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Boston University Acceptance Rate
In the application year 2024, Boston University recorded an overall acceptance rate of 11.1% from 78,769 applicants, with 8,749 students admitted. The Early Action acceptance rate was notably higher at 28.2%, accepting 1,936 out of 6,854 applicants, while the Regular Decision rate stood at 9.4% for 71,915 applicants. Transfer admissions are relatively favorable, with a 34.5% acceptance rate, admitting 2,328 out of 6,729 applicants. Historically, the waitlist acceptance rate has fluctuated, dropping to just 0.1% this year, with only 18 out of 15,339 waitlisted candidates gaining admission. SAT scores for admitted students ranged from a 25th percentile of 1430 to a 75th percentile of 1510, reflecting competitive academic standards.
Overall Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 78,769
Accepted Applicants: 8,749
Regular Decision vs Early Action Acceptance Rates
Historical Acceptance Rates
Boston University's overall acceptance rate for the application year 2024 is 11.1%, with 78,769 applicants and 8,749 being admitted. This follows a slight increase from 10.8% in 2023, which had 80,490 applicants and 8,733 admitted. The Early Action (EA) acceptance rate remains significantly higher at 28.2% with 6,854 EA applicants, compared to a 9.4% acceptance rate in Regular Decision (RD) for 71,915 applicants. Historically, the total acceptance rate has been decreasing, dropping from 32.6% in 2015 to the current 11.1%, highlighting an increasingly competitive admissions environment at Boston University.
Wait List Acceptance Rate
Boston University's wait list acceptance rate for the application year 2024 is a mere 0.1%, with only 18 out of 15,339 waitlisted applicants being accepted. This marks a significant decline from the previous year (2023), where the acceptance rate was 0.22% with 34 acceptances from 15,033 offers. Historically, the highest acceptance rate was seen in 2020 at 53.6%, when 2,773 out of 5,164 applicants were admitted. The trend indicates increasing competitiveness and a sharper decline in acceptance opportunities over the last few years, particularly from highs in the early 2020s.
15339
Offered a Place
18
Admitted
0.1%
Acceptance Rate
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Boston University's transfer acceptance rate for the application year 2024 stands at 34.5%, with 2,328 out of 6,729 applicants being accepted. This is a decline from the previous year (2023), which had a higher acceptance rate of 39.7% despite more applicants (6,105). Historically, rates have varied, with the lowest acceptance rate recorded at 29% in 2022 and the highest at 53.64% in 2020. The average GPA of admitted transfer students is 3.9, indicating a competitive applicant pool.
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 6,729
Accepted Applicants: 2,328
Scores
GPA
3.9
SAT
1430-1510
Math: 730-780
Reading: 690-750
ACT
32-34
Math: 29-35
English: 33-35
Reading: 33-36
Science: 31-35
Acceptances by Race
| Race | Applicants |
|---|---|
| White | 30.3% |
| Asian American | 22% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 11.6% |
| Black/African American | 3.1% |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 0.03% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.09% |
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