How To Get Into Boston College

Putting together a list of colleges that you’re interested in can be daunting, and narrowing that list down to fewer than ten schools can feel downright impossible. But applying to too many schools can get overwhelming, and it’s wise to do your research ahead of time so that you can focus on a short list of schools that you really want to go to.

One of the most important things to pay attention to is how likely you are to get in. Sure, it’s okay to include a reach school or two. It’s also smart to include a couple of safety schools that are more or less guaranteed to admit you. And most of your list should be made up of great schools that you stand a decent shot at getting into.

At Transizion, we’re all about making the college application process easier on you. We research a wide range of schools and give you the highlights so that you can devote more time and energy to your classes, your passions, and those tricky college essays. 

Today, we’re focused on Boston College. We’ll cover academics, campus life, and what it takes to get in. By the end, you’ll know whether or not this school merits a place on your list. 

Boston College

Boston College, often referred to as BC, is a private Jesuit research university. It still refers to itself as a college as opposed to a university as a way of honoring its roots and acknowledging its status as a small liberal arts college of less than ten thousand undergraduate students. 

At BC, educators strive to offer “education with a heart and soul”. Students are offered a well-rounded education that combines the academic and the theological with the goal of personal development and service to the wider world. 

The campus houses over one hundred Jesuits, one of the largest Jesuit communities in the world. Over seventy Catholic masses are celebrated on campus each week. 

BC Campus

Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The school was founded in 1863 and eventually moved from downtown Boston to Chestnut Hill, just a few miles away. The main campus now spans 175 acres and includes over 120 buildings. Students have their choice of 29 residence halls and 13 dining locations on campus.

The main campus of Boston College is a historic district that features some of the earliest collegiate gothic architecture in North America. The prime example of this is Gasson Hall, the first building on the current campus, completed in 1913. Gasson Hall and its neighbors overlook wide walking paths and sprawling campus greens lined with deciduous trees. 

Boston College has eight research libraries containing over twelve million items, two million of which are held in the form of physical, printed volumes. Gargan Hall, located within Bapst Library, is often said to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Open all day and night, it’s one of the most popular study spots on campus.  

Campus Life

Eighty-five percent of BC undergraduates live on campus. In addition to residence halls, BC offers nine Living and Learning Communities where students can connect with like-minded peers. Community themes include social justice, sustainability, and healthy living. 

The dining halls offer food sourced from local farms, cheese from Vermont, and ice cream from Rhode Island. The campus also hosts a weekly farmers market, where students can use their “dining dollars” to buy local produce and baked goods.

Boston College has over three hundred student organizations to choose from. Options range from Catholic Relief Services to Contemporary Theatre. And though it’s a Catholic school, there is also a Buddhist Club and an Interfaith Coalition. 

There are dozens of options for active students, including 44 intramural sports programs. Students can also take courses in aquatics, spin, yoga, and more – so there are plenty of ways to stay active and healthy even through the depths of winter. And when the weather warms up again, there are student organizations for Ultimate Frisbee, Rugby, Golf, and Cycling.

The Boston College Arts Council offers community events, performances, and gallery showings throughout the year. Students have the chance to participate in the Arts Festival or the campus’s Week of Dance celebration each year. The BC Arts Council also offers a Career Night that gives students who are interested in pursuing a career in the arts the opportunity to find local mentors. 

Ever to Excel

The BC motto Αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν is Greek for Ever to Excel. 

All undergraduates complete the Boston College Core Curriculum, which is intended to give its students a “common intellectual foundation.” The core curriculum at Boston College is designed to help its participants demonstrate critical thinking skills and be able to apply multiple disciplinary perspectives to complex problems. The curriculum also aims to help students “understand how faith and reason are related in the search for truth.” 

To complete the Core Requirement, students of Boston Colleges will need to complete one to two classes in the Arts, Cultural Diversity, History, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Theology, and Writing. 

For each of these requirements, students have a wide range of classes to choose from. For Theology, for example, there are currently sixteen courses available for Fall 2022 that meet the undergraduate requirement. For Art, students can choose a hands-on class like drawing or painting, or they can choose a more intellectual course like History of Architecture. 

Boston College is divided into eight constituent colleges: 

• Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
• Carroll School of Management
• Lynch School of Education and Human Development
• Connell School of Nursing
• Boston College School of Social Work
• Boston College Law School
• Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
• Woods College of Advancing Studies

More than half of BC’s undergraduates are enrolled in the oldest and largest constituent college, Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences. Approximately six thousand undergraduates study there each year. Although Morrissey was founded by the Society of Jesus, its charter stated that no student would be refused admission “on account of the religious opinions he may entertain.”

Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences offers the following majors: 

• African and African Diaspora Studies
• Applied Physics
• Art History
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Geoscience
• Environmental Studies
• Film Studies
• French
• Geological Sciences
• German
• Hispanic Studies
• History
• Human-Centered Engineering
• Independent
• International Studies
• Islamic Civilization and Societies
• Italian
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Music
• Neuroscience
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Russian
• Slavic Studies
• Sociology
• Studio Art
• Theatre
• Theology

Most of these are also available as minors. Additional minors include Arabic Studies, Ancient Greek, Irish Studies, and Catholic Studies. Morrissey also offers a range of programs of study, including Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, and Pre-Veterinary.

Why Boston College?

BC is a solid choice for a good education, and student experiences at Boston College transcend the academic. This is a college that strives to help its students on their “journey of personal, intellectual, and spiritual growth, of connections made and truths discovered.” 

Boston College values ethics and compassion just as highly as it values critical thinking. If this is a match for your own deeply held beliefs and you want to join a community that feels the same way, Boston College might be the perfect place for you. With one of the strongest alumni networks in the world, the students of Boston College continue to support each other even after graduation.

If you’re looking for a rich and varied liberal arts education that combines academic rigor with ethics and theology, Boston College fits the bill. Plus it’s got that Hogwarts vibe, with spacious libraries and towering buildings that invite your soul to soar.

Admission

Due partially to its size and also to its status as one of the top universities in the country, Boston College receives far more applications each year than it can accept. Acceptance rates over the past decade have hovered close to thirty percent, but the number of applications rose drastically this past year. With nearly forty thousand applications submitted for the class of 2025, the admittance rate sank below twenty percent. 

The middle fifty percent of SAT scores for admitted students this year ranged from 1460 to 1540. The average SAT score was 1466. 

Applicants are required to submit The Boston College Writing Supplement, five to six questions that allow students to demonstrate their ability to think deeply and consider complex subjects. They can be found here.

Who Thrives at Boston College?

Still wondering if Boston College is right for you? 

It’s best to look beyond facts and figures to consider the college experience as a whole. Would you like to study at a beautiful old school just outside of Boston? Does a campus culture of faith and service appeal to you? If so, Boston College merits a spot on your list. 

It’s also good to consider which colleges best serve your interests and career goals. These are the ten most popular majors at BC:

• Finance
• Economics
• Biology
• Political Science
• Communication
• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Nursing
• Applied Psychology & Human Development
• Neuroscience

If you’re considering one or more of these majors, Boston College is worth adding to your list. And if you’re not sure yet what you want to major in, Boston College is an excellent choice for a well-rounded undergraduate education regardless of which field of study you eventually decide to focus on. 

It’s worth noting that undergraduate tuition is quite high – over eighty thousand dollars a year once you include room and board. But bear in mind that nearly seventy percent of undergraduates receive financial aid – so don’t count BC out just yet. 

Boston College strives to adhere to its founding principles of inclusion and reverence for all people. BC practices need-blind admission, meaning that students’ financial needs are not considered during the admission process. Once admitted, students who demonstrate financial need are connected to a variety of aid resources. Look into their financial aid programs to see if you qualify. 

Application Deadlines

If you’re certain that you would rather attend Boston College than any other school, you can apply for Early Decision. Just remember that this is binding, and that if you’re accepted to Boston College, you will be expected to withdraw your applications to all other schools. 

There are two separate deadlines for Early Decision. Students can either submit their applications by November first for a higher chance of acceptance, or they can submit their applications by January third and hear back before the Regular Decision crowd. 

Early Decision applicants have a better chance of admittance. This past year, 39% of Early Decision Applicants were admitted; they comprise nearly half of the class of 2025. In contrast, only 17% of students who applied for Regular Decision were admitted. Additionally, some of the students not accepted through Early Decision are given a second chance; they’re considered alongside the Regular Decision applicants. 

Regular Decision applicants who want to be considered for the school’s four-year, full-tuition, merit-based scholarship will also need to apply early; the priority scholarship deadline is the first of November. There are eighteen scholarships available through the Boston College Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program. The program’s core values are Global Leadership, Hospitality, Fidelity to our Partners and Promoting the Common Good. 

The deadline for Regular Decision is January third.

Conclusion: How to Get into Boston College

Boston College is a great choice for students who want a well-rounded education focused on creating a better world for all. And with an admittance rate of close to forty percent for Early Decision Applicants, it’s a realistic reach school for most serious students. 

Are you still wondering whether you have what it takes to get into Boston College? Or just unsure of whether this school would be a good fit for you? Leave your questions below! We’d be happy to help.