Bu Admissions: What Makes A Successful Applicant?

Boston University is a highly selective university with an 18.7% acceptance rate, making it competitive to get into. The university considers the entirety of a student's application, including academic achievements, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. While there is no minimum GPA requirement, the average GPA of accepted students is between 3.8 and 4.0, with mostly A's on their transcript. Boston University also considers SAT and ACT scores, with an average SAT score of 1418. Additionally, the university looks for students who demonstrate values such as adaptation, leadership, and community service, and those who will contribute to a diverse and engaging campus community.

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Academic achievements and activities

Boston University seeks to bring together a diverse student body that is highly motivated, intellectually curious, and contributes to the BU community. The university looks for academically gifted students who demonstrate their talents and interests through extracurricular involvement.

Boston University has a holistic review process that takes into account a student's academic achievements and activities inside and outside the classroom within the context of their academic environment, life experiences, and background. The university recommends a fairly balanced course load and encourages students to take the most rigorous curriculum available to them. BU considers demonstrated interest, seeking students who want to attend the school and represent diverse perspectives, passions, dedications, and backgrounds.

The average GPA at Boston University is 3.89, and applicants should aim to be near the top of their class with mostly A's. Students should also take several Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes to show they can handle academics at a college level. For instance, applicants to the College of Engineering are required to have a year of calculus, while applicants to the Questrom School of Business are required to have a year of calculus or a year of precalculus and a year of AP Statistics.

Boston University does not have a stated policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but most applicants submit their scores. The average SAT score composite at Boston University is 1418 on the 1600 SAT scale, with the 25th percentile SAT score being 1410 and the 75th percentile being 1500. Boston University superscores, meaning they will take your highest scores for each section across all test dates.

Extracurricular activities are extremely important to BU, which typically wants to see depth and dedication to a few activities rather than a wide variety of short-term interests. Applicants should consider their extracurricular activities according to the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars, with Tier 1 representing the most unique and impressive activities and Tier 4 representing very common activities. Boston University values adaptation, leadership, creativity, scholarship, and community service, and applicants should infuse their applications with these values.

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Essays and personal statements

Boston University has a holistic review process, meaning that they consider the entirety of a student’s application. While the university looks for academically gifted students, they also consider other aspects of an applicant’s profile.

When it comes to writing your essays and personal statements, it's important to showcase your unique perspective and how you will contribute to the diverse student body at Boston University. Your essays should highlight your intellectual curiosity, dedication to your education, and engagement with the world outside the classroom.

• Intellectual Curiosity: Boston University seeks students who are intellectually curious and motivated to explore their interests. Your essays should demonstrate your passion for learning and your willingness to engage with new ideas.
• Community Involvement: The university values community service and social engagement. Reflect on a social or community issue that resonates with you and explain how you have been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it. This shows your commitment to making a positive impact on the world.
• Extracurricular Activities: Boston University wants to see that you are engaged outside of the classroom. Your extracurricular activities should demonstrate your talents, interests, and dedication. When writing about your extracurriculars, focus on the meaning and impact of each activity and how they contribute to a cohesive picture of who you are.
• Personal Connection to BU: In your essays, showcase your enthusiasm for Boston University and explain why being a student there excites you. This demonstrates your genuine interest in the university and how you will contribute to campus life.
• Academic Rigor: While Boston University values extracurriculars and community involvement, they also want to see that you have challenged yourself academically. Your essays should showcase your academic achievements and any rigorous or challenging courses you have taken.
• Well-Written and Thoughtful: Take the time to craft thoughtful and well-written essays. Ensure that your essays are free of errors and clearly articulate your thoughts and experiences.
• Values: Infuse your application with Boston University's values, such as adaptation, leadership, creativity, scholarship, and community service. Demonstrate how you embody these values through your experiences and aspirations.

Remember, your essays and personal statements are an opportunity for Boston University to get to know you beyond your academic credentials. Showcase your unique perspective, passions, and how you will contribute to the university community.

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Standardised test scores

Boston University does not have a stated policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but it does publish average SAT or ACT scores, so it is likely to be test-flexible. The average SAT score composite at Boston University is 1418 on the 1600 SAT scale. The 25th percentile SAT score is 1410, and the 75th percentile is 1500.

Boston University has a Score Choice policy of "Highest Section", also known as superscoring. This means that applicants can choose which SAT tests they want to send to the university, and admissions officers will consider their highest section scores across all SAT test dates submitted.

Boston University does not require applicants to have taken a specific distribution of classes, but it recommends a fairly balanced course load. The university considers rigorous or challenging courses important, and applicants should demonstrate that they can handle academics at a college level. For example, applicants to the College of Engineering are required to have a year of calculus.

International students are required to submit the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test as the primary means for evaluating English language proficiency.

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Extracurricular activities

Boston University (BU) is a highly selective university with an 18.7% acceptance rate. The admissions process is holistic, taking into account academic achievements and activities inside and outside the classroom within the context of a student's academic environment, life experiences, and background.

BU seeks students who are engaged outside of the classroom and demonstrates their talents and interests through extracurricular involvement. BU typically wants to see depth and dedication to a few extracurricular activities rather than a wide variety of interests that only last a semester or two. When compiling your extracurricular activities, consider the following:

Demonstrate a "Spike"

BU admissions officers will be looking for a "spike" in your extracurricular resume, which means a specialization in one or two key areas. This could be a unique and impressive activity (Tier 1) that showcases your talents and interests. For example, this could be a significant contribution to a community issue that resonates with you, as BU values community service.

Show a Range of Activities

In addition to your specialized activity/activities, it is beneficial to showcase a range of other extracurriculars. Include a handful of Tier 3-4 activities, which are more common activities such as volunteering, sports, or clubs.

Communicate Meaning and Impact

Regardless of the types of extracurricular activities you choose to include, focus on communicating the meaning and impact of each activity. Your list should paint a thorough picture of who you are and who you would be on BU's campus. For example, your activities could demonstrate how you embody BU's values of adaptation, leadership, creativity, scholarship, and community service.

Connect to Your Essays

Your extracurricular activities and essays should work together to form a cohesive whole. Use your essays to showcase your passions and interests and how they align with BU's offerings. For example, you could write about a social or community issue that is important to you and how you've been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it.

Demonstrate Rigor and Challenge

BU seeks ambitious students who are willing to take their academic experience to new heights. Therefore, demonstrating rigor and challenge in your extracurricular activities is beneficial. For example, you could showcase how you took a leadership role in a volunteer activity or how you started a new club or initiative at your school, demonstrating your motivation and intellectual curiosity.

In conclusion, when applying to BU, it is essential to showcase a range of extracurricular activities that demonstrate your passions, talents, and dedication. These activities should work together with your essays to paint a picture of who you are and how you will contribute to the BU community.

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Letters of recommendation

Boston University has a holistic review process for admissions, taking into account a student's academic achievements and activities inside and outside the classroom, within the context of their academic environment, life experiences, and background. While a high GPA is important, it is not the only measure used to evaluate a student. BU also considers extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation.

When applying to the College of Engineering, for example, applicants are required to have a year of calculus. In this case, it would be beneficial to have a letter of recommendation from a math teacher who can speak to the student's aptitude in this area. Similarly, for applicants to the Questrom School of Business, a letter of recommendation from a math or business teacher could be beneficial, as applicants are required to have a year of calculus or a year of precalculus and a year of AP Statistics.

In addition to highlighting academic achievements, letters of recommendation should speak to the student's character and how they will contribute to the BU community. BU seeks to bring together a diverse student body that is highly motivated, intellectually curious, and dedicated to their education. The university values adaptation, leadership, creativity, scholarship, and community service. Therefore, letters of recommendation that can speak to these qualities and provide specific examples of how the student has demonstrated these traits will be especially impactful.

Overall, when selecting individuals to write letters of recommendation, applicants should choose individuals who can speak to their unique strengths and how they will contribute to the BU community. These letters play an important role in the admissions process and can help set the applicant apart from other candidates.

Frequently asked questions