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Boston University Admissions 233 Bay State Road, Boston MA 02215

First-Year Applicants

First-year applicant checklist.

As a first-year applicant, you must submit the following credentials. International applicants must also submit additional credentials .

Common Application or QuestBridge Application

High School Transcript

Senior year grades.

Counselor Recommendation and School Report Form

Teacher Evaluation

Standardized Tests (Optional)
College of Fine Arts Requirements

Additional Details

Common application and questbridge application.

BU accepts the Common Application and QuestBridge Application .

QuestBridge Applicants : Please visit our QuestBridge webpage for details about the application process.

Selecting an Academic Program:

You must specify a BU school or college when applying.
Please refer to our list of majors to see which semesters of entry are available for each program.
If you do not have a specific school or subject area in mind, we suggest you apply to the College of Arts & Sciences and select “Undeclared” or the College of General Studies .

Essays : You must submit two essays in the space provided on the Common Application. This is an important part of your application because it gives you the chance to tell us your story as an applicant.

Admission to your selected program:

While you will be given consideration for the school or college to which you apply, it’s possible that you will be offered admission to the College of General Studies or another BU program for which you qualify. Please check the box to indicate whether you would like to be considered for this option on your application.
If you are applying to the College of Fine Arts, you will only be considered for the program to which you applied.
If you are interested in being considered for the Kilachand Honors College , check “Yes” to this question on your application and then complete the required essay. Your application will first be considered for admission to the school or college to which you have applied. If you are admitted to that program, you will then be considered for admission into the Kilachand Honors College.

Application Fee: Our application fee is $80 and can be paid via the Common Application.

For most BU programs, the recommended high school/secondary school curriculum is as follows:

4 years of English
3-4 years of mathematics (precalculus/calculus recommended)*
3-4 years of laboratory science
3-4 years of history and/or social science
2-4 years of a world language

*Applicants to the College of Engineering are required to have a year of calculus. For students enrolled in IB courses, this requirement would be met with enrollment in HL or SL Math Analysis & Approaches or HL Math Applications & Interpretations.

* 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. For students enrolled in IB courses this requirement would be met with enrollment in HL or SL Math Analysis & Approaches or HL Math Applications & Interpretations.

Early Decision Applicants: Early Decision applicants should have their counselor submit first marking period grades, which may be first quarter or first trimester grades, as soon as they are available.
Regular Decision Applicants: If you are on a semester schedule, please have your counselor send your first marking period or first quarter grades if available. In addition, your counselor must submit first semester grades once they are available. If you are on a trimester schedule, please have your counselor submit your first trimester grades once they are available.

School Counselor Recommendation and School Report Form

Please ask your counselor to submit the School Report form and the School Counselor Recommendation form found on the Common Application.

Please ask a teacher to submit the Teacher Evaluation form found on the Common Application.

Standardized Tests

Boston University is test optional for first-year applicants applying through fall 2025 and spring 2026.

This policy applies to all undergraduate schools and colleges at Boston University as well as all scholarship programs.
International students will be required to submit the TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo English Test as the primary means for evaluating English-language proficiency.

Prospective students and applicants must decide for themselves whether or not to include standardized test scores with their application for admission to Boston University. When making this decision, we ask students to consider the totality of their academic record, their contributions both in and out of the classroom and to their communities, and whether they feel confident that the sum of these experiences fully reflect their academic ability and potential.

Students have the ability to indicate whether they would like us to consider their standardized test scores when they apply. Once you have submitted your application, this answer cannot be changed.

If you would like your standardized test scores considered:

Boston University accepts self-reported standardized test scores on your application. You may also submit your official test scores via the testing agency, or through the self-report form on the MyBU Applicant Portal.

Please note: If you submit self-reported standardized test scores, an official score report from the testing agency will be required before enrolling at Boston University. If there are discrepancies between self-reported and official standardized test scores, your enrollment at Boston University may be rescinded.

When sending official scores, t he BU codes are:

BU superscores both the SAT and ACT. To take advantage of superscoring, we recommend including all your test scores if you take more than one test or take a test multiple times. For both the SAT and ACT, BU uses the highest score of each section, regardless of test date, to best represent you as an applicant.

If you’ve taken the SAT more than once, you can select which results you want to send to us using Score Choice . We only consider the highest SAT scores submitted.
For the ACT, we recalculate a new composite score using the highest score from each section, regardless of test date.

Portfolios, Auditions, and Interviews

If you are applying to the College of Fine Arts , please see the different requirements for the program.

Please note that all materials and documents submitted as part of an application for admission become the property of Boston University and cannot be returned.

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Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Boston University Essays 2024-2025

Boston University has one required prompt for all of its applicants. Applicants must choose one of two possible topics—the first asks you to reflect on a social or community issue, and the second asks how you hope to contribute to the BU campus community.

Since BU receives thousands of applications from academically strong students, your essays are your chance to stand out. In this post, we’ll discuss how to craft an engaging response to each of these options.

Read these Boston University essay examples to inspire your writing.

Boston University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: Boston University is dedicated to our founding principles: “that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community—local and international. These principles endure in the University’s insistence on the value of diversity in its tradition and standards of excellence and its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world.” With this mission in mind, please respond to one of the following two questions in 300 words or less:

Option A: Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? (300 words)
Option B: What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community? (300 words)

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? (300 words)

This sort of a combination of the community service prompt and the global issues prompt . Schools that use this kind prompt want to know about your level of engagement with the people and environments around you. BU especially emphasizes taking the knowledge you learn in the classroom and applying it to the service of the wider community, so definitely respond to this prompt if you feel like this is you.

Your response should illustrate your personal values through the lens of your perspectives on and interactions with your community. Keep in mind that often, the best way to respond to a prompt like this is with an anecdote. This prompt is not an invitation to list all your achievements in community service like you might on your resume—instead, you should share your experiences in a short illustrative anecdote. With the 300-word limit, it’s important that you convey relevant details from your story as effectively and concisely as possible.

This question is twofold. The admissions committee wants to learn about an issue in society or your community that deeply resonates with you, and that has motivated you to perform civic engagement and service. The prompt also asks you to reflect on how you’ve actively approached these issues and advocated for their resolution (or even attempted to solve them!).

To help you brainstorm about ongoing societal or community issues, ask yourself:

What existing problems in my immediate community do I find personally and particularly frustrating?
What issues have I taken a lead role in engaging with? How have I served my community?
Have I been involved in any advocacy programs or campaigns in my community?

Additionally, there are a few other tips you can follow to stand out in this essay. Focus on one particular interest or concern if you can. Share responsibilities and accomplishments you had in your role. Highlight what you learned and how you’ll use those lessons moving forward. Don’t be afraid to call out different clubs, classes, programs, or initiatives on BU’s campus that connect with your particular interests and intersect with the types of service you do.

With only 300 words to spare, less is more—focusing on one key experience or aspect of your identity with an important relevant issue will demonstrate more thought and effort than just listing several experiences from your resume.

What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community? (300 words)

The key to this “Why This College?” prompt is to first lay out the specific aspects of the University that excite you, and then to supplement these aspects with the ways in which your personal traits and qualities will make you an excellent fit at the school’s community. Most importantly, you want to thoroughly research the aspects of BU that really resonate with you.

Remember to discuss both academic and extracurricular aspects, as college is about what happens both inside and outside the classroom! Note, the second half of this prompt is new this year—it asks how you plan to contribute to the BU campus community. Be sure to address this half of the prompt by explaining how your personal values and interests align with BU. Discuss how you hope to showcase these values and interests in BU’s lively community.

Here are some possible avenues:

If you have a particular interest in conducting research, you might use this essay to dote on BU’s extensive undergraduate research opportunities. Maybe you’ve always been interested in studying mental illness, as it’s something you’ve both witnessed and had to reckon with personally for your entire life. You could talk about BU’s Approach Motivation and Participation (AMP) Lab , where you would have ample opportunity to interact with participants dealing with things like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
If you want to study business and are applying to the Questrom School of Business, you might talk about wanting to join the Questrom Honors Program , where you would be given unique opportunities to attend seminars on niche business topics of your interest, like green technology and intellectual property, and participate in networking events with alumni. Remember to talk about your own experiences in business, whether that was through DECA or through starting your own business. Be sure to also mention why Questrom would be a perfect avenue to continue pursuing your current passions.
Maybe you’re an aspiring English major with a love for theatre. The Shakespeare Society would be a great place to combine your passions, as the group puts on 2-4 Shakespeare productions per year.

If you’ve visited the campus or have attended a summer program at the University, you should definitely note that in the essay. Include sensory details and specific moments, whether it was visiting the halls that Dr. Martin Luther King once studied in, lying down on “BU Beach” and catching the breeze, or simply sitting outside of Marsh Chapel and observing the great diversity on campus as people walked along Commonwealth Avenue.

That being said, don’t make the focus of your essay anecdotal; you want to be sure to include details about concrete resources at BU that would help you achieve your goals.

One final piece of advice is that you should avoid mentioning generic aspects of BU that could apply to many other schools, such as its location in Boston or low student-to-faculty ratio. You want to show the admissions committee that you’ve seriously reflected on how well you’ll fit at BU, and you can do that by mentioning specific, unique BU resources that support your aspirations.

Where to Get Your Boston University Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your BU essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

How to Write the Boston University 2024-2025 Supplemental Essays

If you’re considering applying to Boston University, you’ll need to tackle their unique supplemental essay prompts. BU is a renowned institution committed to principles of accessibility in education and community service. To help you craft compelling essays, let’s dive into their prompts and offer some tips on how to approach them.

The Supplemental Essay Prompts

For the 2024-2025 application cycle, Boston University has put forth the following essay prompts, each with a word limit of 300 words:

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it?

What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community?

Let’s break down each prompt to help you effectively showcase your experiences and aspirations.

Prompt 1: Social or Community Issue

This prompt is an opportunity to illustrate your passion and dedication to a cause. Boston University values diversity and community engagement, so align your story with these values.

Here are some tips on approaching this prompt:

Choosing Your Issue: Select a social or community issue that has genuinely affected you. This could range from environmental activism to advocating for mental health awareness. Authenticity is key; pick something you’re passionate about.

Describing Your Involvement: Highlight specific actions you’ve taken to address or raise awareness about the issue. Concrete examples are vital in showcasing your proactive mindset. Did you organize a local event, start a blog, or collaborate with an organization? Detail your contributions.

Connecting to BU’s Values: Explain why this issue matters to you and how it ties in with BU’s commitment to diversity and community service. How will your experiences enrich BU’s dynamic community?

If you’re struggling to brainstorm or need feedback on your draft, consider using Sups AI . This AI college counseling platform offers tailored advice and even one-on-one chats with current students who can provide insider perspectives on BU’s community.

Prompt 2: Excitement about BU

This prompt is your chance to showcase what excites you about BU and how you aim to be an active, impactful member of their community.

Here’s how to approach this prompt:

Research BU: Dig deep into BU’s programs, initiatives, and campus culture. Are you excited about a specific research center, academic program, or student organization? Mention specific details that align with your interests.

Link to Your Goals: Explain how BU’s offerings align with your personal and professional goals. Whether it’s their engagement with the City of Boston or international programs, be specific about how these opportunities will help you grow.

Highlight Your Contributions: Illustrate how you plan to contribute to BU’s community. Are you planning to bring a unique perspective, start a new club, or get involved in community service? Show that you’re ready to be an active participant.

Again, if you’re unsure how to start or want feedback, Sups AI is a valuable resource. With feedback from current students and AI-driven insights, you can refine your essay to truly stand out.

Writing your supplemental essays for Boston University is a critical step in your application process. Remember to be genuine, detailed, and passionate about your responses. These essays are your chance to show how you align with BU’s values and how you will contribute to their vibrant community. Good luck!

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

Boston University Supplemental Essay 2023-24 Prompts and Advice

August 14, 2023

With almost 81,000 applications from those wishing to join the Class of 2027, Boston University has entered the realm of the most desirable private universities on the planet. It also continues to climb to new heights in terms of selectivity with just an 11% acceptance rate for entering 2023-24 freshmen. In contrast, just twenty years ago, BU accepted 70% of those who applied. This brings us to the topic of the Boston University supplemental essay.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into BU? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Boston University for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Boston University has become a school where you may need more than just strong grades and test scores to gain acceptance—the average SAT for those submitting applications last cycle was 1441. Through its one required essay prompt, the BU supplemental essay affords applicants an opportunity to showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below are the Boston University supplemental prompt options for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address them:

2023-2024 Boston University Supplemental Essays

Boston University is dedicated to our founding principles: “that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community—local and international. These principles endure in the University’s insistence on the value of diversity in its tradition and standards of excellence and its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world.” With this mission in mind, please respond to one of the following two questions in 300 words or less:

1. Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it?

2. What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community?

Note regarding word count: Although BU asks you to respond in less than 300 words, the Common App provides 350 words of space.

Prompt Option #1

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it?

To craft a strong response to this prompt, you’ll first need to choose an issue that is important to you on either a global, regional, or community scale. If you pick something general (and popular), like women’s rights or social media, consider choosing a specific angle that relates to you personally. For example, while tackling “social media” in general would be a daunting proposition, discussing a particular platform or the impact of technology on your interpersonal relationships could be far more specific and accessible.

Boston University Supplemental Essays (Continued)

To answer the second part of the prompt, you’ll need to discuss how you’ve engaged with the issue in real life. Have you attended rallies, protests, or fundraisers? Did you create or join an after-school club or volunteer opportunity? Have you shared your perspective at community or school board meetings? On a smaller scale, have you made an effort to converse with peers and/or adults about your chosen issue? If so, what was the outcome?

This prompt is not asking for a hypothetical answer. Therefore, crafting an effective response will necessitate that you have outwardly engaged with your issue of choice on some level . As such, if you have trouble brainstorming an issue that you have addressed or raised awareness about, you’ll likely want to respond to the second prompt option instead.

Prompt Option #2

What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community?

This is your quintessential “Why Us?” essay which comes with the typical pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. We don’t want to label these as “mistakes” (there is nothing inherently wrong with them). They just don’t add any needle-moving value, which is, of course, the only goal here!

Common components of a vanilla “Why BU?” essay

Generalities about why Boston is an ideal location for your college experience.
Generalities about why Boston is an exciting/cosmopolitan/diverse/culture-filled city.
BU’s ranking, prestige, or reputation.
Too many generic expressions of feeling (e.g., I know with all my being that BU is the school for me… ).
Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.
Lastly (and most importantly), mentioning Fenway Park.

How to write a winning “Why BU?” essay

First things first—consider why you’re excited to become a BU student. Is it the academic programs , professors, research opportunities , internship/externship programs , study abroad programs , student-run organizations , mission statement , etc.? Try focusing on 2-3 offerings that feel particularly significant rather than attempting to create a laundry list of everything you might possibly take advantage of. In addition, be sure to address how you will take advantage of the resources you decide to write about.

Secondly, you’ll need to discuss your prospective contribution to the BU campus. How will you be an active community member? Will your past/current endeavors carry over onto BU’s campus? How so? Will you bring special talents or passions?

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school. However, you don’t want it to read like a robotic list of items that you Googled five minutes before writing the essay (even if the timing of the Google search is roughly accurate). In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar BU essay will involve connecting your selected opportunities of interest to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

Should I answer the optional BU question?

Please use this space if you have additional information, materials, or writing samples you would like us to consider.

When considering whether or not to utilize this inviting blank space, consider that the BU admissions office is deluged with applications and will only want to see highly compelling and essential information included in this section. For more on how to decide whether or not to take advantage of any Additional Information section in an application visit our blog on the subject .

How important is the essay at BU?

The factors that Boston University weighs as being “very important” in evaluating a candidate are the rigor of your secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, and talent/ability. The essay is “important” and sits alongside letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and character/personal qualities.

Boston University Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Boston University supplemental essay, we encourage you to get a quote today.

College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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