What is Boston University Known For?

What’s Covered:

• Overview of Boston University Admissions
• Unique Aspects of Boston University
• What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Boston University?

Boston University sits on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. The University takes pride in creating an environment where students are both part of a college community and a large urban scene. With outstanding academics and a diverse range of extracurricular activities, BU has a lot to offer college students.

Keep reading to learn about Boston University’s admissions process and what sets it apart—from academics to campus life and beyond.

Overview of Boston University Admissions

Location: Boston, Massachusetts 

Undergraduate Enrollment: 18,805

Acceptance Rate: 11%

Middle 50% SAT: 1430-1510

Middle 50% ACT: 32-34

Boston University has high admission standards. In addition to the test scores listed above, first-time first-year students enrolled in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle had a high school GPA of 3.9.

With a large applicant pool, BU looks for students who challenged themselves in high school and typically accepts students involved in dual-enrollment, AP, and IB programs. BU is test-optional through the 2028–2029 application cycle, meaning students may choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

BU accepts Early Decision, Early Decision 2, and Regular Decision applicants. 

BU requires applicants to complete the Common Application or the Questbridge Application. Certain schools, like the School of Music, the School of Theatre, and the School of Visual Arts, have supplemental requirements. 

Unique Aspects of Boston University

Majors and Minors

BU offers over 100 majors, and students aren’t required to choose one until the end of their sophomore year. The most popular fields of study include business and marketing, social sciences, communications and journalism, biological and life sciences, and computer and information science.

If your schedule permits, it’s easy to add one of BU’s over 90 minors to your graduation plan. BU’s majors and minors are offered through 11 undergraduate schools and colleges: 

• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Communication
• College of Engineering
• College of Fine Arts
• College of General Studies
• Faculty of Computing and Data Science 
• Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies
• Questrom School of Business
• Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
• School of Hospitality Administration
• Wheelock College of Education & Human Development

When applying to BU, you must apply to a specific school or college. If you do not have a specific major in mind, you can apply to the College of General Studies or to the undeclared major in the College of Arts & Sciences. 

Once at BU, it is easy to change your major. Students can change their major within the same school by completing a Change of Major/Minor Form, or students can change to another school through an Intra-University Transfer (IUT). The IUT process may take more time and energy because you must satisfy the Gateway Criteria to complete the process, meaning you must succeed in an introductory course or series of introductory courses in the new school before transferring.

When applying to BU, you may be considered for admission into the College of General Studies, even if these were not your specified programs of interest.

Accelerated Programs

Within the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), many programs offer combined BA/MA and BA/MS paths. If you are a CAS student, you can pursue an accelerated degree in a wide range of programs, including the humanities and STEM fields. 

General Education

The BU Hub, Boston University’s general education program, works across its schools and colleges to cultivate six essential capacities in every student.

• Philosophical, aesthetic, and historical interpretation
• Scientific and social inquiry
• Quantitative reasoning
• Diversity, civic engagement, and global citizenship
• Communication
• Intellectual toolkit (critical thinking, teamwork/collaboration, and research and information literacy)

The curriculum is designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, no matter their major or school. Most students fulfill their Hub requirements in 10-12 courses. Hub courses can count toward major/minor requirements, and students can complete two Hub requirements through Hub Cocurricular Experiences—courses that focus on experiential learning outside of the university. 

Instructional Attention

While Boston University is a large university with more than 18,000 undergraduate students, it’s known for its small 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. This makes BU one of the best universities for instructional attention. Additionally, the average class size at BU is 30. Having meaningful interactions with professors is part of the BU experience.  

Study Abroad

Boston University created one of the country’s first study abroad programs and is considered among the nation’s best. The school offers over 200 programs in over 20 countries. Students often consider studying abroad as one of the most rewarding experiences offered by BU. Within the College of Arts & Sciences alone, over 40% of students study abroad.

The Boston Consortium

Through the Boston Consortium, BU undergraduates can register for one course per semester that is cross-registered at Boston College, Brandeis University, Tufts University, or Hebrew College. This unique arrangement allows students to take courses outside Boston University while still paying tuition and residing at BU. Students may take one course per semester at other universities. 

Location

Boston University is an open campus, meaning that the university itself is integrated with the city of Boston—there’s no distinction between public buildings, private buildings, and BU-owned buildings. That said, the dorms, classrooms, and research centers at Boston University are more condensed than a typical open campus (this is different from a school like NYU, where buildings are spread throughout the boroughs of New York City). 

Students generally agree that, with its close-knit community in a large urban center, Boston University perfectly blends the traditional college campus experience with a city-integrated college experience.

BU buildings center around Commonwealth Avenue. Comm Avenue looks like a typical college street—BU students will tell you that they cannot walk down the street without seeing someone they know. Students love to hang out at the local restaurants, pubs, and shops along Comm Avenue. Though surrounded by quiet residential areas, BU’s campus along the Charles River puts downtown Boston within easy reach.

It’s important to remember that Boston itself is a city made up of colleges. There are over 50 colleges and universities in the greater Boston area. So if you’re looking for a college feel with access to a city, BU is the perfect place.

Dorms

BU requires that freshmen live on campus and guarantees on-campus housing for all four undergraduate years, a guarantee that about two-thirds of students take advantage of. In total, 66% of the BU undergraduates live on campus, making dorms a critical part of student life (even for upperclassmen). Because so many students live on campus throughout their undergraduate years, BU offers a diverse range of housing options, including historic brownstones, modern high-rises, and apartments.

The main BU campus and BU housing options lie along the Charles River in the center of Boston. BU also boasts a Student Village, another vibrant area with a tight student community. Additionally, BU offers housing that emphasizes experiential learning and shared interests. This includes communities like BU’s Earth House, which focuses on sustainable living and environmental justice, and BU’s Global House, which focuses on foreign language proficiency.

Extracurriculars

Boston University has over 450 student groups, including professional organizations, student government and political organizations, community service organizations, and Greek life. Everyone can find something to be a part of. Notable organizations include: 

• Intramural Sports: Intramural sports, like broomball, offer BU students a low-stakes opportunity to get some exercise and make friends

• Greek Life: While only about 20% of BU students “go Greek,” Greek life can become very important for students on campus

• BU Band: The BU Band provides musical opportunities for talented students, regardless of their majors

• Acapella Groups: BU has a number of acapella groups, including the Dear Abbeys, the Allegrettos, the BosTones, and more

• Theatre Groups: On-campus theatre groups include the Boston University Shakespeare Society, BU Stage Troupe, and BU on Broadway

• Cultural Organizations: Different cultural groups have organizations on campus, and some are particularly large, such as Hillel House

BU has 24 NCAA Division 1 varsity sports teams. The most competitive teams at BU are the men’s ice hockey, women’s soccer, and women’s field hockey teams. Around 4% of BU students participate in varsity sports.

Traditions

A common complaint of Boston University is the school’s lack of a football team, two sports do find their way into most students’ experiences at BU: hockey and broomball.

The BU Terriers men’s ice hockey team has been extremely successful—it’s won five NCAA championships and sent more players to the NHL than any other college or university, making hockey a unique focus of campus life. 

Boston University’s biggest rival—often confusing for out-of-staters—is Boston College. When the BU Terriers and BC Eagles face off, the matchup is known as the Green Line Rivalry or the Battle for Commonwealth Avenue. The name nods to the fact that Commonwealth Avenue connects the two campuses, and the MBTA Green Line runs straight down the street, with stops at both schools.

Most students head over to Agganis Arena a few times a year to cheer on the boys. Attendance is aided by the fact that a one-time $140 payment at the beginning of the year gets you into any BU sporting event!

BU’s most popular intramural sport, broomball, is similar to hockey in many ways. In fact, it’s described by the university as “one part ice hockey, one part curling, one part golf, and several thousand parts ridiculousness.” 

Other events that spur on Terrier pride include Lobster Night, a tradition since 1985 where each student at each dining hall chows down on a full steamed lobster with all the fixings, and the BU Pumpkin Drop, an event each October where Physics students launch pumpkins off the roof of Metcalf Center for Science and Engineering.

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Boston University?

While BU’s acceptance rate is low (around 11% in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle), your personal chances of acceptance may vary. We recommend using our free admissions calculator to see your chances of getting into Boston University. Using your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, we’ll estimate your odds of acceptance and give you tips on improving your profile.