Boston College
140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Boston College is a private religious university in MA, founded in 1863 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 9,445, and the graduate enrollment is 5,125. Boston College is a highly selective school, receiving 29,382 applications and accepting 26.4% of applicants. Boston College’s athletics teams compete in the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, Boston College employs 878 full-time instructional staff (95% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 10:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
75
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Boston College will apply through the Common Application or the QuestBridge Application (if qualified). Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision I Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Decision II Application Deadline
January 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 1st
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Extracurricular Activities - Important
- Application Essay - Important
- Academic GPA - Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Important
Average Acceptance Rate
26.40%
STUDENT LIFE
Boston College has an undergraduate enrollment of 9,000 students, with an acceptance rate of 32%. The College is ranked 35th among National Universities and 468th among Global Universities. The College has four campuses; the main campus in Chestnut Hill spans over 175 acres and is home to 120 buildings. Some of its buildings feature the earliest collegiate gothic architectural designs in North America. The facilities on all campuses of the College allow its students to enjoy an endless array of academic and social activities. Students from Boston College are referred to as “Heightsonian,” although “Eagles” is commonly used. The fight song for the College is “For Boston.”
Housing
- 84% of students living on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
Boston College guarantees that freshman students live in traditional-style rooms found in either Newton Campus or Upper Campus of the Main Campus. In contrast, incoming junior year students are provided third-year housing in an off-campus apartment. The senior students do not need to live on-campus, but for the most part, about 90% percent prefer to live on-campus due to the system allowing seniors to choose their rooms first during the selection process.
The Housing system of the school guarantees three-year housing to a majority of its students, with some exceptions. The second-year transfer students are guaranteed one-year housing, while nursing students, presidential scholars, and student-athletes are guaranteed four-year housing.
Life as a Student
Boston College has a student population ratio of 47% men to 53% women, with over 70% of its students residing in College-owned buildings on-campus and 24% residing off-campus. The school is home to several recreational and research centers on every campus, different organizations in the form of fraternities and sororities, and the famed Eagles sporting theatre for the school’s athletic teams.
For a school founded based on religious ethics, Boston College boasts many chapels and cathedrals within the school environment. Additionally, the school aims to promote a healthy environment for academic, spiritual, and social activities. The school also provides primary health care and emergency medications for students needing medical advice and attention.
The Boston College Athletic team, The Eagles, comprises both men’s and women’s teams. Their colors are maroon and gold, and they compete in the NCAA Division I level, primarily in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and formerly competed in the Big East Conference. The team itself has reached the championship 31 times, boasting 16 wins. The College has educated some notable names worldwide, ranging from government signatories to actors and actresses.
TOP MAJORS
Economics
Psychology
Finance
Communications
Biology
Political Science and Government
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Fencing
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Golf
Lacrosse
Rugby
Soccer
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Golf
Lacrosse
Rugby
Soccer
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Intramural
Intramural
Badminton
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Badminton
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Volleyball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Boston College is committed to admitting students solely based on academic and personal accomplishments, without regard to financial need, and each year Boston College awards millions of dollars in need-based grants and scholarships to eligible undergraduates.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition - $59,050
- Books and Supplies - $1,250
- Other Fees - $1,152
- Room and Board - $15,220
- Misc. - $1,900
- Total Average Estimated Cost of Attendance - $78,572
HISTORY
Having a college in Boston was birthed in 1825 by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the Second Bishop of Boston. He envisioned a college that could raise a new generation of leaders to serve his fledgling diocese’s civic and spiritual needs. In 1827, he made the first step toward this vision by opening a college in the cathedral’s basement; but this move was hampered both by the members of the Protestant state and the distance of the Jesuit cathedral from Boston. The resistance became so much that he had to abandon the vision. However, another bishop who shared his vision, John McElroy, picked up where Benedict Joseph left off.
To do this, John McElroy organized a fundraiser around the city and, in 1857, purchased the first land for Boston College. This land was located on Harrison Avenue in South End, Boston, and housed only two buildings: a schoolhouse and a church. Boston College welcomed its first class of scholars in 1859. But, two years later, the outbreak of the Civil War led to the second closure of the College.
After more than three decades since the College’s inception, on March 31st, 1863, the College’s charter was officially approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its original college buildings on Harrison Avenue reopened. This reopening made it the first College in the Boston Area and the second Catholic Higher Learning Institute of Massachusetts, having a curriculum consisting of Jesuit Ratio Studiorum. By the 20th century, though, an expansion movement began leading to the separation between Boston’s college divisions and Boston’s High School. The College itself now has four campuses: the Chestnut Hill Main Campus, Middle Campus, Newton Campus, and Brighton Campus. Amongst these campuses are eight shared faculties, student dormitories, clinics, research centers, theatres, recreational centers, and college chapels, to mention a few.