT) is acceptable. Boston College practices test-optional admissions—students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores, and those who choose not to submit them receive full consideration. That said, we recommend taking the SAT or ACT and submitting your score if it falls within the middle 50% range. Historically, applicants who submit test scores are admitted at higher rates than those who do not. During the 2024-25 application cycle, approximately 75% of admitted students submitted SAT and/or ACT scores. You can get recommendations on whether or not to apply test-optional using our free Chancing Engine. Bear in mind that BC superscores, meaning they will only consider your highest section scores for both tests, so it’s in your best interest to take the test more than once. For more guidance, check out these free CollegeVine resources: You know that extracurricular activities are important, but it’s a bit more nuanced than that. First, you should ensure that you have at least a couple of Tier 1-2 activities from the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars. Tier 1-2 activities are the most impressive and unique extracurriculars, such as winning first place in the Math Olympiad or receiving an award from the National Art Honor Society. Meanwhile, Tier 3-4 activities are more common and less specialized, such as minor club leadership or participation. Your activities should also be grouped around one or two themes, so you can demonstrate that you have a “spike”—developed interests in specific areas. For example, BC would rather see that you were president of the Biology club and that you shadowed a doctor at a local hospital to show your interest in medicine, rather than spreading yourself thin in five different clubs and two volunteer positions. Essays help the admissions committee go beyond your statistics to learn who you are as a person. From grappling with critical questions to analyzing the impact of the national reckoning on racial injustice, BC’s prompts are meant to encourage you to probe your thoughts and beliefs to present a clear picture of who you are. Boston College requires applicants to respond to one of four supplemental essay questions (students applying to the Human-Centered Engineering program must answer an additional question). Crafting a compelling essay is a proven strategy for standing out in a competitive applicant pool. The Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate of 34% is considerably higher than the overall acceptance rate of 16%. In general, ED plans do offer admission at a higher rate than Regular Decision plans, so if BC is truly your first choice, it’s in your best interest to apply early. There are some disadvantages to applying ED to BC. If your profile isn’t nearly as strong as that of admitted students, then you won’t gain an appreciable advantage, and your early application is better used elsewhere. Moreover, if financial aid is a concern, you should bear in mind that you won’t be able to compare offers, since ED is binding and you’re locked into attending BC if you’re admitted. While not everybody who is admitted to or attends BC is Catholic, it’s important to remember that the school is Jesuit-affiliated, and this plays a role in your application. Make sure you understand this when you apply. Know, too, that you can exemplify the values of BC without being religious. You should play these qualities up in your application—and if you are Catholic, you should say so. Application Timeline Application Deadline Notification Date Early Decision I November 1 By December 15 Early Decision II January 2 By February 15 Regular Decision January 2 By April 1 The following materials are optional:
What’s Covered:
How Hard Is It to Get Into BC?
Average Academic Profile of Accepted BC Students
GPA
SAT/ACT
What is BC Looking for?
How BC Evaluates Applications
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into BC
1. Achieve the highest grades possible while taking the most challenging classes available.
2. Aim for a 1520 SAT and 35 ACT.
3. Cultivate at least one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”).
4. Write engaging essays.
5. Apply Early Decision.
6. Understand the school’s religious affiliation.
How to Apply to BC
Deadlines
Application Requirements
Learn more about BC
