Boston University

If you are considering submitting an application to BU, the regular decision application deadline is January 4 and the fee for the application costs $80.

Students who apply to BU for the fall semester should receive an admissions decision no later than April 1.

BU Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here's an overiew of some of BU's admissions stats.

BU 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.8
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	70%
Mean SAT Score	1434
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	32%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	13%
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	January 1	April 1

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Applying Early to BU?

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BU offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, which means 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 BU is 33%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 19%. Last year, BU admitted 1877 of the 5659 students who applied early decision.

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

➡️ Find a list of some competetive colleges that admit 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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How To Get Into Boston University

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

In 2021, BU accepted 19% of students, about 14,129 from the 75,778 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 accelerated seven-year medical program, 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 BU

BU has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What Does BU Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are are most important in the admissions process. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis on the areas where you shine.

Admissions Factors at BU

Curious about the factors that are considered by BU 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
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Application Essay	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

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

BU Application Requirements

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

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview			√
Other Requirements			√	audition, portfolio
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
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 BU?

Students admitted to BU have an average unweighted GPA of 3.8.

Out of all students that were admitted, 18% submitted a class rank. At BU 70% 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	26%
3.75 and 3.99	31%
3.50 and 3.74	37%
3.25 and 3.49	5%
3.00 and 3.24	1%
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 BU 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

BU looks at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

BU has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 32% of BU's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 13% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for BU?

To be competitive with other BU applicants, you should strive to earn between 1390 and 1490 (or higher!) on the SAT. At BU 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1490 and 25% of scored lower than 1390, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a BU student is 1434.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of BU students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 660 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of BU students scored 740 or higher, and 75% scored a 660 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for BU?

To be most competitive at BU, 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 BU'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 BU students. Only one out of every four students scored below 31.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to Boston University

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

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by April 15.

Transfer students can enroll in BU during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

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BU Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to BU?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to BU.

Does BU accept transfer credits?

✅ BU accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

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

✅ BU accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to BU?

❌ No, BU is test optional, so you can choose whether or not to send your test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you probably want to include them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is BU's acceptance rate?

✅ The acceptance rate for BU is 19%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at BU?

✅ BU's early decision acceptance rate was 33% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About BU?

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

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