How to Get into Boston College

Boston College is one of the most exclusive and hard to get into universities in the United States, and that means that many students across the country and the world are trying their luck in order to get in. The main draw of this, and other schools in the same elite bracket, is that they can offer some of the best education in order to get students into much higher paying jobs. For the next few months, we will go over how to get into some of the best colleges in the United States in our blogs.

What is Boston College?

Boston College is a small liberal arts college classified as an R1 research University. As a result, the most common majors include business, finance, communication, and psychology.

Testing Scores for Admission

The average SAT score for the class of 2026 is between 1430 and 1510, and the average ACT score for accepted students was between 33 and 34. 79% of students were in the top 10% of their class. Reading all of these numbers, it seems that it is equally important to do well on the SAT and/or ACT as it is to get a good GPA.

Acceptance & Graduation Rate

Out of the around 40,000 students who applied to Boston College for admission in Fall of 2022, only 16% were accepted. This places the acceptance rate three percentage points lower than the class of 2025, where it was at 19%. The early decision acceptance rate is a little higher, at around 27% and early decision applicants make up half of the student body for the class of 2026. The graduation rate, as of the previous graduating class is said to be around 92%.

How Are Applicants Rated?

Boston College considers both the rigor of classes taken in secondary school and the GPA of students as “very important”. “Important” factors are class rank, essays, extracurriculars, and volunteer work. “Considered” factors include race, ethnicity, and work status.

Tips to Get Into Boston College

  • There are no interviews for applicants at Boston College, so hopeful students will need to get in touch with an admissions officer by having either a standout personal statement or recommendations.
  • Boston College does not consider demonstrated interest as one of their criteria for acceptance, but it is never a bad idea to show that you are interested in the school or get in touch with an admissions officer. However, this should not be high up on a student’s priority list.
  • Since Boston College has an outstanding writing program, it is in the best interest for hopeful applicants to take their time on their essays or personal statements to make sure they stand out.

How Does Boston College Compare to Other Top Universities? 

The yield rate for Boston College, meaning the percentage of students who are accepted and decide to attend the University, is at about 33%. Other elite universities such as Rice and Carnegie Mellon have higher yield rates at 41% and 36%, respectively. Want more information about how Boston College compared to other schools? Check out the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023.

Are you or will you be attending Boston College?

Stock up on gear to show your pride for Boston College. Grab this hoodie, decals for your laptop, or this water bottle.

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