How to Get Into Boston University: Requirements and Strategies
/Explore the Boston University acceptance rate and admission requirements, plus a sample BU essay
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Part 1: Introduction
If your child would like to attend a world-class, private research university in a history-filled city on the East Coast, Boston University should be at the top of their list. Founded in 1839, Boston University offers over 300 academic programs, top undergraduate research opportunities, and prestigious global recognition.
The faculty, staff, and students of Boston University hail from 50 states and over 150 countries, but all share a common passion to pursue knowledge and embrace possibilities. Aligning with its international focus, BU provides more than 80 study abroad opportunities to its students, encouraging them to embrace other cultures and become global citizens.
In the classroom, BU students are taught by Nobel Prize winners, Guggenheim Fellows, Fulbright Scholars, and Sloan Research Fellows. With class sizes averaging only 30 students, undergraduates have opportunities to take active roles in their education and develop mentorships with their accomplished professors.
On any given day, Boston University students pursue their interests in courses like “Magic, Science, and Religion”—part of the general education curriculum known as the BU Hub. Outside of classes, students gather at many different spots around campus, including the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground.
With over 450 student groups available, the sky’s the limit when it comes to engaging in the campus community—students can pursue anything from competing in broomball leagues to delivering art education to local students. And while there’s plenty to explore in the city, Boston University has many unique on-campus traditions for students to enjoy—such as Lobster Night and the BU Pumpkin Drop.
And after Boston University? Graduates join an alumni network containing over 400,000 members spread throughout 180 different countries. Alumni hold positions in nearly every industry—you can find Boston Terriers in roles as magazine editors, state governors, Fortune 500 CEOs and CFOs, U.S. ambassadors, and award-winning actors and actresses. With a network this expansive to support them, it’s no surprise that 94 percent of Boston grads find employment or enroll in a graduate program within six months of earning their degree.
Boston University is a premier educational institution that attracts over 80,000 applicants every year. With so many high-achieving students applying to BU, you understand why your child is eager to learn how to get into Boston University. Continue reading to discover the Boston University acceptance rate, the Boston University average GPA, and how your child can boost their BU admissions odds.
Boston University rankings
Forbes: 48
Niche: 38
U.S. News & World Report: 41
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 30
Where is Boston University located?
Boston University is located in the heart of—you guessed it—Boston, Massachusetts. This iconic city, known as “the birthplace of the American Revolution,” offers students the chance to revisit and appreciate our nation’s history. But Boston is unique for its duality—not only does it remind us of the past, but it also leads us into the future through innovation and education. With Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University located within a few miles of each other, Boston is one of the premier research cities in the country.
Boston boasts a number of special attractions that captivate tourists and locals alike—including the Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the JFK Presidential Library and Museum. Fortunately for students, Boston is a pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly city that encourages exploration and adventuring—ensuring BU students never find themselves with a shortage of things to do.
Boston University setting
Boston University’s campus spans 169 acres along the Charles River, just slightly west of Boston’s city center. Just by walking to the edge of campus, students can take advantage of Boston's extensive public transportation system—known commonly as “the T.” After hopping on the subway, every attraction in Boston is easily within reach of this urban campus.
While BU’s campus is relatively small, it is also historic and picturesque. It’s intentionally open to the city, encouraging students to make all of Boston their home. And the city of Boston certainly does not disappoint, offering students diverse cultures, spirited athletic pride, and unmatched local food to enjoy. (Boston baked beans, anyone?)
Several big industries dominate Boston’s economic landscape, including finance, research and development, healthcare, education, publishing, and government. These industries offer BU students unparalleled opportunities for career development, internships, and networking. In fact, 84 percent of students complete at least one internship while at Boston University.
Boston University student population
Undergraduate population: 17,590 students
Graduate population: 17,937 students
Boston University acceptance rate
Here are the admissions statistics for BU’s class of 2026:
Applications: 80,796
Matriculants: 3,634
Acceptance rate: 14%
If you’re hoping to transfer to Boston University, know that the transfer acceptance rate in recent years has hovered around 50 percent. For the Fall 2022 entrance, BU received 5,810 transfer applications; 614 of these applicants eventually matriculated.
Boston University tuition and scholarships
Boston University’s 2023–2024 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) runs $86,363.
However, BU promises to meets 100 percent of need for first-year students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Each year, $329.5 million is awarded in undergraduate financial aid, approximately 92 percent of which is need-based.
The average institutional grant totals $48,604.
Boston University freshman retention rate
94 percent of freshmen students continue on to their sophomore year at BU.
Who gets into Boston University?
Beyond knowing the Boston University acceptance rate, the best way for potential applicants to assess their odds of getting accepted is to look at the Boston University admissions statistics for the class of 2025, which reveal that applicants are at the top of their academic game and the competition to get accepted is strong.
When viewing the test scores below, note that 42 percent of admitted students did not submit test scores.
84 percent of admitted students rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class.
Average GPA: 3.9
Average GPA range: 3.8–4.0
Average ACT score: 33
ACT middle 50%: 30–34
Average SAT score: 1442
SAT middle 50%: 1310-1500
International students: 23%
First-generation students: 19%
As of Fall 2021, the largest demographic represented among BU undergrads were white students (30%). The next largest racial groups found in the population were Asian Americans (20.3%), Hispanic Americans (11.6%), and Black or African Americans (8%). International students were not counted among these populations.
The most popular major areas among BU students are business administration and management, communication and media studies, economics, psychology, and computer science.
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Part 2: Boston University admissions requirements
If your child wants to know how to get into Boston University, a good place to start is by understanding the BU admissions requirements. To find their ideal students, the BU admissions committee closely evaluates applicants’ academics, test scores, and extracurriculars.
Boston University academic requirements
With over 80,000 students competing for admission, Boston University has the luxury of selecting applicants with the strongest academic potential. In order to prove your child has what it takes to succeed in BU’s rigorous curriculum and elevate its reputation as a prosperous alumnus, they should take some of the most challenging courses offered at their high school—including dual-enrollment, honors, AP, and IB classes.
You might be wondering, what’s the “right” amount of challenging classes for your child to take? Surely, you don’t want them to be overwhelmed and earn poor grades or be forced to drop their meaningful extracurricular activities. There is a balance you should aim for—take the number of classes that will stretch your child to the limits of their ability without being more than they can handle.
When choosing which challenging courses to pursue, your child should prioritize classes relating to their interests and potential career. If they want to go into a STEM field, they don’t need to overburden themselves with AP Literature or AP Spanish courses—unless of course, they have genuine interests in those areas. But in general, Boston would prefer to see AP Chemistry, AP Biology, or AP Calculus from a STEM applicant.
(Suggested reading: IB vs AP: Which One Is Better for College Admissions?)
Boston University testing requirements
In response to the many test cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston University has adopted a temporary test-optional policy for students applying for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 admission. If applicants were able to take the SAT or ACT exams and their scores accurately reflect their academic ability, they are encouraged to submit them. However, students will not be penalized if they choose not to include SAT or ACT scores with their application through Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.
Because the average Boston University SAT scores and ACT scores of admitted students are impressively high, we encourage students to take these exams more than once and to study hard in order to maximize their scores. Taking test prep courses or receiving one-on-one tutoring are typically successful methods for students to increase their scores and their admissions odds.
(Suggested reading: What is a Good SAT Score? The Definitive Guide)
Boston University extracurricular requirements
While displaying strong academic skills is an important part of being a competitive BU applicant, high test scores and GPA alone aren’t enough to earn any student an offer of admission. As Boston University makes clear, what students do outside the classroom matters, too. Ideal BU students have ambition, take risks while pursuing their passions, and engage in meaningful community service.
Keep in mind the Boston University community purpose—to pursue knowledge and embrace possibilities. Then consider how your child can display these values in their extracurricular activities. One of the most effective ways to achieve this aim is for your child to determine their biggest interest areas and explore them in unique, in-depth ways. We can use an example to illustrate this approach.
Imagine your child’s biggest passion is playing the violin. The best extracurricular strategy would be for them to pursue this passion through methods that display leadership, service, research, and creativity. To demonstrate leadership, your child could organize a small ensemble group of peers and perform at local events. Using a love of violin for service could be as simple as giving free violin lessons to younger students or performing at homes for the elderly. As a way to connect music with research, they could assist with a study examining the effect of music therapy on depression. And to be impressively creative, your child could compose original songs, either sharing them on YouTube or recording them into an EP and selling it online.
Just imagine a Boston University admissions officer reading through this list of activities on your child’s application. They would be amazed at the level of initiative. Using this extracurricular approach will set your child apart from other applicants and improve their chances of getting into Boston University.
(Suggested reading: Extracurricular Activities for College Admissions: The Ultimate Guide)
Boston University application requirements
If your child has the academic statistics and extracurricular history to form a strong BU applicant profile, they might be ready to apply to Boston University. Here is a list of requirements for the BU application.
A completed Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application
High school transcript
First-quarter senior grades
Counselor recommendation and school report form
One teacher recommendation
SAT or ACT scores (optional through Fall 2025/Spring 2026 admission)
If your child is applying to the School of Music in cello, double bass, flute, viola, piano, trombone, trumpet, violin, and voice, they are required to submit a pre-screening recording.
If your child is applying to the School of Theatre or School of Visual Arts, they must complete an audition, submit a portfolio, or both.
(Suggested reading: How to Write an Amazing Common App Essay)
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Part 3: Applying to Boston University early decision vs. regular decision
Boston University offers students three different admissions options to choose from, and in order to determine which is the best choice for your child, you must first understand the distinctions between them.
BU Early Decision
Application deadline: November 1
Admissions notification: Mid December
Enrollment deposit due: Early-Mid January
If accepted, students must enroll at Boston University and withdraw all their applications at other schools.
BU Early Decision 2
Application deadline: January 4
Admissions notification: Mid February
Enrollment deposit due: Late February
If accepted, students must enroll at Boston University and withdraw all their applications at other schools.
BU Regular Decision
Application deadline: January 4
Admissions notification: Late March
Enrollment deposit due: May 1
If accepted, students are not bound to attend Boston University. They are free to compare acceptances and financial aid offers from different schools.
How to know if your child should apply to BU early decision or regular decision?
Early decision is the right option for your child if Boston University is their absolute top choice, if they’ve had the opportunity to visit the campus or area, and if they can create the best version of their application prior to the November 1st deadline.
However, if Boston is your child’s top choice but they haven’t visited campus yet or they need additional time to improve their application—with new test scores, improved senior grades, or better college essays—applying early decision 2 might be the better choice.
For both early decision and early decision 2 applicants, Boston is committed to meeting 100 percent of their demonstrated financial need. So while students with financial concerns typically hold off from applying early decision because they want to compare financial aid offers from multiple schools, BU applicants can be confident that if they’re accepted through early decision, they’ll be financially able to attend.
If your child is excited about Boston University but is also still considering other schools, they should apply regular decision, wait to receive multiple acceptances, and visit their top choices one final time in the spring before choosing which one to attend.
(Suggested reading: Early Action vs. Early Decision: Pros and Cons and What Your Child Should Do)
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Part 4: 2023–2024 Boston University supplemental essays
Strong college essays can provide the final push to persuade the Boston University admissions committee that your child deserves to attend. On the other hand, poorly-written essays may be the final straw that sends your child’s application to the reject or waitlist pile. With so much riding on these BU supplemental essays, let’s look at one of the two essay prompts for this year.
Boston University is dedicated to our founding principles: “that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community—local and international. These principles endure in the University’s insistence on the value of diversity in its tradition and standards of excellence and its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world.” With this mission in mind, please respond to one of the following two questions in 300 words or less:
Question #1: Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? (300 words)
Or
Question #2: What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community? (300 words)
2: It’s a simple question that asks for an in-depth response. Your child’s answer to this “Why Boston?” essay prompt must be unique and impactful enough to help them stand out from the crowd. To do this, they’ll want to identify the two or three things they most love about Boston University and connect them to their background, accomplishments, or future goals.
Before we get to our sample Boston University essay, let’s define the kinds of topics that should and shouldn’t be included in your child’s response. While there are no wrong reasons for wanting to attend Boston University, there are certainly wrong things to write about in this “Why Boston?” essay.
While BU’s prestige, location, and weather are valid reasons to love it, they don’t deserve a spot in this college essay. The Boston University admissions committee wants to see in-depth knowledge and passionate enthusiasm from BU applicants. If your child doesn’t possess that yet, they’ll need to do some research to find a few truly unique things about BU they can be excited about.
Impressive Boston University essays might focus on one or two of the following reasons for attending BU:
A specific academic interest, such as the Kilachand Honors College
A specific research lab, researcher, or study
A specific extracurricular interest, such as leadership, volunteer, or creative opportunities
A specific experience or defining moment from a campus visit
If you haven’t noticed, the more specific applicants are in their BU essay, the more memorable and effective their essay will be.
Here’s a sample Boston University essay.
Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States.
(Suggested reading: The Ultimate Guide to Supplemental College Application Essays)
Final thoughts
Boston University is a world-class research institution that can offer your child a meaningful college experience as well as advantageous career opportunities. While getting into Boston University is no easy feat, your child can gain an admissions edge by taking rigorous coursework, pursuing in-depth extracurriculars, and writing powerful BU supplemental essays.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.