Boston University

It is very difficult to get into Boston University. The university admitted 14% of all applicants in 2022. Last year, 80,796 students applied to Boston University and 11,607 were admitted.

If you are applying to Boston University, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/4 and the application fee is $80.

Students who submit their applications to Boston University for the fall semester should anticipate a decision by April 1.

Boston University Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of Boston University's admissions stats.

Boston University 2023	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.9
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	87%
Mean SAT Score	1418
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	23%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	12%
Waitlist	Yes

Boston University Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Boston University.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 15
Early Decision II	Yes	January 4	February 15
Early Action	No	–	–
Regular Decision	Yes	1 4	April 1

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Applying Early to Boston University?

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Boston University offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 4. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Boston University is 25%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 14%. In 2022, Boston University admitted 1599 of the 6309 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early to boost their chances of getting in. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase the chance of acceptance, since it is a way to show your interest in a school.

➡️ Discover a list of some top colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Boston University Admissions

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Is Boston University Challenging To Get Into?

Getting into BU is very difficult. BU evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2022, BU accepted 14% of all applicants, approximately 11,607 from 80,796 applicants.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like BU, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT. Admissions to Kilichand Honors College is program extremely difficult.

Transferring to Boston University

It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

For Students Waitlisted to Boston University

In 2022, Boston University waitlisted 9,643 students and 5,899 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 3 eventually were offered a spot.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Boston University?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are are most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that prioritize the admissions factors where you're strong.

Admissions Factors at Boston University

Wondering what factors are considered by Boston University during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Class Rank	Important
Application Essay	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
First Generation	Considered

Make sure to check with Boston University for more information on admission factors.

Boston University 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Boston University, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Boston University's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Other Requirements	–	–	√	audition/ portfolio (Talent/ability is very important for College of Fine Arts applicants, otherwise not considered.)
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)	–	–	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	2	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Boston University?

Students admitted to Boston University have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.

Out of all students that were admitted, 17% submitted a class rank. At Boston University 87% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 99% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Boston University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	38%
3.75 and 3.99	37%
3.50 and 3.74	24%
3.25 and 3.49	1%
3.00 and 3.24	–
2.50 and 2.9	–
2.00 and 2.49	–

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Boston University directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Boston University is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 23% of Boston University's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 12% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Boston University?

To be competitive with other Boston University applicants, you should strive to earn between 1370 and 1480 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Boston University 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1480 and 25% of scored lower than 1370, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Boston University student is 1418.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Boston University students scored 770 or higher and 75% of students scored 660 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Boston University students scored 730 or higher, and 75% scored a 660 or higher.

To be most competitive at Boston University, you should strive to earn between 31 and 34 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 34 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Boston University's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 34, and three out of four students scored lower than 34 on the ACT.

A 31 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Boston University students. Only one out of every four students scored below 31.

More Information on Transferring to Boston University

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to Boston University.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 15. Applicants should hear back by April 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Boston University during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Boston University Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Boston University?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Boston University.

Does Boston University accept transfer credits?

✅ Boston University accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Boston University accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Boston University accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Boston University?

❌ No, Boston University is test optional, so you can decide whether or not to submit your test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Boston University's acceptance rate?

✅ The acceptance rate for Boston University is 14%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Boston University?

✅ Boston University's early decision acceptance rate was 25% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Boston University?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

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