About Boston College

Founded in 1863, Boston College. is a Private college. Located in Massachusetts, which is a city setting in Massachusetts, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 9,870 full time undergraduate students, and 4,596 full time graduate students.

The Boston College Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 14:1. There are 821 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Boston College include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate31%
Application Deadline
Application Fee75
SAT Range1260-1460
ACT Range30-33

Admissions at BC are considered More Selective, with ,65% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

99% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 96% were in the top quarter, and 81% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Boston College.

2%
“We”re apathetic”
37%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
4%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
8%
“We save it for the classroom”
16%
“Sometimes, but not often”
60%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
17%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
2%
“I only go out in groups”
22%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
76%
“I feel extremely safe”
5%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
22%
“We bought the gear”
74%
“We live for the big game”
11%
“It”s not really our thing”
42%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
39%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
8%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
8%
“Available in class”
62%
“They keep regular office hours”
29%
“They”re always available”
91%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
6%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
1%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
2%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
5%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
47%
“We only party on weekends”
48%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
64%
“There might be people who do”
28%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
2%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
2%
“We”re apathetic”
37%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
4%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
8%
“We save it for the classroom”
16%
“Sometimes, but not often”
60%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
17%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
2%
“I only go out in groups”
22%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
76%
“I feel extremely safe”
5%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
22%
“We bought the gear”
74%
“We live for the big game”
11%
“It”s not really our thing”
42%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
39%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
8%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
8%
“Available in class”
62%
“They keep regular office hours”
29%
“They”re always available”
91%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
6%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
1%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
2%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
5%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
47%
“We only party on weekends”
48%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
64%
“There might be people who do”
28%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
2%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Boston College REVIEWS

Write a review, Enter to win $1,000 Scholarship
  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    127 Students rated on-campus housing 3.5 stars. 12 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    99 Students rated off-campus housing 3 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    129 Students rated campus food 3.7 stars. 26 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    129 Students rated campus facilities 4.2 stars. 36 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    129 Students rated class size 4 stars. 29 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    129 Students rated school activities 4.2 stars. 50 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    130 Students rated local services 3.8 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    131 Students rated academics 3.6 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Boston College?

45 Students rated Boston College

Abigail - 03/04/2023

I loved being a student at Boston College. It was an intellectually-challenging school with a focus on how to be a "man and woman for others": in other words, how to form meaningful connections with others, support and advocate for needy populations, and give back to the community. I found that Boston College was a "work hard play hard" school as well, with most students celebrating different sports games on the weekends but grinding in the library during the week. Other major highlights of Boston College included all of their student-led organizations, with many focused on service, and their vast array of intramural, club, and Division 1 sports.

Marianelly - 09/28/2021

I think that it is a very diversity school in which you can easily connect and make friends with everyone. You are open to new opportunities everywhere and you are free to interact and get new experiences. I like the community as a whole that seems together as a family.

Wendi - 08/04/2021

.

Christine - 11/29/2020

Mateo's review hits the nail on the head, but for me, many of those things made it a 1-star experience overall. For that, I'm going to get a bit more specific, so if you want a good general overview, check out Mateo's review. One of my biggest issues is probably how money-hungry the school is. $60k/year, drowning in loans that still haven't been paid off for a degree I don't use, yet I still get constant calls, emails, and mail asking for more money. Not to mention, now that I've been graduated for a few years, it costs $5 to retrieve my official transcripts. I know that's not much, but it's a little ridiculous that $240,000 doesn't cover a lifetime of transcripts. Come on. I also had many experiences (particularly outside of my film major - those profs are great) where I did not feel supported whatsoever by professors. One of the worst examples in my opinion was that as an undecided freshman, I had a passion for a specific linguistic topic that only one Linguistics professor had the knowledge to potentially help me continue to pursue. I made multiple attempts to contact the professor and even spoke multiple times with the head of the department, but I never received a response on whether or not that professor was willing or able to find the time to help me learn her specialty. I found a different major, and my linguistic interests went unsatisfied. So much for that $240,000 price tag. It's extremely preppy/sporty and not at all diverse. I'm whiter than snow, and even I started having trouble telling all the white dudes apart. They all look, talk, dress, and act the same. It's kind of creepy. And now for the politics. I'm very liberal but mostly grew to be that way throughout college, so I didn't really know what I was getting into when I chose BC in high school. BC is VERY conservative, which wouldn't be an issue in-and-of-itself if it weren't for their incessant silencing of students. I attended during the murder of Eric Garner, and honestly, BC's response to the protests and everything during that time was actually disgusting. I could write a novel on that alone, but I'm sure there are many better-articulated pieces on it out there if you do a quick Google search. And if you specifically want an idea of the black/POC experience at BC, check out the Instagram @blackatbostoncollege. Horrific. Piggy-backing on the money-hungry problem but still more of a political opinion, they REFUSE to divest in fossil fuels. Again, I'm sure there are many better-articulated pieces out there with a quick Google search, but I find it infuriating. I was extremely lucky in finding my people. Had I not won the random roommate lottery freshman year to get an angel of a roommate who put up with me for 4 years and had someone not shoved a camera in my face at the extracurricular fair freshman year, I don't know that I would've ever really had any moments of feeling welcome or at home. I also lucked out finding the film department. Almost all of the film professors are gems.

Boston College FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Boston College?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Boston College is 31%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Remember that job you had over the summer and how much money you spent every week? SAVE IT!! Put some money in your savings account please!! College is all about self independency and without a little chump change this transition will be very difficult! You will want to go out on your own and buy something for your room without borrowing from your mom oncce in a while. Also cut down on all the candy! The gym at BC is always packed and you will never get your turn on the treadmill, so cut down on the snacks for a while. Maybe you should asking use those new running shoes you bought because food at BC is great and you won't skip meals! Take your time with each class and expect the unexpected. You haven't had a class with more than 30 kids, but when you get to America and the world you will have over 100. Find a studious friend in each class to swap notes as usual and swap numbers. Last but not least HAVE FUN!

    Read all  126 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    they are friendly people who care about each other.

    Read all  86 answers
  4. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    I spent almost all my time in the library this semester because I was taking 6 classes and my first pre-prac. Socially it was a terrible semester. I think BC is a good size, it large enough that you can avoid people you don't want to see, but small enough that you do run into friends all the time. One of the biggest complaints on campus is the food. There are only 2 main dining halls on campus, one with a very limited variety and the other has much more variety, but not enough that you wont get sick of it by the end of the semester. There are also a grab n' go or sandwich place that is really good, where they serve Starbucks, but is only open until 8.

    Read all  68 answers
  5. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    The preppiness and tons of jocks are definitely true, and if not jocks then just athletes.

    Read all  66 answers
  6. What are the academics like at your school?

    There is a lot of core which is good and bad, because you graduate with a lot of knowledge in many different fields, but it limits your exploration process to see what you want to major in. There is a lot of participation required, mostly in smaller classes, but in the seminars it is usually digital participation. Through the semester you at least have one group project which is also good and bad, because you get to meet people, but it is time consuming.

    Read all  66 answers
  7. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    that the students are all preppy and look like they came out of a J. Crew or Ralph Lauren catalog.

    Read all  64 answers
  8. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Some popular activities on campus are usually centered around sports, as many students often attend sports games. However, there are other activities on campus, such as acapella groups, music groups, theatre clubs, and much more.

    Read all  54 answers
  9. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    Boston College is a really nice small school yet at the same time has all of the excitement of a large school. We have amazing school spirit and great sports teams that are always fun to watch. Combined with this, we have a small school vibe where you can meet a lot of people and reconize them around campus. It's not too big and not too small. The campus is also beautiful and located in a perfect area. You can escape into the suburbs for some peace and quite and then take the T into Boston and have fun.

    Read all  48 answers
  10. What's unique about your campus?

    The best thing about Boston College is that the emphasis is on a broad-based, rounded liberal arts education--not a purely career driven education.

    Read all  25 answers
  11. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    Football and academics

    Read all  24 answers
  12. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Perfect.

    Read all  22 answers
  13. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    Without sororities and fraternities, it can be difficult to meet people right away and to make friends.

    Read all  22 answers
  14. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    Financial Aid can vary enormously from year to year. Talk to your professors outside of class.

    Read all  21 answers
  15. What kind of person should attend this school?

    The kind of person that wants to be challenged by others and themselves. A person that isn't afraid to question who they think they are and open themselves up to their fears. A person who is looking for more than a party and is ready to work. A person who loves tbe thought of expanding their understanding and wants the best for themselves. A person looking for a strong and protective community spirit, who likes football and drinking on the weekends.

    Read all  19 answers
  16. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    The worst thing about my school is the feeling of being alone in a huge school

    Read all  18 answers
  17. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    stressed

    Read all  18 answers
  18. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    The great kearning experiences I have had and good grades.

    Read all  15 answers
  19. Tell us about the sports scene on campus.

    After we won the Vtech game at home, the stands rushed the field!

    Read all  7 answers
  20. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    Even among the other college populations we get a bad rep for preppy, snobby, dunk, rich, white bros and hoes or j-crew with a hangover. There is even a blog called Bro-ston College. This is not true-yes maybe 5{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the population is made up of bros and hoes but the rest is a friendly, normal atmosphere. People still wear sweats around campus, most people get some form of financial aid, not everyone drinks on campus though I would stress that this is not even close to a dry campus but people who do not party still manage. We do have more diversity than people would think around here too and the cultural clubs are huge on campus the main one being AHANA. People here are definitely not racist in the slightest. People here overall and in general are friendly, not always what you would call religious, not alcoholic, care enough about their schoolwork but not to the point of having no life.

    Read all  7 answers
  21. Describe the dorms.

    View of a typical freshman dorm at BC.

    Read all  6 answers

Student Body

Students

54%

female

46%

male

9,870

Total Undergrad Enrollment

4,596

Total Grad Students

70%

Out-Of-State

23%

In-State

7%

International

Organizations

225

Student Organizations

N/A

Fraternities

N/A

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

51%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
9%
% Black or African-American
4%
% Hispanic/Latino
10%
% White or Caucasian
61%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

53% of students attending Boston College receive some sort of financial aid. 13% were awarded federal grants. While 38% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$51,296

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,250

Books and Supplies

$13,818

Room and Board

66,364

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$5,549
$30 - $48K
$9,179
$48 - $75K
$15,827
$75 - $110K
$24,810
$110K & UP
$47,234

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

FIND SCHOLARSHIPS

Find your perfect match from over 3 million scholarships!

START YOUR SEARCH

CAN YOU GET INTO Boston College?

Complete your profile to see if this school is a fit for you, and what your chances of admitance are.

START YOUR SEARCH