College Profiles/ Boston College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Boston College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Chestnut Hill, MA · 9,654 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Boston College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Boston College admitted 16.2% of 34,779 first-year applicants in the 2024-2025 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 33.4%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1460 to 1520.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,258.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $60,503.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 4, Regular Decision Jan 4.[3]
16.2%
Overall admit rate[1]
33.4%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1460 to 1520
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$95,258
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$60,503
Average need-based grant[1]
$4.3B
Endowment, FY2025[4]
Boston College at a Glance
- Location
- Chestnut Hill, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 10:1[1]
- Endowment
- $4.3 billion (FY2025)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App[3]
- First-year retention
- 96.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Boston College
The ConnectPrep take
Boston College asks applicants to choose one of four divisions and considers them only for the division they apply to. BC weighs grades, test scores, activities, appraisals, and how a student expresses themselves in writing, and its Jesuit framing of be attentive, be reflective, be loving gives the essays a clear target. Early Decision is a strong lever: 33.4% of 4,288 ED applicants were admitted against 16.2% overall, about 2.1 times the overall rate. ED pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies, so treat that as the high end. Testing is optional and scores can be self-reported; with a middle 50% SAT of 1460 to 1520, submit at 1490 or higher. The mistake we see is applying after Nov 1, which removes your student from Gabelli Presidential Scholars consideration.
What to do this fall
- Pick the BC division that matches your student's record; applicants are considered only for that division.
- Apply by Nov 1, whether ED I or RD, to be eligible for the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program.
- Send an SAT of 1490 or higher as a self-reported score.
- ED I families should submit aid documents through IDOC by Nov 1, the same day as the application.
Applying to Boston College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Boston College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
34,779 |
5,632 |
16.2% |
| Early Decision[1] |
4,288 |
1,434 |
33.4% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 25% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 2.1 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 42.5%.[1]
- 7,444 students were offered a waitlist spot, 4,139 accepted one, and 352 were admitted from it.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
710 to 760 |
| SAT Math[1] |
730 to 780 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1460 to 1520 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
30% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
15% |
| Ranked in top 10% of high school class[1] |
90% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1520 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 35 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1490, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Boston College looks for
In its own words: BC reviews each application thoroughly, considering 'grades, standardized test scores, what you do outside of school,' teacher and other appraisals and 'how you express yourself through writing,' and frames its mission around the Jesuit 'three Be's': be attentive, be reflective, be loving.[3]
Boston College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
Dec 15 (ED I); Feb 15 (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 4 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 4 |
Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Boston College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program
Before RD |
Nov 1 (priority) |
Full tuition for 18 students; ED and RD candidates are eligible only if they apply by the Nov 1 priority scholarship deadline. No additional materials; finalists notified mid-Jan and interviewed on campus mid-Mar.[3] |
| Arts supplement (SlideRoom) |
Nov 1 (ED I) or Jan 4 (ED II/RD) |
Optional studio art, theater or music samples via SlideRoom; late submissions are not reviewed.[3] |
| Financial aid priority deadlines |
Nov 1 (ED I); Jan 4 (ED II); Feb 1 (RD) |
ED I aid documents are due the same day as the application; documents are submitted through IDOC.[5] |
See how Boston College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Boston College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$95,258 |
| Tuition[2] |
$75,070 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
38.5% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$60,503 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$62,865 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
34 students, average $20,795 |
Trustees' announced overall annual cost of attendance for 2026-2027 ($95,258), with undergraduate tuition set at $75,070.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $95,258 cost of attendance down to roughly $34,755 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Boston College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[6]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$4,284 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$7,304 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$13,112 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$19,999 |
| Over $110,000 |
$60,308 |
| All aided students |
$41,704 |
Academics and Majors at Boston College
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Business/marketing29%
- Social sciences19%
- Biological/life sciences10%
- Psychology8%
- Computer and information sciences6%
Signature programs
Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program
Four-year full-tuition scholarship for 18 incoming first-years; ED and RD candidates are eligible if they meet the November 1 priority scholarship deadline, with no extra materials required.[3]
Human-Centered Engineering
BC's engineering major, whose first cohort graduated in 2025, uses its own essay prompt and has limited spaces, so applicants may list a second Morrissey major.[3]
Messina College
New BC college whose opening was cited among the highlights of the 2024-25 academic year.[4]
Choosing a major and getting in
Applicants choose one of four divisions (Morrissey Arts and Sciences, Carroll Management, Lynch Education and Human Development, Connell Nursing) and 'are only considered for admission to the division to which they applied'; most students need not declare a major except Engineering and Nursing.[3]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (Nov 1, decision Dec 15).[3]
- Early Decision II (Jan 4, decision Feb 15).[3]
- QuestBridge National College Match partner.[3]
- Gabelli Presidential Scholars (Nov 1 priority deadline).[3]
- Spring first-year entry option.[3]
Boston College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
96.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
86.4% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
91.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[6] |
$103,937 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[6] |
$19,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[6] |
13% |
Make Boston College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Boston College FAQs
What is the Boston College acceptance rate?
Boston College admitted 16.2% of first-year applicants (5,632 of 34,779), according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 33.4%.
When are the Boston College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Early Decision II Jan 4; Regular Decision Jan 4. 1 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does Boston College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,258. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $60,503. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Boston College?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1460 to 1520 on the SAT and 33 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1520, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
Is it easier to get into Boston College early decision?
BC admitted 33.4% of Early Decision applicants compared with 16.2% overall, about 2.1 times the overall rate. The ED pool is self-selected and often includes recruited athletes and legacies, so the edge for a typical student is smaller. ED I closes Nov 1 and ED II Jan 4, and admitted ED candidates are fully considered for full-tuition merit scholarships.
How do you apply for the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program?
There are no additional materials. ED and RD candidates are eligible only if they apply by the Nov 1 priority scholarship deadline. The program offers full tuition to 18 students, and finalists are notified in mid-January and interviewed on campus in mid-March. A Regular Decision application submitted on Jan 4 is too late.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Boston College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
