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Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr., Julianne Moore, Jhumpa Lahiri, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Aaron Sorkin all graduated from Boston University? Situated in the heart of Boston, the research university was founded in 1872 and boasts a myriad of programs in a range of specialties and areas.
BU is a highly selective university, and thousands of students apply for a spot in the freshman class every year. How do you maximize your chances of getting in?
For the class of 2025, 61,007 students applied, and 12,254 were admitted — a 20.1% acceptance rate.
Although BU’s acceptance rate is low, your own chances of admission depend on your unique profile. Use CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator to find out your real odds of acceptance to BU, and receive tips on how to improve your profile for success.
The average high school GPA for students in the BU class of 2025 was 3.76 . Twenty-four percent had a 4.0 GPA.
The middle 50% SAT range for students in this class was 1340-1460 , and the ACT range was 30-34 . Seventy percent of students submitted the SAT, and 33% submitted the ACT.
66% of admitted students who submitted class rank were in the top 10% of their graduating class, and 93% were in the top 25%.
“A thoughtful and comprehensive review that takes into account your academic achievements and activities inside and outside the classroom within the context of your academic environment, life experiences, and background,” BU says. “We seek to bring together a diverse student body that is highly motivated, intellectually curious, and contributes to the BU community.”
That includes taking plenty of challenging courses, while also engaging in different types of activities. “We’re also looking for students who will create a unique, diverse community at BU,” the university says. “Those who are doers—volunteers, entrepreneurs, and ambitious students looking to take their academic experience to new heights.”
The recommended high school curriculum is:
As with other highly selective schools, BU encourages students to take the most rigorous curriculum available to them. It also considers demonstrated interest, seeking out students who want to attend the school, and want to represent diverse perspectives, passions, dedications, and backgrounds.
According to BU’s 2020–2021 Common Data Set, these factors are “ very important ” in the admissions process:
These are “ important ”:
*College of Fine Arts applicants must schedule an audition, and finalists for the BS/MD program must participate in a mandatory interview. BU doesn’t interview other applicants, though you can schedule an informational interview with a current student to learn more about the school. This interview will not be evaluated in admissions.
These factors are “ considered ”:
This is “ not considered ”: